The Prison Door

           Athrongofbeardedmen,insad-colouredgarmentsandgreysteeple-crownedhats,inter-mixedwithwomen,somewearinghoods,andothersbareheaded,wasassembledinfrontofawoodenedifice,thedoorofwhichwasheavilytimberedwithoak,andstuddedwithironspikes.

           Thefoundersofanewcolony,whateverUtopiaofhumanvirtueandhappinesstheymightoriginallyproject,haveinvariablyrecogniseditamongtheirearliestpracticalnecessitiestoallotaportionofthevirginsoilasacemetery,andanotherportionasthesiteofaprison.InaccordancewiththisruleitmaysafelybeassumedthattheforefathersofBostonhadbuiltthefirstprison-housesomewhereintheVicinityofCornhill,almostasseasonablyastheymarkedoutthefirstburial-ground,onIsaacJohnson’slot,androundabouthisgrave,whichsubsequentlybecamethenucleusofallthecongregatedsepulchresintheoldchurchyardofKing’sChapel.Certainitisthat,somefifteenortwentyyearsafterthesettlementofthetown,thewoodenjailwasalreadymarkedwithweather-stainsandotherindicationsofage,whichgaveayetdarkeraspecttoitsbeetle-browedandgloomyfront.Therustontheponderousiron-workofitsoakendoorlookedmoreantiquethananythingelseintheNewWorld.Likeallthatpertainstocrime,itseemednevertohaveknownayouthfulera.