the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第18章

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house　but　cornbread　and　molasses。　She　said　that　her　husband　had　come
in；　wild　with　drink　and　run　his　family　out　and　kicked　over　the　table　and
she　said：　〃I　came　to　you　to　ask　you　what　to　do。〃

I　did　not　speak　a　word；　for　I　was　too　full　of　conflicting　feelings；　but　I
put　on　my　bonnet　and　Sister　Elliott　asked　me　what　I　was　going　to　do。　I
told　her　that　I　did　not　know；　but　for　her　to　come　with　me。　We　walked
down　to　Henry　Durst's　place；　a　distance　of　half　a　mile。　I　fell　down　on　my
knees　before　the　screen　and　began　to　call　on　God。　There　were　five　men
in　there　drinking。　I　was　indifferent　to　those　passing　the　street。　It　was　a
strange　sight　to　see　women　on　their　knees　on　the　most　prominent　part
of　the　street。　I　told　God　about　this　man　selling　liquor　to　this　woman's
husband；　and　told　Him　she　had　been　washing　to　get　bread；　and　asked　God
to　close　up　this　den　and　drive　this　man　out。　Mrs。　Elliott　also　prayed。　We
then　told　this　man　that　God　would　hear　and　that　hell　was　his　portion　if
he　did　not　change。　In　a　short　time　he　closed　his　bar；　left　his　family
there；　and　went　to　another　state。　His　property　was　sold　gradually　and　he
never　returned；　except　to　move　his　family　away；　and　I　heard　afterwards
he　was　reduced　to　poverty。

Another　jointist　was　named　Hank　O'Bryan。　In　passing　his　place　one
night　from　prayer…meeting；　I　smelled　the　horrid　drink　and　went　in。　A
man　by　the　name　of　Grogan　was　there；　half　drunk；　and　I　said：　〃You　have
a　dive　here。〃　Mr。　Grogan　replied：　〃No；　Mother　Nation；　you　are　wrong；
and　I　can　prove　it。〃

〃Let　me　see　what　you　have　in　the　back　room；〃　I　asked。　〃All　right；
Mother；〃　he　said；　and　took　me　through　several　windings；　until　I　came　to　a
very　small　room　with　a　table　covered　with　beer　bottles；　that　had　been
recently　emptied；　and　in　one　corner　sat　a　man；　Mr。　Smith；　a　man　from
Sharon；　who　the　W。　C。　T。　U。　had　been　talking　of　handling　for　selling
liquor　in　that　town。　Mr。　Grogan　introduced　me　to　him；　and　he；　Mr。
Smith；　looked　terrified　and　astonished。　I　took　up　one　of　the　bottles
and　asked　what　it　had　contained。　His　reply：　〃Hop　Tea。〃　I　asked：
〃What　name　is　that　on　the　label？〃　It　was　〃Anheuser…Busch；〃　but　I　could
get　neither　of　them　to　pronounce　it。　I　turned　up　one　of　the　bottles　and
put　it　to　my　lips　and　told　them　that　it　was　beer；　and　that　I　could　take　an
oath　that　it　was。　Grogan　threw　up　his　hands　saying：　〃Now；　Mother
Nation；　if　you　get　me　into　trouble　I　will　do　something　desperate。〃　I
had　visited　this　man　Grogan　in　jail　about　a　year　before　this；　where
he　was　put　for　getting　drunk　and　fighting。　I　said：　〃I　do　not　wish
to　get　either　of　you　in　trouble；　but　want　to　get　you　out。〃　I　had　my　Bible
with　me　and　I　opened　it　to　several　passages　where　drink　was　condemned；
and　told　them　where　it　would　lead。　I　told　them　I　would　not　speak　of　this
to　anyone。　When　I　said　I　would　not　〃tell　on　them〃　the　look　of　gladness
on　their　faces　was　pitiful　to　see。

I　said；　I　am　going　to　pray　God　to　have　mercy　on　you。　Kneel　down；
like　two　obedient　little　childrenthey　kneltsome　may　smile　at　this；
but　I　was　deeply　affected　and　felt　a　compassion　and　tenderness　toward
these　poor　men；　whom　the　devil　was　leading　captive　at　his　will。　That
prayer　I　offered；　was　heard。

In　one　week　from　that　time　this　man　Grogan　came　to　my　house；　one
Sunday　morning；　and　fell　down　at　my　feet　crying　and　wringing　his　hands；
saying：　〃Oh！　Mrs。　Nation　I　am　going　to　hell；　but　it　is　not　your　fault　and
I　came　to　ask　you　to　pray　for　me。〃　He　was　in　great　agony　of　soul。
He　had　been　drinking　until　he　was　almost　crazy。　He　left　in　about　half
an　hour；　saying　he　〃was　going　to　hell；〃　but　I　told　him；　no；　to　have　faith
in　God　and　He　would　save　him。

This　was　the　last　I　saw　of　him；　but　I　heard　afterwards　that　he　had
a　small　store　in　Wichita　and　was　living　in　the　rear　of　it　with　his　family。
The　person　that　told　me　of　him；　said　that　he　asked　Mr。　Grogan　if　he　sold
liquor。　His　answer　was：　〃No；　I　got　enough　of　that　in　Medicine　Lodge。〃
This　Mr。　Smith　became　a　wreck　for　a　time；　and　lost　his　business　in　Sharon。
After　I　came　out　of　jail　in　Wichita　the　third　time；　I　met　a　man　on　the
street　and　he　made　himself　known　as　the　Smith　of　Sharon。　He　looked
quite　well　and　said　he　had　quit　drinking　entirely　and　was　a　real　estate
dealer　in　Wichita。

