the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　pray；〃　and　Mrs。　Blakely　repeated　the　same；　but　I　told　the　women　this
was　doubting　God　in　the　beginning。

〃　'If　you　ask　for　bread；　will　He　give　you　a　stone。'　I　am　willing　to
trust　God　who　said：　'Ask　and　ye　shall　receive；'　and　let　Him　send　the
rain　any　way　He　pleases。〃　This　was　finally　agreed　upon；　and　the　next
afternoon　the　citizens　of　the　town　were　called　to　the　church　to　pray　for
rain。

After　the　meeting；　we　were　standing　on　the　platform　in　front　of　the
church；　and　a　sprinkle　of　rain　out　of　a　cloudless　sky　fell　on　the　platform；
and　on　the　shutters　of　the　house。　This　was　nothing　but　a　miracle；　and
was　very　astonishing　to　us　all。　The　next　day　the　clouds　began　to　gather
in　the　sky；　and　the　moisture　began；　at　first；　to　fall　like　heavy　dew。　There
was　no　lightning　or　thunder　and　the　rain　came　down　in　the　gentlest　manner
and　continued　in　this　way　three　days。　With　this　marvelous　manifestation
in　direct　answer　to　prayer；　many　people　said　〃we　would　have　had　the
rain　any　way。〃　Truly　the　ox　knoweth　his　owner；　and　the　ass　his　master's
crib；　but　my　people　doth　not　know；　my　people　doth　not　consider。〃

I　began　to　think　what　I　should　do　to　fulfill　my　vow　to　God；　for　I
vowed　to　return　to　Him　something　for　rain；　to　show　my　gratitude　that　I
had　seen　done。　There　was　an　old　man；　about　seventy　years　old；　entirely
destitute；　whose　name　was　Bestwick。　I　went　to　see　him；　asked　him　to
come　to　the　hotel　and　make　his　home　there。　There　was　also　a　poor　German
girl；　named　Fredricka。　I　also　gave　her　board　at　the　hotel。　These　two
stayed　with　me　free　of　charge　as　long　as　I　lived　in　Richmond。

There　were　two　political　factions　in　Richmond　at　this　time；　one　called
the　〃Jaybirds〃　and　the　other　〃Peckerwoods〃。　The　latter　were　people
that　were　in　favor　of　the　negro　holding　offices。　This　party　had　control　of
the　country　for　some　time。　The　head　of　this　party　was　Garvey；　the
sheriff。　The　head　of　the　former　was　Henry　Frost；　a　saloon…keeper；　and
to　this　belonged　nearly　all　the　young　men　of　Richmond。

Mr。　Nation　was　correspondent　for　the　Houston　Post　and　he　wrote
a　letter　speaking　of　the　bad…influence　and　conduct　of　these　young　men　the
night　before；　screaming　about　the　streets　and　disturbing　the　peace　generally。
He　went　down　to　meet　the　trains　about　twelve　o'clock　at　night。　The
next　night　after　the　article　appeared　in　the　Post；　he　came　in　and　woke
me　up　saying：　〃Wife　get　up；　I　have　been　beaten　almost　to　death；〃
and　lighting　a　lamp；　I　found　that　his　body　was　covered　with　bruises。
I　bathed　him　in　cold　water　and　otherwise　tried　to　relieve　him。　He
was　too　faint　to　tell　me　the　trouble；　only　the　boys　had　beaten　him。　I　knelt
down　by　the　window　to　pray　to　God。　I　began　by　calling　on　God　to　send　a
punishment　on　people　that　would　do　such　a　mean；　cowardly　act。　I　prayed
until　I　received　perfect　deliverance　from　that　kind　of　a　spirit；　and　when　I
got　up　from　off　my　knees；　it　was　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。

