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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
“You think her, at all events, a lady?” said John, quickly.
“How, then, can you suppose it possible that she has been
guilty of the crimes of which she stands accused?”
“Simply, because my old – fashioned father has given me
old – fashioned notions of the meaning of terms. So thin –
skinned have people become lately, that even language must
be perverted to gratify their conceit. The terms `gentleman’
and `lady’ have as defined meanings as any two words we possess signifying persons of cultivated minds, and of certain refinements in tastes and manners. Morals have nothing to do
with either, necessarily, as a `gentleman’ or `lady’ may be very
wicked; nay, often are. It is true there are particular acts, partaking of meannesses, rather than anything decidedly criminal, that, by a convention, a gentleman or lady may not commit; but there are a hundred others, that are far worse, which
are not prohibited. It is unlady – like to talk scandal; but it is
not deemed always unlady – like to give grounds to scandal.
Here is a bishop who has lately been defining a gentleman,
and, as usually happens with such men, unless they were originally on a level with their dioceses, he describes a `Christian,’
rather than a `gentleman.’ This notion of making converts by
means of enlisting our vanity and self – love in the cause, is
but a weak one, at the best.”
“Certainly, Mike; I agree with you in the main. As large
classes of polished people do exist, who have loose enough notions of morals, there ought to be terms to designate them, as
a class, as well as to give any other name, when we have the
thing. Use has applied those of `gentlemen’ and `ladies,’ and I
can see no sufficient reason for changing them.”
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
“It comes wholly from the longings of human vanity. As a
certain distinction is attached to the term, everybody is covetous of obtaining it, and all sorts of reasoning is resorted to, to
drag them into the categories. It would be the same, if it were a
ground of distinction to have but one ear. But this distinction
will be very likely to make things go hard with our client, Jack,
if the jury say `guilty’.”
“The jury never can never will render such a verdict! I do
not think the grand jury will even return a bill. Why should
they? The testimony wouldn’t convict an old state – prison –
bird.”
Michael Millington smiled, a little sadly, perhaps for John
Wilmeter was Sarah’s only brotherbut he made no reply, perceiving that an old negro, named Sip, or Scipio, who lived about
the jail by a sort of sufferance, and who had now been a voluntary adherent of a place that was usually so unpleasant to
men of his class for many years, was approaching, as if he were
the bearer of a message. Sip was an old – school black, grey –
headed, and had seen more than his three – score years and
ten. No wonder, then, that his dialect partook, in a considerable
degree, of the peculiarities that were once so marked in a Manhattan “nigger.” Unlike his brethren of the present day, he was
courtesy itself to all “gentlemen,” while his respect for “common folks” was a good deal more equivocal. But chiefly did the
old man despise “yaller fellers;” these he regarded as a mongrel
race, who could neither aspire to the pure complexion of the
Circassian stock, nor lay claim to the glistening dye of Africa.
“Mrs. Gott, she want to see masser,” said Scipio, bowing to
John, grinningfor a negro seldom loses his teethand turning
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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
civilly to Millington, with a respectful inclination of a head
that was as white as snow. “Yes, sah; she want to see masser,
soon as conbe’nent; and soon as he can come.”
Now, Mrs. Gott was the wife of the sheriff, and, alas! for the
dignity of the office! the sheriff was the keeper of the county
gaol. This is one of the fruits born on the wide – spreading
branches of the tree of democracy. Formerly, a New York sheriff bore a strong resemblance to his English namesake. He was
one of the country gentry, and executed the duties of his office
with an air and a manner; appeared in court with a sword, and
carried with his name a weight and an authority, that now are
nearly wanting. Such men would scarcely become gaolers. But
that universal root of all evil, the love of money, made the discovery that there was profit to be had in feeding the prisoners,
and a lower class of men aspired to the offices, and obtained
them; since which time, more than half of the sheriffs of New
York have been their own gaolers.
“Do you know why Mrs. Gott wishes to see me, Scipio?”
demanded Wilmeter.
