the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第19章

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I　got　a　knowledge　of　a　deposit　of　this　contraband　goods。　I　put　a　little
boy　on　my　buggy　horse　and　sent　a　letter　to　our　dear　Sister　Cain；　who
was　president　of　our　local　union。　She　called　several　of　the　women　together
at　our　W。　C。　T。　V。　room　and　made　known　to　them　what　I　knew　of
O。　L。　Day　receiving　these　intoxicants。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　discussion；
but　at　last　it　was　decided　that　we　should　investigate。　At　that
time　I　was　regarded　as　a　fanatic；　and　many　of　these　were　afraid　for　me　to
plan　for　them；　so　I　kept　very　quiet。　It　was　finally　agreed　that　Mrs。　A。　L。
Noble　and　Mrs。　Runyan　should　go　first　and　see　how　matters　were。　Sister
Runyan　finally　said　before　we　got　there：　〃Let　Mrs。　Nation　go　in　my
place。〃　I　said：　〃Thank　God！〃　Oh；　I　was　so　glad；　for　I　felt　that　I　could
handle　this　case。

｛illust。　caption　=
THIS　IS　A　PICTURE　OF　A　SOCIETY　I　ORGANIZED　IN　DEWEY　COUNTY；　OKLA。；　WHEN　WE
LIVED　IN　DOUGOUTS。　　WE　WOULD　GO　FROM　HOUSE　TO　HOUSE；　WASH；　SEW；　CLEAN　HOUSE；
AND　OTHERWISE　HELP　THE　HELPLESS。｝


O。　L。　Day　was　a　real　gentleman　by　nature。　He　was　the　man　with
one　fault；　and　that　was　alcoholism。　Mrs。　Noble　said：　〃You　do　the　talking。〃
While　we　were　in　the　W。　C。　T。　U。　room　discussing；　Sister　Runyan
said：　〃I　will　not　have　anything　to　do　with　this　if　Mrs。　Nation　does。〃　I
kept　still；　praying　for　the　raid　to　go　through；　even　if　I　was　not　in　it；　and
when　it　came　to　the　point；　I　had　just　what　I　wanted。　I　felt　entirely　equal
to　the　occasion。　Sister　Runyan　did　not　understand　me　then；　for　we　are
the　best　of　friends　and　she　has　been　true　to　me　in　my　efforts　to　defend
the　homes　of　Kansas。　I　told　Mr。　Day；　we；　as　a　W。　C。　T。　U。　thought　he　had
not　been　dealing　fairly；　and　I　looked　at　his　little　back　room　suspiciously；
as　much　as　to　say：　〃I　would　like　to　see　what　you　have　in　there。〃　He
said：　〃Ladies　would　you　like　to　go　in　the　room？〃　I　said：　〃Yes。〃　I
knew　I　could　discover　the　secret。　I　saw　behind　the　prescription　case　a
ten　gallon　keg。　I　said　to　myself：　〃That　is　a　find。〃　About　this　time　the
rest　of　the　women；　accompanied　by　Sister　Cain；　came　in　the　front　door。
Mr。　Day　was　as　white　as　death　all　the　time。　As　soon　as　he　went　to　the
front　I　smelled　the　keg　bung。　I　turned　it　on　one　side　and　rolled　it　to　the
front　saying；　〃Women；　this　is　the　whiskey！〃　Mr。　Day's　clerk　caught
the　end　of　the　keg　to　turn　it　out　of　my　hands　and　on　the　other　side　of　it
was　Jim　Gano；　the　marshal；　who　I　think　hauled　all　the　divekeepers'　goods
to　them。　He　was　a　Republican　and　in　with　the　whiskey　ring　and　a
〃rummy〃　himself。　I　then　placed　a　foot　on　each　side　of　the　keg　and　held
it　firm　with　both　feet　and　hands。　Jim　Gano　sprang　in　front　of　me　and
with　his　chest　against　my　head；　I　thought　certainly　he　would　break　my
neck。　I　called　to　the　women　to　help　me。　Mrs。　Noble　caught　him　by　one
side　of　the　collar　and　some　one　the　other　side　and　held　him　back　against
the　counter　until　I　could　roll　the　keg　out　into　the　street。　All　this　time
Sister　Cain；　like　a　general；　was　saying：　〃Don't　any　one　touch　these
women。　They　are　right。　They　are　christian　women；　trying　to　save　the
boys　of　our　state。〃　I　called　for　a　hatchet　from　the　hardware　store　of　Mr。
Case。　He　was　very　angry　and　said：　〃No！〃　He　also；　was　drinking　too
much。　I　called　to　Mrs。　Noble　to　get　a　sledge　hammer　from　the　blacksmith
shop　across　the　street。　She　did　and　handed　it　to　me。　I　struck　with　all　my
might。　The　whiskey　flew　high　in　the　air。　The　ladies　came　near　to　pour
it　out；　but　I　said：　〃Save　some。〃　So　Sister　Runyan　got　a　bottle　and　filled
it。　Then　we　poured　it　out　and　set　it　afire。　I　fell　on　my　knees　in　the　middle
of　the　street　and　thanked　God　for　this　victory。　Dr。　Gould；　a　man
〃fit　for　treason；　stratagem　and　spoils；〃　was　the　one　to　help　Day　dispose
of　these　drinks；　as　many　doctors　do。　This　doctor　gave　out　that　this　was
〃California　Brandy〃；　costing　seventy…five　dollars；　that　he　had　advised　Day
to　get　it　for　medical　purposes。

