the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第2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！


TENTH　YEAR。

I　was　born　in　Garrard　County；　Kentucky。　My　father's　farm　was
on　Dick's　River；　where　the　cliffs　rose　to　hundreds　of　feet；　with　great
ledges　of　rocks；　where　under　which　I　used　to　sit。　There　were　many　large
rocks　scattered　around；　some　as　much　as　fifteen　feet　across；　with　holes
that　held　water；　where　my　father　salted　his　stock；　and　I；　a　little　toddler；
used　to　follow　him。　On　the　side　of　the　house　next　to　the　cliffs　was
what　we　called　the　〃Long　House；〃　where　the　negro　women　would　spin
and　weave。　There　were　wheels；　little　and　big；　and　a　loom　or　two；　and
swifts　and　reels；　and　winders；　and　everything　for　making　linen　for　the
summer；　and　woolen　cloth　for　the　winter；　both　linsey　and　jeans。
The　flax　was　raised　on　the　place；　and　so　were　the　sheep。　When　a　child
5　years　old；　I　used　to　bother　the　other　spinners。　I　was　so　anxious　to
learn　to　spin。　My　father　had　a　small　wheel　made　for　me　by　a　wright　in
the　neighborhood。　I　was　very　jealous　of　my　wheel；　and　would　spin　on　it
for　hours。　The　colored　women　were　always　indulgent　to　me；　and　made
the　proper　sized　rolls；　so　I　could　spin　them。　I　would　double　the　yarn；　and
then　twist　it；　and　knit　it　into　suspenders；　which　was　a　great　source　of
pride　to　my　father；　who　would　display　my　work　to　visitors　on　every　occasion。

The　dwelling　house　had　ten　rooms；　all　on　the　ground　floor；　except
one。　I　have　heard　my　father　say　that　it　was　a　hewed…log　house；
weather…boarded　and　plastered　as　I　remember　it。　The　room　that　possessed
the　most　attraction　for　me　was　the　parlor；　because　I　was　very
seldom　allowed　to　go　in　it。　I　remember　the　large　gold…leaf　paper　on　the
walls；　its　bright　brass　dogirons；　as　tall　as　myself；　and　the　furniture　of　red
plush；　some　of　which　is　in　a　good　state　of　preservation；　and　the　property
of　my　half…brother；　Tom　Moore；　who　lives　on　〃Camp　Dick　Robinson〃
in　Garrard　County；　this　Dick　Robinson　was　a　cousin　of　my　father's。
There　were　two　sets　of　negro　cabins；　one　in　which　Betsey　and　Henry
lived；　who　were　man　and　wife；　Betsey　being　the　nurse　of　all　the　children。
Then　there　was　aunt　Mary　and　her　large　family；　aunt　Judy　and　her　family
and　aunt　Eliza　and　her's。　There　was　a　water　mill　behind　and　almost
a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　house；　where　the　corn　was　ground；　and
near　that　was　the　overseer's　house。

Standing　on　the　front　porch；　we　looked　through　a　row　of　althea
bushes；　white　and　purple；　and　there　were　on　each　side　cedar　trees　that
were　quite　large　in　my　day。　There　was　an　old…fashioned　stile；　instead　of
a　gate；　and　a　long　avenue；　as　wide　as　Kansas　Avenue；　in　Topeka；　with
forest　trees　on　either　side；　that　led　down　to　the　big　road；　across　which
uncle　Isaac　Dunn　lived；　who　was　a　widower　with　two　children；　Dave
and　Sallie；　and　I　remember　that　Sallie　had　all　kinds　of　dolls；　it　was　a
great　delight　of　mine　to　play　with　these。

