the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第16章

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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　suit　with　a
red　necktie。　I　then　knew　he　was　in　trouble　somewhere。　He　told　me　he
had　no　money。　I　told　him　he　was　welcome　to　stay　as　long　as　he　wished。
I　gathered　up　some　clean　garments　and　did　for　him　all　I　could。　I　felt
glad　to　have　this　catholic　priest　in　my　house。　I　resolved　to　ask　him
concerning
their　faith。　He　was　one　of　the　saddest　man　I　ever　saw　and　it　made
my　heart　ache　to　see　him。　I　knew　so　well　what　it　was　to　have　〃a　heart
bowed　down　with　grief　and　woe；〃　and　I　saw　in　this　poor　creature　desolation。
I　asked　him　if　he　should　die；　what　sin　he　would　have　to　repent　of。
He　said：　〃I　may　have　sinned　in　trying　to　fix　up　a　home　for　poor　priests
who　come　into　disfavor　with　the　bishops。〃　His　words　were：　〃There　is
no　one　so　helpless　as　a　catholic　priest　sent　adrift。　A　boy　ten　years　old
knows　as　well　how　to　make　a　living　for　himself。　I　have　been　from　a　boy；
in　a　Jesuit　College；　St。　John's；　near　New　York。　You　do　not　know　the
sorrows　of　a　catholic　priest。　Few　know　that　so　many　priests　are　dying　from
heart　disease。　I　am　trying　to　get　to　San　Antonio；　for　a　priest　there　may
help　me　some。〃　He　stayed　at　the　hotel　five　days。　One　evening　he　came　in
the　parlor　where　there　was　quite　a　company；　and　I　was　astonished　to　see
him　so　changed。　He　was　no　longer　the　shrinking；　crest…fallen　man；　but　he
seemed　bright　and　joined　in　conversation；　sang　and　played　on　the　piano。
I　soon　found　out　he　had　been　drinking。　I　wanted　to　shield　him　from　the
scandal　and　made　an　excuse　to　call　him　from　the　room；　and　told　him　what
I　did　this　for。　Next　morning　he　came　down　as　〃sad　as　night〃。　I　said：
〃Are　you　going　to　leave？〃　〃Yes；〃　he　replied。　I　wrote　a　note　to　the
conductor；　whom　I　knew　well；　told　him　the　condition　of　this　poor　man；　told
him　to　pass　him　to　San　Antonio。　I　had　just　three　dollars；　this　I　gave　to
him。　Oh；　the　gratitude　in　the　face　of　this　poor　man。　He　raised　his
hands　and　asked　〃Christ；　and　his　mother；　the　holy　martyrs；　and　the　angels
to　bless　me。〃

In　a　few　days　I　heard　of　a　priest　from　Cleveland；　Ohio；　who　through
gambling　and　drink