Mr。　Day　was　at　this　time　getting　a　permit　to　sell　it　for　medical　purposes。
He　appeared　in　court　to　prove　he　was　a　graduated　pharmacist；
never　drank；　and　never　had　a　clerk　that　did。　The　W。　C。　T。　U。　were　there
in　a　body。　We　contested　his　right　to　have　the　permit。　Poor　man。　I
pitied　him。　He　was　very　much　under　the　influence　of　intoxicants。　When
asked；　〃What　that　was　in　the　keg　the　ladies　rolled　out　of　his　drug　store
on　the　16th　of　February？〃　he　said：　〃It　was　California　brandy。〃　When
asked：　〃If　he　knew　the　taste　of　whiskey　and　brandy；〃　he　said：　〃Yes。〃
We　handed　him　a　bottle　of　this　that　he　said　was　brandy。　He　pronounced
it　〃a　poor　quality　of　sour　mash　whiskey。〃　Sister　Runyan　was　then　put
on　the　stand　and　said：　〃It　came　from　the　keg　that　was　smashed。〃

This　man　was　so　humbled　that　he　sold　out　in　a　month　and　left　Medicine　Lodge。
There　are　parties　in　that　town　who　are　more　responsible
than　O。　L。　Day。　They　did　every　thing　in　their　power　to　have　him　do　that
which　was　his　ruin。　In　retaliation　for　this　the　republican　rum　element
one　night　made　an　attack　on　Sister　Cain's　and　my　house；　broke　windows
and　threw　rocks；　and　broke　my　buggy。　They　also　sent　a　negro　to　my
house；　named　Haskel；　a　noted　bootlegger。　He　asked　for　an　interview。
He　had　quite　a　tale　to　tell　me　about　hearing　some　men　say　that　if　the
women　appeared　against　Day　that　my　house　would　go。　I　am　so　well
acquainted　with　the　colored　race　I　could　read　him　from　the　first　and　knew
that　these　〃Rummies〃　had　put　this　negro　up　to　intimidate　me。　I　listened
as　if　I　believed。　Then　I　said：　〃Haskel　you　ought　to　know　by　this　time
that　such　men　as　these　will　not　prevent　me　from　doing　my　duty；　besides
should　my　home　be　burned；　it　would　be　a　lecture　in　favor　of　my　cause
that　would　be　worth　more　to　me　than　the　home。　Now　Haskel　you　get　in
the　company　of　these　men　and　you　tell　them　what　I　have　told　you。〃　This
negro　pretended　to　me　that　he　came　to　me　as　a　friend。　When　I　told　him
what　I　did；　his　expression　was　amusing　to　see。



CHAPTER　VII。

SPIRITUAL　LEADINGS。JESUS　A　CONSCIOUS　PRESENCE　THREE　DAYS。LOSS　OF
LIBERTY　BY　COMPROMISING。THE　PRICE　PAID　TO　BE　REINSTATED。DISGRACE
TO　BE　A　MILLIONAIRE


I　had　once　while　in　Medicine　Lodge；　a　heavenly　rapture　for　three
days。　My　Savior　was　my　constant　companion。　I　saw　no　form；　heard　no
word。　But　His　dear　face　was　just　behind　and　looking　over　my　right　shoulder。
He　was　a　conscious　presence　and　the　deep　peace　was　beyond　any
experience　I　ever　had。　I　shunned　the　society　of　persons。　I　would　talk
to　Him；　would　sing　and　play　the　accompaniment　on　the　organ。　I　was
particular　about　my　home　work。　While　I　saw　no　face；　or　form；　I　realized
that　His　was　a　sweet；　smiling；　gratified　expression；　and　it　told　me　I　was
pleasing　Him。　I　did　not　seem　then　to　think　this　anything　wonderful；　and
have　often　reproached　myself　for　not　setting　more　store　by　this　at　the
time。

There　was　a　period　of　from　six　months　to　a　year　that　I　was　terribly
haunted　by　a　feeling　as　if　hung　over　a　precipice。　I　was　hanging
only　by　a　rope　above　my　head　held　by　a　hand　out　of　a　cloud。　At　night　or　in
the　day；　it　was　the　same　uneasy　dread　of　falling。　The　precipice　below
was　black　and　horrible。　There　were　banks　on　each　side。　At　last　I　swung
over；　landing　on　the　right　side。　Oh！　the　relief！

When　I　first　began　to　pray　in　public　I　was　very　awkward；　never　could
make　any　but　what　one　would　call　a　disconnected　prayer；　that　never　seems
to　be　impressive　in　an　audience；

I　asked　an　old…fashioned　sister；　who　I　knew　was　a　saint；　to　tell　me
what　was　wrong　in　my　testimony。　〃I　do　not　have　liberty　when　I　speak。〃
She　said：　〃You　do　not　praise　God　enough。〃　I　began　to　pray　for　a　spirit
of　praise。　Shortly　after　this　I　was　at　prayer…meeting；　was　praying　for
a　spirit　of　praise。　It　was　put　in　my　mouth　I　rose　to　my　feet　and
began　to　say：　〃Praise　God；　Praise　God！〃　repeating　it　over　and　over。
Oh！　how　sweet　to　use　and　hear　those　words！　I　could　scarcely　repress　the
impulse　to　use　them　all　the　time。　For　a　long　time　after　this；　when　the
Bible　was　read　or　testimony　struck　me　as　being　just　right；　I　would　audibly
say：　〃Praise　God！〃　This　was　a　〃gift〃；　for　I　had　never　felt　the
impulse　before。　I　have　in　a　measure　left　this　off；　but　I　use　it　all　the　time；
when　I　hear　good　news；　or　see　what　pleases　me。　〃He　led　captivity　（sin）
captive