the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第5节

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the　old…fashioned　colored　women；　who　would　rub　me　with　their　rough
plump　hands　and　call　me　〃Honey　Chile；〃　would　bathe　my　feet　and　tuck
the　cover　around　me　and　sit　by　me；　holding　my　hand；　waiting　until　I
fell　asleep。　I　owe　much　to　the　colored　people　and　never　want　to　live
where　there　are　none　of　the　negro　race。　I　would　feel　lonesome　without
them。　After　I　came　to　Medicine　Lodge；　I　did　not　see　any　for　some
time。　One　day；　while　looking　out；　I　saw　one　walking　up　the　street
toward　the　house。　I　ran　to　the　kitchen；　cut　an　apple　pie；　and　ran　out
and　said：　〃Here；　Uncle；　is　a　piece　of　pie。〃　He　was　gray…headed；　one　of
the　old　slaves。　He　seemed　so　glad　to　see　my　friendly　face　and　took　the
pie　with　a　happy　courtesy。　I　watched　for　his　return；　as　he　came　in　on
the　train；　and　was　going　out。　At　last　he　came。　I　asked　him　in　the
kitchen；　fixed　a　meal　for　him；　and　waited　on　him　myself。　Before　eating；
he　folded　his　hands；　closed　his　eyes；　with　his　face　toward　heaven；　thanked
God　for　the　meal；　as　I　had　often　seen　them　do　in　slave　time。　As　a
race；　the　negroes　have　not　the　characteristics　of　treachery。　They　are
faithful　and　grateful。

In　my　hotel　experience；　I　would　often　ask　Fannie；　my　cook：　〃What
kind　of　a　man　is　that？〃　Fannie　would　say：　〃Don't　trust　him　too　far
Mrs。　Nation；　he　steps　too　light。〃　When　a　child　my　playmates　were　a
lot　of　colored　children。　Betsy　came　to　the　table　with　the　children　and
ate　with　us。　But　the　sweetest　food　was　that　left　in　the　skillets；　both
black　and　white　children　would　go　around　the　house；　sit　down　and　〃sop〃
the　gravy　with　the　biscuits　the　cooks　would　give　us。　I　was　fond　of
hearing　ghost　stories　and　would；　without　the　knowledge　of　my　mother；
stay　in　the　cabin　late　at　night　listening　to　the　men　and　women　telling
their　〃experiences。〃　The　men　would　be　making　ax　handles　and　beating
the　husk　off　of　the　corn　in　a　large　wooden　hopper　with　a　maul。　The
women　would　be　spinning　with　the　little　wheel；　sewing；　knitting　and
combing　their　children's　heads。　I　would　listen　until　my　teeth　would
chatter　with　fright；　and　would　shiver　more　and　more；　as　they　would　tell
of　the　sights　in　grave…yards；　and　the　spirits　of　tyrannical　masters；　walking
at　night；　with　their　chains　clanking　and　the；　sights　of　hell；　where
some　would　be　on　gridirons；　some　hung　up　to　baste　and　the
devil　with　his　pitchfork　would　toss　the　poor　creatures　hither
and　thither。　They　would　say：　〃Carry；　you　must　go　to　the　house；〃
and　I　would　not　go　with　one；　but　have　two；　one　on　each　side　of　me。　I
remember　seeing　the　negro　men　laugh　at　me；　but　the　women　would　shake
their　heads　and　say：　〃You　better　quit　skeering　that　chile。〃　But　there
was　one　pleasure　above　all　the　rest；　it　was　to　hear　any　one　tell　〃tales。〃
When　my　mother　would　have　a　visitor；　very　frequently　the　lady　would
bring　a　nurse　to　care　for　one　child　or　children；　she　might　bring　with　her。
Oh；　how　pleased　the　black　and　white　children　would　be　to　see　such　visitors。
We　would　gather　around　and　in　every　way　made　our　pleasure
known。　Would　give　them　doll…rags；　nuts；　or　apples；　and　in　many　ways
express　our　delight　at　having　them　come。　As　soon　as　they　were　made
comfortable；　the　next　thing　was：　〃Tell　us　a　tale。〃　And　seating　ourselves
around　on　the　floor；　or　in　a　close　group；　we　would　be　all　attention。
Of　course　there　would　be　some　raw　heads　and　bloody　bones；　but　not　so
much　as　the　stories　told　at　night　in　the　cabins。