In　this　crowd　was　a　family　of　Gibson　boys；　whose　father　was　an
infidel；　and　encouraged　his　sons　in　this　matter　and　in　all　their　bad　ways。
There　were　also　other　boys；　Peason；　Little；　Winston；　twenty…one　in　all。
A　man　by　the　name　of　Henry　George　asked　Mr。　Nation　to　come　and　sit
on　a　bale　of　cotton　on　the　depot　platform；　and　talk　with　him；　another　one
of　these　boys　came　up　and　threw　Mr。　Nation　backwards　on　the　platform。
Then　each　one　gave　him　a　hit　with　a　stick；　or　a　cane。　I　don't　think　there
are　but　two　or　three　of　those　boys　living　now。　After　moving　to　Kansas；
a　few　months　after　this　I　returned　to　Texas　for　a　visit。　I　then　looked；
upon　the　graves　of　four　of　the　Gibsons。　〃Truly；　vengeance　is　mine；　I　will
repay；'　saith　the　Lord。

Mr。　Nation　was　very　unpopular　with　the　〃Jaybird〃　faction；　because
they　said　no　Republican　should　stay　in　Fort　Bend　County。　The　bitterness
between　these　two　factions　broke　out　in　a　war。　Garvey　and　Frost　with
three　others　were　killed。　Before　this　animosity　between　them　arose；　Richmond
was　a　very　pleasant　place　to　live。　A　great　deal　of　sociability　existed
among　the　people；　but　from　this　time　business　and　social　relations　were
almost　entirely　ruined。

I　visited　Richmond　in　1902；　and　I　never　saw　such　a　difference。　The
Galveston　storm　greatly　damaged　many　of　the　houses；　and　the　ruins　were
still　there。　A　pall　of　death　seemed　to　be　over　the　whole　place；　and　one
coming　into　the　town　would　feel　a　desire　to　leave　it　as　quickly　as　possible；
if　there　was　not　some　interest　independent　of　the　town。　God　said：　〃They
shall　eat　the　fruit　of　their　own　doing。〃　Still　in　Richmond　God　has　those
who　have　not　bowed　their　knees　to　Baal。

Mr。　Nation's　life　was　threatened　and　we　had　to　leave。　He　went　to
Kansas　where　he　had　a　brother。　After　an　application　he　took　charge　of　a
Christian　church　at　Medicine　Lodge；　Barber　County；　Kansas。　This　is　January；
1904；　and　we　moved　to　Kansas　about　fourteen　years　ago。

We　traded　the　hotel　for　property　in　Medicine　Lodge。　Charlien；　Lola
and　their　husbands　moved　to　themselves　and　mother　Gloyd　would　consent
to　stay　away　from　me　only　until　we　could　get　settled　in　Kansas。　She
had　her　trunk　prepared　for　the　journey。　She　was　now　eighty…six　years
old；　but　had　remarkable　vitality。　I　said：

〃Mother　you　had　better　stay　here　the　rest　of　your　life；　for　Kansas　is
much　colder　than　this　climate。〃

But　she　replied：　〃I　came　from　Vermont　and　it　is　very　cold　there。〃

She　followed　me　to　the　train；　and　when　I　went　to　leave　her　she　placed
her　arms　around　me　and　her　head　on　my　breast。　Her　last　words　were：
〃I　have　lived　with　you　and　I　want　to　die　with　you。〃　Oh；　how　I　disliked
to　leave　her！　This　was　the　last　time　I　saw　her　dear；　sweet　face。　We
had　lived　together　as　constant　companions　for　twenty…three　years。

Before　I　left　Richmond；　I　requested　of　two　of　my　dear　friends；　Mrs。
Connor　and　Mrs。　Todd；　that　if　mother　ever　got　sick；　they　would　stay　by
her　until　the　last。　In　a　year　from　this　time　she　died；　being　sick　only　three
days。　These　dear　friends　stayed　by　her　side　until　the　last。　A　telegram
was　sent　to　me　when　she　was　first　taken　sick；　and　I　wanted　to　go；　but　I
had　no　money　of　my　own；　and　Mr。　Nation　would　not　consent。　I　have
never　ceased　to　be　sorry　for　it。

