and　smoked　his　pipe　there；　and　so　a　barn　was　burnt。　　He　had　the
  reputation　of　being　a　clever　man；　had　been　there　some　three　months
  waiting　for　his　trial　to　come　on；　and　would　have　to　wait　as　much
  longer；　but　he　was　quite　domesticated　and　contented；　since　he　got
  his　board　for　nothing；　and　thought　that　he　was　well　treated。
  He　occupied　one　window；　and　I　the　other；　and　I　saw　that　if　one
  stayed　there　long；　his　principal　business　would　be　to　look　out　the
  window。　　I　had　soon　read　all　the　tracts　that　were　left　there；　and
  examined　where　former　prisoners　had　broken　out；　and　where　a　grate
  had　been　sawed　off；　and　heard　the　history　of　the　various　occupants
  of　that　room；　for　I　found　that　even　here　there　was　a　history　and　a
  gossip　which　never　circulated　beyond　the　walls　of　the　jail。
  Probably　this　is　the　only　house　in　the　town　where　verses　are
  composed；　which　are　afterward　printed　in　a　circular　form；　but　not
  published。　　I　was　shown　quite　a　long　list　of　verses　which　were
  composed　by　some　young　men　who　had　been　detected　in　an　attempt　to
  escape；　who　avenged　themselves　by　singing　them。
  I　pumped　my　fellow…prisoner　as　dry　as　I　could；　for　fear　I　should
  never　see　him　again；　but　at　length　he　showed　me　which　was　my　bed；
  and　left　me　to　blow　out　the　lamp。
  It　was　like　travelling　into　a　far　country；　such　as　I　had　never
  expected　to　behold；　to　lie　there　for　one　night。　　It　seemed　to　me
  that　I　never　had　heard　the　town…clock　strike　before；　nor　the　evening
  sounds　of　the　village；　for　we　slept　with　the　windows　open；　which
  were　inside　the　grating。　　It　was　to　see　my　native　village　in　the
  light　of　the　Middle　Ages；　and　our　Concord　was　turned　into　a　Rhine
  stream；　and　visions　of　knights　and　castles　passed　before　me。　　They
  were　the　voices　of　old　burghers　that　I　heard　in　the　streets。　　I　was
  an　involuntary　spectator　and　auditor　of　whatever　was　done　and　said
  in　the　kitchen　of　the　adjacent　village…inn　　a　wholly　new　and　rare
  experience　to　me。　　It　was　a　closer　view　of　my　native　town。　　I　was
  fairly　inside　of　it。　　I　never　had　seen　its　institutions　before。
  This　is　one　of　its　peculiar　institutions；　for　it　is　a　shire　town。　　I
  began　to　comprehend　what　its　inhabitants　were　about。
  In　the　morning；　our　breakfasts　were　put　through　the　hole　in　the
  door；　in　small　oblong…square　tin　pans；　made　to　fit；　and　holding　a
  pint　of　chocolate；　with　brown　bread；　and　an　iron　spoon。　　When　they
  called　for　the　vessels　again；　I　was　green　enough　to　return　what
  bread　I　had　left；　but　my　comrade　seized　it；　and　said　that　I　should
  lay　that　up　for　lunch　or　dinner。　　Soon　after　he　was　let　out　to　work
  at　haying　in　a　neighboring　field；　whither　he　went　every　day；　and
  would　not　be　back　till　noon；　so　he　bade　me　good…day；　saying　that　he
  doubted　if　he　should　see　me　again。
  When　I　came　out　of　prison　　for　some　one　interfered；　and　paid
  that　tax　　I　did　not　perceive　that　great　changes　had　taken　place　on
  the　common；　such　as　he　observed　who　went　in　a　youth　and　emerged　a
  tottering　and　gray…headed　man；　and　yet　a　change　had　to　my　eyes　come
  over　the　scene　　the　town；　and　State；　and　country　　greater　than
  any　that　mere　time　could　effect。　　I　saw　yet　more　distinctly　the
  State　in　which　I　lived。　　I　saw　to　what　extent　the　people　among　whom
  I　lived　could　be　trusted　as　good　neighbors　and　friends；　that　their
  friendship　was　for　summer　weather　only；　that　they　did　not　greatly
  propose　to　do　right；　that　they　were　a　distinct　race　from　me　by　their
  prejudices　and　superstitions；　as　the　Chinamen　and　Malays　are；　that
  in　their　sacrifices　to　humanity；　they　ran　no　risks；　not　even　to
  their　property；　that　after　all　they　were　not　so　noble　but　they
  treated　the　thief　as　he　had　treated　them；　and　hoped；　by　a　certain
  outward　observance　and　a　few　prayers；　and　by　walking　in　a　particular
  straight　though　useless　path　from　time　to　time；　to　save　their　souls。
  This　may　be　to　judge　my　neighbors　harshly；　for　I　believe　that　many
  of　them　are　not　aware　that　they　have　such　an　institution　as　the　jail
  in　their　village。
  It　was　formerly　the　custom　in　our　village；　when　a　poor　debtor
  came　out　of　jail；　for　his　acquaintances　to　salute　him；　looking
  through　their　fingers；　which　were　crossed　to　represent　the　grating
  of　a　jail　window；　〃How　do　ye　do？〃　　My　neighbors　did　not　thus　salute
  me；　but　first　looked　at　me；　and　then　at　one　another；　as　if　I　had
  returned　from　a　long　journey。　　I　was　put　into　jail　as　I　was　going　to
  the　shoemaker's　to　get　a　shoe　which　was　mended。　　When　I　was　let　out