To　the　left　of　our　house　was　the　garden。　I　have　read　of　the　old…
fashioned　garden；　the　gardens　written　about　and　the　gardens　sung　about；
but　I　have　never　seen　a　garden　that　could　surpass　the　garden　of　my　old
home。　Just　inside　the　pickets　were　bunches　of　bear　grass。　Then；　there
was　the　purple　flag；　that　bordered　the　walks；　the　thyme；　coriander；
calamus　and　sweet　Mary；　the　jasmine　climbing　over　the　picket
fence；　the　syringa　and　bridal　wreath；　roses　black；　red；　yellow　and　pink；
and　many　other　kinds　of　roses　and　shrubs。　There；　too；　were　strawberries；
raspberries；　gooseberries　and　currants；　damson　and　greengages；　and　apricots；
that　grew　on　vines。　I　could　take　some　time　in　describing　this　beautiful
spot。

At　the　side　of　the　garden　was　the　family　burying　ground；　where　the
gravestones　were　laid　flat　on　masonry；　bringing　them　about　three　feet
from　the　ground。　These　stones　were　large；　flat　slabs　of　marble；　and　I
used　to　climb　up　on　top　and　sit　or　lie　down；　and　trace　the　letters　or　figures
with　my　fingers。　I　visited　this　graveyard　in　1903。　The　eight　graves
were　there　in　a　good　state　of　preservation；　with　not　a　slab　broken；
although　my　grandfather　was　buried　there；　ninety　years　ago。　My　father
had　a　stone　wall　built　around　these　graves　for　protection；　when　he　left
Kentucky。　I　am　glad　that　family　graveyards　have　given　place　to　public
cemeteries；　for　this　place　has　changed　hands　many　times　and　this　graveyard
is　not　pleasant　for　the　strangers　who　live　there。　We　who　are
interested　in　these　sacred　mounds；　feel　like　we　intrude；　to　have　the　homes
of　our　dead　with　strangers。

｛illust。　caption　=
MY　OLD　HOME　WHERE　I　WAS　BORN　IN　GARRARD　COUNTY；　KENTUCKY。
THE　OLD　GRAVE　YARD　NEAR　BY；　AND　MY　GRANDFATHER's　GRAVE。｝


The　memories　of　this　Kentucky　home　date　from　the　time　I　was
three　years　old。　This　seems　remarkable；　but　my　mother　said　this
incident　occurred　when　I　was　three　years　old；　and　I　remember　it　distinctly。
I　was　standing　in　the　back　yard；　near　the　porch。　Mr。　Brown；
the　overseer；　was　in　the　door　of　my　half…brother　Richard's　room；
with　my　brother's　gun　in　his　hands。　At　the　end　of　the　porch　was　a
small　room；　called　the　〃saddle　room。〃　A　pane　of　glass　was　out　of　the
window　and　a　hen　flew　out；　cackling。　Aunt　Judy；　the　colored　woman；
went　in　to　get　the　egg；　and　walked　in　front　of　Mr。　Brown；　who　raised
the　gun　and　said：　〃Judy；　I　am　going　to　shoot　you；〃　not　thinking　the
gun　was　loaded。　It　went　off；　and　aunt　Judy　fell。　Mr。　Brown　began　to
wring　his　hands　and　cry　in　great　agony。　I　screamed　and　kept　running
around　a　small　tree　near　by。　This　was　Sunday　morning。　Runners　were　sent　for
the　doctor；　and　for　my　parents；　who　were　at　church。
Aunt　Judy　got　well；　but　had　one　eye　out；　we　could　always　feel　the　shot
in　her　forehead。　She　was　one　of　the　best　servants；　and　a　dear　good
friend　to　me。　She　used　to　bring　two　of　her　children　and　come　up　to　my
room　on　Sundays　and　sit　with　me；　saying；　she　did　not　want　to　be　in　the
cabin　when　〃strange　niggers　were　there。〃　This　misfortune　had　disfigured
her　face　and　she　always　avoided　meeting　people。　I　can　see　her
now；　with　one　child　at　the　breast；　and　another　at　her　knee；　with　her
hand　on　its　head；　feeling　for　〃buggars。〃　I　was　very　much　attached　to
this　woman　and　wanted　to　take　care　of　her　in　her　old　age。　I　went　to
Southern　Texas　to　get　her　in　1873。　I　found　some　of　her　children　in
Sherman；　Texas；　but　aunt　Judy　had　been　dead　six　months。　She　always
said　she　wanted　to　live　with　me。