I　soon　heard　of　its　being　told　around　in　Medicine　Lodge　that　I　drank
beer　in　a　dive。　So　I　went　to　Hank　O'Bryan's　restaurant　and　said：　〃Some
of　these　jointists　are　telling　that　I　drank　in　a　dive。　Now　if　it　comes　to　the
ears　of　the　public；　I　will　have　to　go　on　the　witness　stand　and　tell　where　I
drank　beer。〃　Hank　turned　pale；　looked　comical　and　I　never　heard　any
more　of　that。

There　was　a　saloon　keeper　in　Kiowa；　named　〃Billy〃　Morris　and　living
with　him　as　his　wife　was　a　girl　whose　name　was　Cora　Bennett。　This
poor　girl　had　been　living　an　irregular　life；　but　was　true　to　this　man；　who
had　promised　her　time　after　time　to　marry　her；　but　was　only　deceiving
her。　She　entered　his　bar　room　one　day　and　told　him　he　must　fulfill　his
promise　to　her　now；　or　she　would　kill　him。　He　tried　to　laugh　at　her。　She
fired　a　shot　and　killed　him　on　the　spot；　then　the　poor　girl　fell　on　his　dead
body　screaming　in　a　distracted　manner。　She　was　arrested　and　brought　to
jail　at　Medicine　Lodge；　and　was　there　six　months。　Being　Jail　Evangelist　I
went　to　see　her；　sometimes　twice　a　week。　When　I　first　saw　her　she　was
reticent；　and　did　not　seem　glad　to　see　me。　She　was　so　nice；　that　I　fell　in
love　with　her　and　I　asked　the　ladies　of　the　W。　C。　T。　U。　to　visit　her；　but
they　thought　her　a　hopeless　case。　She　bought　a　Bible　and　we　would　read
and　pray　together　and　talked　about　the　need　of　Christ　in　our　lives。　She
was　a　woman　of　great　sympathy。　I　asked　her　once：　〃Did　you　ever　love
anyone。〃　She　wept　bitterly　and　said：　〃Yes；　the　man　I　killed。〃

Toward　the　last　she　seemed　perfectly　delighted　when　I　came　to　her
cell。　She；　consented　to　go　to　a　home　where　she　would　have　friends　who
would　keep　her；　to　make　a　change　in　her　life。　The　morning　she　left　I
went　to　the　jail　and　rode　with　her　in　the　hack　to　the　depot　and　then　to　a
town　about　twenty　miles　east　of　Medicine　Lodge；　called　Attica。　On　the
train　from　Medicine　Lodge　to　Attica；　the　deputy　sheriff　had　some　man
to　give　this　girl　a　letter　from　him；　telling　her　to　meet　him　at　Wellington。
The　girl's　father　lived　at　Attica；　and　an　older　sister　of　her's　met　us。　I
could　see　the　sister　was　not　a　good　woman；　and　she　took　Cora　to　a　room
and　exchanged　the　modest　hat　and　dress　for　a　showy　hat　and　elaborate
silk　dress；　and　when　I　saw　her　it　almost　broke　my　heart。　I　said　to　her：
Oh；　Cora；　all　my　work　to　save　you　is　in　vain。〃　I　had　rather　have　seen
her　drop　dead；　and　I　grieved　all　the　way　home。　From　Attica　she　went　to
Wellington；　instead　of　Olathe；　Kansas；　where　she　was　to　enter　this　home。
James　Dobson　was　sheriff　of　Barber　County　and　his　brother　kept　a
saloon　in　Kiowa；　the　first　saloon　I　ever　smashed。　；

I　heard　no　good　news　of　Cora　for　some　years；　she　led　a　bad　life。
Five　years　later；　through　a　W。　C。　T。　U。　lecturer；　I　heard　that　she　was
married　and　living　in　Colorado；　and　she　was　an　efficient　worker　as　a　W。
C。　T。　U。　woman；　among　fallen　women。　She　told　of　her　past　life　and　of　a
Mrs。　Nation　visiting　her。　This　woman　said　it　was　so　incredible　to　believe
that　Cora　could　have　been　so　bad；　and　had　taken　a　human　life；　that　she
was　anxious　to　see　the　place　in　Kiowa　and　to　see　Cora's　prison　cell　and
myself。　I　was　then　in　Oklahoma；　and　I　certainly　rejoiced　over　this　news
from　her　I　had　learned　to　love。　I　saw　in　this　wayward　girl　certain　qualities
that　would　be　a　power　for　good；　if　once　God　could　have　His　way
with　her　life。

There　are　diamonds　in　the　slush　and　filth　of　this　world。　Happy　is　he
who　picks　them　up　and　helps　to　wash　the　dirt　away；　that　they　may　shine
for　God。　I　am　very　much　drawn　to　my　fallen　sisters。　Oh！　the　cruelty
and　oppression　they　meet　with！　If　the　first　stone　was　cast　by　those　who
were　guiltless；　those　who　were　to　be　stoned　would　rarely　get　a　blow。


O。　L。　DAY'S　DRUG　STORE。

There　was　a　druggist；　O。　L。　Day；　in　Medicine　Lodge　who　was　unlawfully
selling　intoxicating　liquor。　He　himself　was　drinking；　also　his　clerk。
I　got　a　knowledge　of　a　deposit　of　this　contraband　goods。　I　put　a　li