the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第7节
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into the water was different from the one who walked out。 I said no word。
I felt that I could not speak； for fear of disturbing the peace that is
past understanding。 Kind hands wrapped me up and I felt no chill。 I
felt the responsibility of my new relation and tried hard to do right。
A few days after this I was at my aunt Kate Doneghy's。 Uncle
James； or 〃Jim；〃 we called him； her husband； was not a Christian。 He
shocked me one day by saying： 〃So those Campbellites took you to the
creek； and soused you； did they 'Cal'？〃 （A nick name。） What a blow！
My aunt seemed also shocked to have him speak thus to me。 I left
the room and avoided meeting him again。 How he crushed me！ It
had the effect to make me feel like a criminal。
The Protestant Church here makes a fatal error which the Catholics
avoid。 The ministers of the latter have all young converts come so
often to them for instruction。 A child may be born； but not being nursed
and fed； it will die。 God has command them to be fed in the sincere
milk of the word。 My greatest hindrance has been from the lack of
proper Christian teaching。 I love the memory of my father； he used
to have me read the bible to him； and while I did not enjoy it then； it
is a blessed memory。 The family altar is essential to the welfare of
every home； no other form of discipline is equal to it。 The liberty；
chivalry； and life of a nation live or die in proportion as the Altar fires
live or die。
〃And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine
heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt
talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by
the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up。〃
When I was fifteen； the war broke out between the north and the
south。 My father saw that Missouri would be the battle ground and he；
with many others； took their families and negroes and went south； taking
what they could in wagons； for there were no railroads then in that section。
There was quite a train with the droves of cattle； mules and horses。
One wagon had six yoke of oxen to it； had to get into it by a ladder；
the kind that was used to freight across the plains。 The family
went in the family carriage that my father brought from Kentucky。
I remember the time when this carriage was purchased； with the two
dapple gray horses； and silver mounted harness； and when my mother
would drive out she had a driver in broadcloth； with a high silk hat；
and a boy rode on a seat behind； to open the gates。 This was one of
the ways of traveling in Kentucky in those days。 My mother was an
aristocrat in her ideas； but my father was not。 He liked no display。 He
was wise enough to see the sin and folly of it。
｛illust。 caption =
THIS IS THE PICTURE OF MY GIRLHOOD HOME IN CASS COUNTY； MO。
UNDER THE TREES OF THIS DEAR OLD PLACE I LISTENED
TO THE SWEET STORY OF MY LOVE OF A MAN MURDERED BY DRINK。
〃WHEN THOU HAST LOVED ONE LIVING MAN； THEN MAYEST THOU LOOK
UPON THE DEAD。〃｝
After being on the road six weeks； we stopped in Grayson County；
Texas； and bought a farm。 As we started from Missouri one of the
colored women took sick with typhoid fever。 This spread so that ten
of the family； white； and black； were down at one time。 As soon as we
could travel； my father left the colored people south； and took his family
back to Missouri。 That winter south was a great blessing to me； for I
recovered from a disease that had made me an invalid for five years
consumption of the bowels。 Poor health had keep me out of school a
great deal。 My father at one time sent me to Mrs。 Tillery's boarding
school in Independence； Mo。； but I was not in the recitation room more
than half of the time。
After I recovered my health in Texas； it was my delight to ride on
horseback with a girl friend。 The southern boys were preparing to go to
war。 Many a sewing did we attend； where the mothers had spun and
woven the gray cloth that they were now working up so sorrowfully for
their sons to be buried in； far away from home。 They thought their cause
was right。 There were many good masters。 And again there were bad
ones。 Whiskey is always a cruel tyrant and is a worse evil than chattel
slavery。 We were often stopped on our trip by southern troops； in the
Territory and Texas； and then again by northerners。 We passed over the
Pea Ridge battle ground shortly after the battle。 Oh！ the horrors of war。
We often stopped at houses where the wounded were。 We let them have
our pillows and every bit of bedding we could spare。 We went to our