My　mother　always　left　her　small　children　in　the　care　of　the　servants。
I　was　quite　a　little　girl　before　I　was　allowed　to　eat　at　〃white
folk's　table。〃　Once　my　mother　had　been　away　several　days　and　came
home　bringing　a　lot　of　company　with　her。　I　ran　out　when　I　saw　the
carriages　driving　up；　and　cried：　〃Oh；　ma；　I　am　so　glad　to　see　you。
I　don't　mind　sleeping　with　aunt　Eliza；　but　I　do　hate　to　sleep　with　uncle
Josh；〃　think　I　was　quite　dirty；　and　some　of　the　colored　servants　snatched
me　out　of　sight。　Aunt　Eliza　was　aunt　Judy's　half…sister；　her　father
was　a　white　man。　She　was　given　to　my　father　by　my　grandmother；
was　very　bright　and　handsome；　and　the　mother　of　seventeen　children。
My　grandmother　remembered　aunt　Eliza　in　her　will；　giving　her　some
linen　sheets；　furniture；　and　other　things。

One　of　aunt　Eliza's　sons　was　named　Newton。　My　father　had　a　mill
and　store　up　in　Lincoln　County；　near　Hustonville。　Newton　used　to　do
the　hauling　for　my　father　with　a　large　wagon　and　six…mule　team。　He
would　often　do　the　buying　for　the　store　and　take　measurements　of
grain；　and　my　father　trusted　him　implicitly。　Once　a　friend　of　my　father
said　to　him；　as　Newton　was　passing　along　the　street　with　his　team：
〃George；　I'll　give　you　seventeen　hundred　dollars　for　that　negro。〃　My
father　said：　〃If　you　would　fill　that　wagon…bed　full　of　gold；　you　could
not　get　him。〃　A　few　weeks　after　that　Newton　died。　I　remember　seeing
my　father　in　the　room　weeping；　and　remember　the　chorus　of　the　song
the　negroes　sang　on　that　occasion：　〃Let　us　sit　down　and　chat　with　the
angels。〃

The　husband　of　aunt　Eliza　was　〃uncle　Josh；〃　a　small　Guinea　negro；　as
black　as　coal　and　very　peculiar。　I　always　stood　in　awe　of　him；　as　all
the　children　did。　I　remember　one　expression　of　his　was：　〃Get　out　of
the　way；　or　I'll　knock　you　into　a　cocked　hat。〃　The　reason　I　had　to
sleep　with　aunt　Eliza；　Betsy；　my　nurse；　was　only　ten　years　older　than
I　was。　Betsy　was　a　girl　given　by　my　grandfather　Campbell　to　my
mother　when　my　father　and　mother　were　married。　My　mother　was
a　widow　when　she　married　my　father。　She　had　married　Will　Caldwell；
a　son　of　Capt。　Caldwell；　who　died　in　Sangamon　County；　Ill。；
he　had　freed　his　negroes　and　moved　there　from　Kentucky。　Will　Caldwell
died　after　three　years；　leaving　my　mother　with　two　children。　Both　of
them　died　at　my　grandfather　Campbell's　in　Mercer　county；　Kentucky；　before
she　married　my　father。

I　was　about　four　years　old　when　my　grandmother　Moore　died。　She
lived　on　a　farm　in　Garrard　County；　about　two　miles　from　my　father。　She
used　to　ride　a　mare　called　〃Kit。〃　Whenever　we　would　see　grandma
coming　up　the　avenue；　the　whole　lot　of　children；　white　and　black；　ran
to　meet　her。　She　always　carried　on　the　horn　of　her　saddle　a　handbag；
then　called　a　〃reticule；〃　and　in　that　she　always　brought　us　some
little　treat；　most　generally　a　cut　off　of　a　loaf　of　sugar；　that　used　to　be
sold　in　the　shape　of　a　long　loaf　of　bread。　We　would　follow　her　down