I　was　very　much　pleased　when　I　first　went　to　Kansas；　for　it　was　a
great　relief　from　burdens。　We　boarded　six　months。　After　the　year　was
up；　Mr。　Nation　went　to　Holton；　Kansas；　and　took　charge　of　a　church
there。　He　went　before　I　did；　and　to　save　shipping　our　horse　and　buggy；
I　drove　through。　In　order　to　get　a　good　start　and　directions　for　my　journey；
I　went　to　Bro。　Ed。　Crouce；　who　lived　on　a　farm　about　five　miles　from
town。　Our　horse　was　not　very　safe　for　he　had　a　way　of　balking。　Bro。
Crouce　told　me　to　give　him　a　severe　cut　across　the　back　and　give　him　the
reins　if　he　attempted　to　balk。　I　tried　this　on　two　occasions；　following　his
directions。　The　horse　reared　up　and　acted　in　a　way　that　terrified　me；　but　I
conquered　and　for　ten　years　I　drove　that　horse。　He　was　a　noble　beast
with　almost　human　sense。　This　journey　was　four　hundred　miles。　For　a
hundred　and　fifty　miles　I　was　accompanied　by　a　young　girl　of　sixteen
years　of　age；　who　was　a　farmer's　daughter　and　seemed　to　be　afraid　of
nothing。　She　was　a　great　inspiration　to　me；　preparing　me　to　drive　the　two
hundred　and　fifty　miles　alone。　The　great　difficulty　was　in　finding　places
to　stop　at　night。　I　got　so　I　did　not　look　for　large　roomy　houses　for
entertainment；
but　the　smaller　ones。　I　found　out　that　the　friends　of　the　poor
are　the　poor。　Mr。　Nation　met　me　at　Topeka　and　he　was　so　pleased　that
he　said：　〃You　shall　have　this　horse　and　buggy　for　your　own。〃

Holton　was　thirty　miles　north　and　we　drove　up　together。

I　began　to　have　a　contempt　for　popular　preaching；　keeping　apart　from
'clicks〃　and　〃sects〃。　I　knew　that　my　husband　ought　not　to　be　in　the　ministry。
I　do　not　believe　he　was　ever　a　converted　man。　This　made　me　very
miserable；　putting　us　in　a　false　light　before　the　people。　It　was　my　desire
to　serve　God　in　a　simple；　humble　way。　Before　the　year　was　out　because
of　some　dissatisfaction　in　the　church　between　Mr。　Nation　and　the　board；
we　left　Holton。　I　then　drove　back　to　Medicine　Lodge　alone；　enjoying　my
trip　very　much。　Mr。　Nation　never　took　charge　of　a　church　again。　He
was　a　man　well　versed　in　law；　and　at　one　time　rendered　valuable　service
in　prosecuting　liquor　cases　in　Medicine　Lodge。

When　I　lived　in　Texas　and　was　keeping　hotel　in　Richmond；　one　cold
rainy　morning；　a　lot　of　men　came　in　from　the　train。

I　took　special　notice　of　one　man。　His　hands　were　that　of　a　woman；
his　face　was　very　refined；　but　his　clothes　were　shabby。　He　was　sitting
by　himself　and　I　said　to　him：　〃You　must　excuse　me　but　you
look　so　much　like　a　catholic　priest　I　once　saw。〃　I　did　not　then　dream　he
was　one。　Next　morning　I　sent　one　of　the　boys　that　waited　on　the　table　to
see　what　was　the　matter　that　he　did　not　come　down　to　breakfast。　He　was
sick。　I　went　up　to　see　him　and　he　told　me　he　often　had　attacks　of　heart
trouble；　that　he　had　fallen　in　a　faint　in　the　yard　the　night　before。　I　asked
him　if　he　had　any　friends。　He　said：　〃No。〃　I　asked　him　his　business？
〃You　guessed　it　last　night；〃　he　replied。　Then　he　told　me　he　was　a　catholic
priest。　I　was　very　much　astonished　for　he　had　on　a　common　su