“Pat, you may take care of him. Give him his bath and shave and new suit, then return to the office with Clarence Pearson.”
“You poor, unfortunate fellow, you come along with me. Tell me all about yourself. I’m a guard here, and will trate you nice if you trate yourself so; but I want to give you a tip: Do not disobey rules. It will be better for you. How long are you sentenced here for?”
“Life.”
“My man! A life sentence, indade! You will eat manny a meal with us, and I am not sure but what I will ate some off the same table.”
“Do the guards and prisoners all eat together?”
“No, not always; but sometimes the guards turns into prisoners.”
“I do not understand you.”
“I do not know what I did mane, to do what I did. Here is the place. Clane yourself up and don the new suit, and very seldom do the styles change—I belave once in ten years, from stripes to checks. You will feel cool after you have been shaved and have a hair-cut. One advantage, you’ll not be needing a comb very soon.”
“Don’t they allow you to comb your hair?”