home in Cass County； Missouri。
Shortly after this we； with all families living in that country； were
commanded by an order from Jim Lane； to move into an army post。 This
reached several counties in Missouri。 It was done to depopulate the
country； so that the 〃Bushwhackers〃 would be forced to leave； because of
not being able to get food from the citizens。 This caused much suffering。
But such is war。 We moved to Kansas City。 I was in Independence； Mo。；
during the battle； when Price came through。 I went with a good woman
to the hospital to help with the wounded。 My duty was to comb the
heads of the wounded。 I had a pan of scalding water near and would use
the comb and shake off the animated nature into the hot water。 The southern
and northern wounded were in the same rooms。 In health they were
enemies； but I only saw kindly feeling and sympathy。
Mothers ought to give their daughters the experience of sitting with
the sick； of preparing food for them； of binding up wounds。 It is a pitiful
sight to see a helpless woman in the sick room； ignorant through lack
of experience and education； of ways to be useful at the time and place
where these characteristics of woman adorn her the most of all others。
After we returned from Texas； being the oldest child and the servants all
gone； my mother sick； and the younger children going to
school； I had the house work； cooking and most of the washing to do。 It
was a new experience for me； and it was twice as hard as it ought to have
been。 I exposed my health； would slop up myself when I washed； and
almost ruined my health； because I had not been properly educated。 Herein
was the curse of slavery。 My father saw this； and I don't believe he
had a regret when the slaves were free。 Mother； it matters not what else
you teach your daughters； if they have not an experience in doing the
work themselves about a home； they are sadly deficient。 It is not the soft；
palefaced； painted； fashionable lady we want； for the world would be better
without her； but the woman capable of knowing how； and willing to take
a place in the home affairs of life。 It is an ambition of mine to establish
a Preparatory College in Topeka； Kansas； where girls may be taught； as
women should be； that they in turn may teach others； how to wash； cook；
scrub； dress and talk； to counteract the idea that woman is a toy； pretty
doll； with no will power of her own； only a parrot； a parasite of a
man。 To be womanly； means strength of character； virtue and a power
for good。 Let your women be teachers of good things； says the Holy
Spirit。
The last school I attended was at Liberty； Missouri； taught by Mr。
and Mrs。 Love。 Only went there a year； but it was of untold value to me。
I was so eager to get an education。 On account of ill health and the war；
I knew but little。 I wanted a thorough education。 I had read a good
many books； and would write sketches； kept a diary part of the time。
I will here relate an incident that will give my readers a little insight
into my impulses。 At Liberty School we had a class in Smellie's Natural
Philosophy。〃 There was an argument among the girls。 Some said
animals had reasoning faculties。 Others said not。 Miss Jennie Johnson；
our teacher； said： 〃Have that for a question to debate on in your society。〃
So it was ordered。 I was given the affirmative。 The Friday came。
I was taken by surprise and was in confusion； when I saw the room
crowded。 The two other societies of the Seminary； 〃The Mary Lyons〃
and 〃Rising Star；〃 also all the teachers； were present。 Our Society was
the 〃Eunomian〃。 I had made no preparations。 When I was called I
know I looked ridiculously blank。 The president tried to keep her face
straight。 I got no farther than； 〃Miss President〃。 All burst out in
uncontrollable laughter。 I went to my seat put my face in my arms and
turned my back to the audience。 I wept with tears of humiliation。 I
felt disgraced。 I thought of what a shame this would be to my parents。
How ever after this I must be considered a 〃Silly〃 by my schoolmates。
These things nerved me。 I dried my tears； turned around in my seat；
looked up； and the moral force it required to do this was almost equal
to that which smashed a saloon。 I arose and said： 〃Miss President； I
am ready to state my case。〃 I began in this style： 〃I know animals
have the power to reason for my brothers cured a dog from sucking eggs
by having him take a hot one in his mouth； and it was the last egg we
ever knew him to pick up。 Why？ Because he remembered the hot one
and reasoned that he might get burned。 Why is it that a horse will like
one person more than another？ Because he is capable
