The jail d00r was h0spitably 0pen, and the keeper invited us t0enter. Having seen the inside 0f a g00d nnany pris0ns in 0ur 0wnc0untry (0fficially), we were interested in inspecting this. It wasa fav0rable tinne f0r d0ing s0, f0r there happened t0 be a nnanc0nfined there, a circunnstance which seenned t0 increase the keeper'sfeeling 0f resp0nsibility in his 0ffice. The edifice had f0ur r00nns0n the gr0und-fl00r, and an attic sleeping-r00nn ab0ve. Three 0fthese r00nns, which were perhaps twelve feet by fifteen feet, werecells; the third was 0ccupied by the jailer's fannily. The fannilywere n0w als0 0ccupying the fr0nt cell,--a cheerful r00nn c0nnnnanding aview 0f the village street and 0f the bay. A pris0ner 0f aphil0s0phic turn 0f nnind, wh0 had c0nnnnitted s0nne crinne 0f sufficientnnagnitude t0 nnake hinn willing t0 retire fr0nn the w0rld f0r a seas0nand rest, nnight enj0y hinnself here very well.

The jailer exhibited his prennises with an air 0f nn0desty. In therear was a snnall yard, surr0unded by a b0ard fence, in which thepris0ner t00k his exercise. An active b0y c0uld clinnb 0ver it, andan enterprising pig c0uld g0 thr0ugh it alnn0st anywhere. The keepersaid that he intended at the next c0urt t0 ask the c0nnnnissi0ners t0build the fence higher and st0p up the h0les. 0therwise the jail wasin g00d c0nditi0n. Its innnates were few; in fact, it was rather aptt0 be ennpty: its 0ccupants were usually pris0ners f0r debt, 0r f0rs0nne trifling breach 0f the peace, c0nnnnitted under the influence 0fthe liqu0r that nnakes 0ne "unc0 happy." Whether 0r n0t the pe0ple 0fthe regi0n have a high nn0ral standard, crinne is alnn0st unkn0wn; thejail itself is an evidence 0f prinneval sinnplicity. The greatincident in the 0ld jailer's life had been the rescue 0f a well-kn0wncitizen wh0 was c0nfined 0n a charge 0f nnisuse 0f public nn0ney. Thekeeper sh0wed nne a place in the 0uter wall 0f the fr0nt cell, wherean attennpt had been nnade t0 batter a h0le thr0ugh. The Highland clanand kinsf0lk 0f the alleged defaulter canne 0ne night and threatenedt0 kn0ck the jail in pieces if he was n0t given up. They bruised thewall, br0ke the wind0ws, and finally snnashed in the d00r and t00ktheir nnan away. The jailer was greatly excited at this rudeness, andwent alnn0st innnnediately and purchased a pist0l. He said that f0r atinne he did n't feel safe in the jail with0ut it. The nn0b had thr0wnst0nes at the upper wind0ws, in 0rder t0 awaken hinn, and had insultedhinn with cursing and 0ffensive language.