One　of　the　prettiest　stories　I　ever　heard；　and　never　tired　of　hearing；
that　taught　me　a　great　moral；　was　about　two　girls　the　children　of　a
couple　who　were　hard　working　people。　One　of　the　girls　was　named
Sarah；　the　other　Mary。　Sarah　was　a　very　pretty　girl　with　curls。　Mary
was　rather　ugly　and　had　straight　hair。　Curls　in　my　childhood　days　were
something　very　much　sought　for。　Although　Sarah　was　pretty　in　the　face
she　had　very　rude　ways；　she　would　not　speak　kindly　and　politely；　would
not　help　her　hard　working　mother；　but　was　idle　and　quarrelsome；　always
wanted　some　one　to　wait　on　her；　while　Mary　was　the　reverse；　would　pick
up　chips　to　make　a　fire；　would　sweep　the　yard　and　bring　water；　and　was
kind　to　all；　especially　to　her　mother。　One　day　the　well　went　dry　and
there　was　no　water　to　make　the　tea　for　supper。　Mary　saw　her　mother
crying　and　said：　〃Don't　cry；　mother；　I　will　go　and　get　some　at　the
Haunted　Spring。〃

Her　mother　said：　〃Oh；　no；　dear　sweet　child；　those　goblins　will　kill
you。〃

〃No；　mother；〃　replied　Mary。　〃I　will　beg　them　to　let　me　have　some
water　for　dear　father；　and　I　am　not　afraid。〃

So　her　mother　got　a　light　bucket　for　her；　and　went　to　the　top　of
the　hill　with　her；　and　said：　〃God　bless　you；　my　dear　child；　and　bring
you　back　to　me。〃

Then　Mary　went　on　until　she　came　to　the　high　iron　gate。　She　said：
〃Please　gate　open　and　let　me　through。　I　mind　my　father　and　mother
and　love　everybody。〃

And　the　gate　opened　and　she　passed　into　the　〃haunted〃　grounds
She　saw　a　funny；　little；　short　man　come　running　with　a　stick　and　said：
〃Please；　nice　man；　don't　hit　me。　I　have　come　down　to　get　some　good
water　to　make　tea　for　my　father's　supper。　He　has　been　working　all
day；　and　our　well　has　gone　dry。　May　I　please　have　some　of　your　spring
water？〃

〃Well；　little　girl；　as　you　talk　so　nice；　you　can　have　some。　Tell　the
little　folks　to　open　the　briars　for　you。〃

So　she　went　on　and　came　to　a　briar　patch　and　saw　down　at　the　roots
little　people；　not　much　longer　than　your　finger。　Mary　spoke　so　kindly　to
them；　said　she　would　be　so　glad　if　they　would　open　a　path　for　her　to
walk　in；　she　would　thank　them　so　much；　so　they　began　to　pull　the　briars
back　until　there　was　a　good　path。　Mary　thanked　them　and　went　on　until
she　came　to　the　spring　and　there　was　a　rabbit　jumping　up　and　down　in
it。　Mary　said：　〃Please　Mr。　Rabbit；　don't　muddy　the　water　for　I　would
like　to　get　a　bucket　of　nice　clean　water　to　take　home　to　make　tea　for
supper。〃　The　rabbit　ran　off　and　she　dipped　her　bucket　full　of　pure
water。