“I b’lieve, sah, dat’e young woman, as murders ole Masser
Goodwin and he wife, ask her to send for masser.” This was
plain enough, and it caused Jack a severe pang; for it showed
how conclusively and unsparingly the popular mind had
made up its opinion touching Mary Monson’s guilt. There was
no time to be lost, however; and the young man hastened towards the building to which the gaol was attached, both standing quite near the court – house. In the door of what was her
dwelling, for the time – being, stood Mrs. Gott, the wife of the
high sheriff of the county, and the only person in all Biberry
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
who, as it appeared to John, entertained his own opinions of
the innocence of the accused. But Mrs. Gott was, by nature, a
kind – hearted woman; and, though so flagrantly out of place
in her united characters, was just such a person as ought to
have the charge of the female department of a prison. Owing
to the constant changes of the democratic principle of rotation in office, one of the most impudent of all the devices of a
covetous envy, this woman had not many months before come
out of the bosom of society, and had not seen enough of the
ways of her brief and novel situation to have lost any of those
qualities of her sex, such as extreme kindness, gentleness of
disposition, and feminine feeling, that are anything but uncommon among the women of America. In many particulars,
she would have answered the imaginative bishop’s description
of a “lady;” but she would have been sadly deficient in some of
the requisites that the opinions of the world have attached to
the character. In these last particulars, Mary Monson, as compared with this worthy matron, was like a being of another
race; though, as respects the first, we shall refer the reader to
the events to be hereafter related, that he may decide the question according to his own judgment.
“Mary Monson has sent for you, Mr. Wilmeter,” the good
Mrs. Gott commenced, in a low, confidential sort of tone, as if
she imagined that she and John were the especial guardians of
this unknown and seemingly ill – fated young woman’s fortunes. “She is wonderfully resigned and patient a great deal
more patient than I should be, if I was obliged to live in this
gaol that is, on the other side of the strong doors; but she told
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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
me, an hour ago, that she is not sure, after all, her imprisonment is not the very best thing that could happen to her!”
“That was a strange remark!” returned John. “Did she make
it under a show of feeling, as if penitence, or any other strong
emotion, induced her to utter it?”
“With as sweet a smile, as composed a manner, and as gen-
tle and soft a voice as a body ever sees, or listens to! What a
wonderfully soft and musical voice she has, Mr. Wilmeter!”
“She has, indeed. I was greatly struck with it, the moment
I heard her speak. How much like a lady, Mrs. Gott, she uses
itand how correct and well – pronounced are her words!”
Although Mrs. Gott and John Wilmeter had very different
ideas, at the bottom, of the requisites to form a lady, and the
pronunciation of the good woman was by no means faultless,
she cordially assented to the truth of the young man’s eulogy.
Indced, Mary Monson, for the hour, was her great theme; and,
though still a young woman herself, and good looking withal,
she really seemed never to tire of uttering her praises.
“She has been educated, Mr. Wilmeter, far above any fe-
male hereabout, unless it may be some of the s and s,” the good
woman continued. “Those families, you know, are our upper
crust not upper ten thousand, as the newspapers call it, but
upper hundred, and their ladies may know as much as Mary;
but, beyond them, no female hereabouts can hold a candle to
her! Her books have been brought in, and I looked them overthere isn’t more than one in three that I can read at all. What
is more, they don’t seem to be all in one tongue, the foreign
books, but in three or four!”
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
“She certainly has a knowledge of several of the living
languages, and an accurate knowledge, too. I know a little of
such things myself, but my friend Millington is quite strong in
both the living and dead languages, and he says that what she
knows she knows well.”
“That is comforting for a young lady that can speak so many
different tongues would hardly think of robbing and murdering two old people, in their beds. Well, sir, perhaps you had
better go to the door and see her, though I could stay here
and talk about her all day. Pray Mr. Wilmeter, which of the
languages is really dead?”
John smiled, but civilly enlightened the sheriff’s lady on
this point, and then, preceded by her, he went to the important door which separated the dwelling of the family from the
rooms of the gaol. Once opened, an imperfect communication
is obtained with the interior of the last, by means of a grating
in an inner door. The gaol of Dukes county is a recent construction, and is built on a plan that is coming much into favour, though still wanting in the highest proof of civilization,
by sufficiently separating criminals, and in treating the accused with a proper degree of consideration, until the verdict
of a jury has pronounced them guilty.
