But no one informed me of such a rule, and I did not think it necessary to inquire. I could see no possible harm that could come to them from looking through the bars upon the grass, and trees, and flowers of the grounds. Positive good might arise from changing the tenor of their thoughts. If they stood longer than I thought best, I sent them to do something for me.
One day, Annie O'Brien had mounted the window-seat, in my absence from the kitchen, and when I went back, was exercising her powers of description upon what she saw, for the entertainment of the others.
The window through which she was looking, commanded a view of the yard, the office, and the walk through which the public found entrance to the buildings.
"An arrival, an arrival!" called Annie, in a loud whisper.
"Who is it? Is it anybody that we know?" asked one of the girls that had been brought in with her.
I stood behind the furnace a moment to notice what was going on.
"Yes, there is Tom Ticket. I wonder what he has been doing."
"Nothing new, of course! They wanted a carpenter down here, so they sent up for him. The carpenter was discharged the other day, and I heard one of the men say they'd have another down in a few days,—they knew just where to lay their hands on one of the best in the city."
"Do you mean to say, Lissett, that they can have a man brought down here a prisoner, because they want a carpenter?" I asked.
"Yes, ma'am. They know he drinks, and can prove it, but they don't want too many at a time, so they let him run till they want him; then, they have him taken up, and fetched down here."