  the　next　morning；　I　proceeded　to　finish　my　errand；　and；　having　put
  on　my　mended　shoe；　joined　a　huckleberry　party；　who　were　impatient　to
  put　themselves　under　my　conduct；　and　in　half　an　hour　　for　the
  horse　was　soon　tackled　　was　in　the　midst　of　a　huckleberry　field；
  on　one　of　our　highest　hills；　two　miles　off；　and　then　the　State　was
  nowhere　to　be　seen。
  This　is　the　whole　history　of　〃My　Prisons。〃
  I　have　never　declined　paying　the　highway　tax；　because　I　am　as
  desirous　of　being　a　good　neighbor　as　I　am　of　being　a　bad　subject；
  and　as　for　supporting　schools；　I　am　doing　my　part　to　educate　my
  fellow…countrymen　now。　　It　is　for　no　particular　item　in　the　tax…bill
  that　I　refuse　to　pay　it。　　I　simply　wish　to　refuse　allegiance　to　the
  State；　to　withdraw　and　stand　aloof　from　it　effectually。　　I　do　not
  care　to　trace　the　course　of　my　dollar；　if　I　could；　till　it　buys　a
  man　or　a　musket　to　shoot　one　with　　the　dollar　is　innocent　　but　I
  am　concerned　to　trace　the　effects　of　my　allegiance。　　In　fact；　I
  quietly　declare　war　with　the　State；　after　my　fashion；　though　I　will
  still　make　what　use　and　get　what　advantage　of　her　I　can；　as　is　usual
  in　such　cases。
  If　others　pay　the　tax　which　is　demanded　of　me；　from　a　sympathy
  with　the　State；　they　do　but　what　they　have　already　done　in　their　own
  case；　or　rather　they　abet　injustice　to　a　greater　extent　than　the
  State　requires。　　If　they　pay　the　tax　from　a　mistaken　interest　in　the
  individual　taxed；　to　save　his　property；　or　prevent　his　going　to
  jail；　it　is　because　they　have　not　considered　wisely　how　far　they　let
  their　private　feelings　interfere　with　the　public　good。
  This；　then；　is　my　position　at　present。　　But　one　cannot　be　too
  much　on　his　guard　in　such　a　case；　lest　his　action　be　biased　by
  obstinacy　or　an　undue　regard　for　the　opinions　of　men。　　Let　him　see
  that　he　does　only　what　belongs　to　himself　and　to　the　hour。
  I　think　sometimes；　Why；　this　people　mean　well；　they　are　only
  ignorant；　they　would　do　better　if　they　knew　how：　why　give　your
  neighbors　this　pain　to　treat　you　as　they　are　not　inclined　to？　　But　I
  think；　again；　This　is　no　reason　why　I　should　do　as　they　do；　or
  permit　others　to　suffer　much　greater　pain　of　a　different　kind。
  Again；　I　sometimes　say　to　myself；　When　many　millions　of　men；　without
  heat；　without　ill…will；　without　personal　feeling　of　any　kind；　demand
  of　you　a　few　shillings　only；　without　the　possibility；　such　is　their
  constitution；　of　retracting　or　altering　their　present　demand；　and
  without　the　possibility；　on　your　side；　of　appeal　to　any　other
  millions；　why　expose　yourself　to　this　overwhelming　brute　force？　　You
  do　not　resist　cold　and　hunger；　the　winds　and　the　waves；　thus
  obstinately；　you　quietly　submit　to　a　thousand　similar　necessities。
  You　do　not　put　your　head　into　the　fire。　　But　just　in　proportion　as　I
  regard　this　as　not　wholly　a　brute　force；　but　partly　a　human　force；
  and　consider　that　I　have　relations　to　those　millions　as　to　so　many
  millions　of　men；　and　not　of　mere　brute　or　inanimate　things；　I　see
  that　appeal　is　possible；　first　and　instantaneously；　from　them　to　the
  Maker　of　them；　and；　secondly；　from　them　to　themselves。　　But；　if　I
  put　my　head　deliberately　into　the　fire；　there　is　no　appeal　to　fire
  or　to　the　Maker　of　fire；　and　I　have　only　myself　to　blame。　　If　I
  could　convince　myself　that　I　have　any　right　to　be　satisfied　with　men
  as　they　are；　and　to　treat　them　accordingly；　and　not　according；　in
  some　respects；　to　my　requisitions　and　expectations　of　what　they　and
  I　ought　to　be；　then；　like　a　good　Mussulman　and　fatalist；　I　should
  endeavor　to　be　satisfied　with　things　as　they　are；　and　say　it　is　the
  will　of　God。　　And；　above　all；　there　is　this　difference　between
  resisting　this　and　a　purely　brute　or　natural　force；　that　I　can
  resist　this　with　some　effect；　but　I　cannot　expect；　like　Orpheus；　to
  change　the　nature　of　the　rocks　and　trees　and　beasts。
  I　do　not　wish　to　quarrel　with　any　man　or　nation。　　I　do　not　wish
  to　split　hairs；　to　make　fine　distinctions；　or　set　myself　up　as
  better　than　my　neighbors。　　I　seek　rather；　I　may　say；　even　an　excuse
  for　conforming　to　the　laws　of　the　land。　　I　am　but　too　ready　to
  conform　to　them。　　Indeed；　I　have　reason　to　suspect　myself　on　this
  head；　and　each　year；　as　the　tax…gatherer　comes　round；　I　find　myself
  disposed　to　review　the　acts　and　position　of　the　general　and　State
  governments；　and　the　spirit　of　the　people；　to　discover　a　pretext　for
  conformity。
  〃We　must　affect　our　country　as　our　parents；
  And　if　at　any　time　we　alienate