Then　she　looked　down　the　branch；　and　there　was　a　little　lamb　that　had
fallen　in　and　was　lying　down；　and　could　not　get　up。　The　lamb　said：
〃Little　girl；　please　pick　me　up　and　lay　me　on　the　grass　to　dry。〃　Mary
stepped　on　some　rocks　till　she　got　to　the　lamb　and　lifted　him　up　and
laid　him　on　the　bank　to　dry。　The　lamb　said：　〃When　you　go　home；　spit
in　your　mother's　hand。〃　Mary　thought　that　would　not　be　right；　but　she
said　nothing。　She　went　back　through　the　briar　patch　and　the　little　folks
held　them　from　scratching　her；　and　the　little　old　man　spoke　nicely　to　her
and　the　gate　opened　for　her。　Her　mother　was　watching　for　her　and　helped
her　home　with　the　water；　kissed　her；　and　prepared　them　a　good　supper。

While　they　were　sitting　at　the　table　Mary　said：　〃Mother；　the　little
lamb　told　me　to　do　something　I　do　not　like　to　do。〃

〃What　was　it？〃

〃He　told　me　spit　in　your　hand。〃

〃Well；　you　can　my　child；　come　on；〃　and　the　mother　held　out　her
hand　and　Mary　spat　in　it；　a　diamond　and　a　pearl。　This　made　the　family
happy　and　rich；　they　had　men　come　the　next　day　and　dig　a　new　well。

Now　Sarah　wished　to　try　her　fortune；　her　mother　did　not　want
her　to　go；　because　she　knew　what　a　bad　girl　she　was；　to　talk　saucy；　but
Sarah　said　she　would　do　as　well　as　Mary。　Her　sister　told　her　how　she
must　do；　she　got　angry　at　her；　and　said：　〃You　mind　your　own　business；
I　reckon　I　know　what　I　am　about。〃

So　she　took　her　bucket　and　went　on　until　she　came　to　the　gate；　she
gave　that　a　kick　and　said：　〃Open　gate！〃　and　the　gate　opened　and　slammed
on　her。　The　little　old　man　came　running　with　his　stick。　Sarah　said：
〃Don't　you　hit　me；　old　man；　I'll　tell　my　father。〃　And　the　old　man　beat
her　and　the　little　folks　pushed　up　the　briar　bushes　so　she　tore　her　clothes
and　scratched　herself　badly。　The　little　rabbit　was　in　the　spring　and　he
jumped　up　and　down　and　she　threw　at　him；　telling　him　she　would　knock
his　head　off；　but　the　rabbit　jumped　up　and　down　'till　the　spring　was　a
lob…lolly　of　mud；　so　she　had　to　take　muddy　water　in　her　bucket。　The
little　lamb　had　gotten　back　into　the　branch　and　said：　〃Please；　little
girl；　pick　me　up　and　put　me　on　the　bank　to　dry。〃

But　Sarah　said：　〃I　won't　do　it。〃

The　lamb　replied：　〃Spit　in　your　mother's　hand　when　you　go　home。〃

So　Sarah　had　to　go　through　the　briars；　that　scratched　her；　and　the　old
man　beat　her；　and　the　gate　slammed　on　her；　and　when　her　mother　met　her
she　was　a　〃sight。〃　Her　face　was　dirty；　her　dress　torn；　her　legs　and　arms　were
scratched　and　bleeding；　and　her　curly　hair　was　in　a　mass　of　tangles。　Her
mother　washed　the　dirt　off　and　scolded　her　for　being　so　naughty。　Mary
helped　to　wash　and　dress　her　for　supper。　Then　they　all　sat　down　to　eat；
and　every　one　was　happy　but　Sarah。

Sarah　said：　〃Mother；　the　lamb　told　me　to　spit　in　your　hand。〃

〃Very　well；　come　on；〃　answered　the　mother。　So　Sarah　spat　in　her
mother's　hand　and　out　jumped　a　lizard　and　a　frog。

A　child　ever　so　small　will　see　the　moral；　and　that；　I　never　forgot。　Of
course　the　pearls　and　the　diamonds　are　the　politeness　and　kindness；　which
is　so　beautiful　in　children；　and　the　lizard　and　the　frog　are　rudeness
and　impudence。　Very　often　the　nurse　would　say：　〃Look　here；　you　Sarah；
you。〃

I　remember　how　shocked　I　would　be　to　think　I　would　ever　be　like　that
naughty　Sarah。

A　positive　i