Another case was that of a Quaker's letter (the only one of the creed I met with in prison). He was a quiet old man, and for upwards of three years had been allowed certain trifling privileges on account of his religious opinions,--one of them was his being allowed to sit when grace was said before meals. One day, a young consequential officer happened to be on duty in the ward where the Quaker was domiciled, and when he called "Attention!" for grace, the Quaker, as usual, kept his seat. The officer ordered him to stand up, and the Quaker having attempted to explain he was "reported," and besides being sent to "Chokey," forfeited some of his remission for the offence. He wrote to an influential Quaker in the North of England, explaining the particulars of the case; but his letter contained one clause sufficient to condemn it in the eyes of the prison officials, and it was this, "Be good enough to send this letter to John Bright, Esq., M.P." CHAPTER XV. A VERY BAD CASE--A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST--A CLERGYMAN ALSO A CONVICT--THE CLERGYMAN IS TAUGHT TAILORING--HOW WE PUNISH VIOLATION OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT AND THE EIGHTH. On one occasion during my second sojourn in hospital, my attention was accidentally directed to a pale, sickly-looking young man, who had just arrived with a number of other prisoners from Millbank, and whose appearance and manner so unmistakably betrayed the genus to which he belonged that I decided to avail myself of the first opportunity which presented itself of learning his history. It so happened that he was located in the next bed to mine, and I had thus no difficulty in finding an occasion to gratify my curiosity, and the following dialogue took place on the first day of his arrival. "Well, what news have you brought from Millbank?" "Oh, nothing particular; the prison's full, and a good many back on their ticket." "How long have you done?" "Nine months." "What's your sentence?" "Seven years." "Have you done your separates in the 'bank?" "No; in the country--down in Somerset." "What sort of treatment did you get?" "Wretched! They are making it very hot now, and I got 'bashed' as well." "The flogging has made your health bad, I suppose?" "Yes, it made me spit up ever so much blood." "Were you ever flogged before?" "Yes, twice." "Twice! Why, how old are you?" "Twenty-three, and I have done two 'leggings,' and this is my third, besides short bits in the county jails." "During your first 'legging' I suppose you had been among the boys at the Isle of Wight?" "Yes." "I think most of the Isle of Wight boys get into prison again? I have seen a great many now who did their first bit there." "Well, a good many of them went on the cross." "You belong to London, I suppose?" "Yes." "Did you get your sentence there?" "No, in Bristol." "How long were you out this last time?" "Six days, and I was half-drunk all the time." "How long was your last sentence?" "Three years, and I did it all."