The construction of this gaol was very simple. A strong, low,
oblong building had been erected on a foundation so filled in
with stones as to render digging nearly impossible. The floors
were of large, massive stones, that ran across the whole building a distance of some thirty feet, or if there were joints, they
were under the partition walls, rendering them as secure as if
solid. The cells were not large, certainly, but of sufficient size
to admit of light and air. The ceilings were of the same enor-
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THE WAYS OF THE HOUR
mous flat stones as the floors, well secured by a load of stones,
and beams to brace them, and the partitions were of solid masonry. There the prisoner is encased in stone, and nothing can
be more hopeless than an attempt to get out of one of these
cells, provided the gaoler gives even ordinary attention to their
condition. Above and around them are erected the outer walls
of the gaol. The last comprise an ordinary stone house, with
roof, windows, and the other customary appliances of a human
abode. As these walls stand several feet without those of the
real prison, and are somewhat higher, the latter are an impe-
rium in imperio; a house within a house. The space between the
walls of the two buildings forms a gallery extending around
all the cells. Iron grated gates divide the several parts of this
gallery into so many compartments, and in the gaol of Biberry
care has been had so to arrange these subdivisions that those
within any one compartment may be concealed from those
in all of the others, but the two that immediately join it. The
breezes are admitted by means of the external windows, while
the height of the ceiling in the galleries, and the space above
the tops of the cells, contribute largely to comfort and health
in this important particular. As the doors of the cells stand
opposite to the windows, the entire gaol can be, and usually is,
made airy and light. Stoves in the galleries preserve the temperature, and effectually remove all disagreeable moisture. In
a word, the place is as neat, convenient, and decent as the gaol
of convicts need ever to be; but the proper sort of distinction
is not attended to between them and those who are merely
accused. Our civilization in this respect is defective. While the
land is filled with senseless cries against an aristocracy which,
if it exist at all, exists in the singular predicament of being far
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
less favoured than the democracy, involving a contradiction
in terms; against a feudality that consists in men’s having bargained to pay their debts in chickens, no one complaining in
behalf of those who have entered into contracts to do the same
in wheat; and against rent; while usury is not only smiled on,
but encouraged, and efforts are made to legalize extortion; the
public mind is quiet on the subject of the treatment of those
whom the policy of government demands should be kept in
security until their guilt or innocence be established. What
reparation, under such circumstances, can be made to him to
whom the gates are finally opened, for having been incarcerated on charges that are groundless? The gaols of the Christian world were first constructed by an irresponsible power,
and to confine the weak. We imitate the vices of the system
with a cool indifference, and shout “feudality” over a bantam,
or a pound of butter, that are paid under contracted covenants
for rent!
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CHAPTER VII
“Sir, this is the house; please it you, that I call?”
Taming of the Shrew.
The grated window which John Wilmeter now approached,
commanded nearly an entire view of the gallery that communicated with the cell of Mary Monson. It also commanded a
partial view of the cell itself. As he looked through the grates,
he saw how neat and comfortable the last had been made by
means of Mrs. Gott’s care, aided, doubtless, by some of the prisoner’s money that gold which was, in fact, the strongest and
only very material circumstance against her. Mrs. Gott had put
a carpet in the cell, and divers pieces of furniture that were
useful, as well as two or three that were intended to be ornamental, rendering the otherwise gloomy little apartment
tolerably cheerful. The gallery, much to John’s surprise, had
been furnished, also. Pieces of new carpeting were laid on the
flags, chairs and table had been provided, and among other
articles of this nature, was a very respectable looking – glass.
Everything appeared new, and as if just sent from the different
shops where the various articles were sold. Wilmeter fancied
that not less than a hundred dollars had been expended in
furnishing that gallery. The effect was surprising; taking away
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
from the place its chilling, jail – like air, and giving to it, what
it had never possessed before, one of household comfort.
Mary Monson was walking to and fro, in this gallery, with
slow, thoughtful steps, her head a little bowed, and her hands
hanging before her, with the fingers interlocked. So completely was she lost in thought, that John’s footstep, or presence
at the grate, was not observed, and he had an opportunity to
watch her for near a minute, unseen himself. The occupation
was not exactly excusable; but, under all the circumstances,
young Wilmeter felt as if it might be permitted. It was his duty
to ascertain all he fairly might, concerning his client.
It has already been said that this strange girl, extraordi-
nary by her situation as a person accused of crimes so heinous,
and perhaps still more so by her manner of bearing up against
the terrors and mortifications of her condition, as well as by
the mystery which so completely veiled her past life, was not
a beauty, in the common acceptation of the term. Nevertheless, not one female in ten thousand would sooner ensnare the
heart of a youth, by means of her personal attractions alone.
It was not regularity of features, nor brilliancy of complexion,
nor lustre of the eyes, nor any of the more ordinary charms,
that gave her this power; but an indescribable union of feminine traits, in which intellectual gifts, spirit, tenderness, and
modesty, were so singularly blended, as to leave it questionable which had the advantage. Her eyes were of a very gentle
and mild expression, when in a state of rest; excited, they were
capable of opening windows to the inmost soul. Her form was
faultless; being the true medium between vigorous health and
womanly delicacy; which, in this country, implies much less of
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