the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第22章

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for　us　to　suffer。　I　also　use　the　sign　of　the　cross；　for　it　is　medicine　to
the　soul　to　be　reminded　of　His　sufferings。　Jesus　left　us　the　communion
of　bread　and　wine　that　we　might　remember　His　passion。　I　would　also
fast　days　at　a　time。　One　day　I　was　so　sad；　I　opened　the　Bible　with　a
prayer　for　light；　and　saw　these　words：　〃Arise；　shine；　for　thy　light　is
come　and　the　glory　of　the　Lord　is　risen　upon　thee。〃　These　words　gave
me　unbounded　delight。

I　ran　to　a　sister　and　said：　〃There　is　to　be　a　change　in　my　life。〃

On　the　6th　of　June；　before　retiring；　as　I　often　did；　I　threw　myself　face
downward　at　the　foot　of　my　bed　and　told　the　Lord　to　use　me　any　way　to
suppress　the　dreadful　curse　of　liquor；　that　He　had　ways　to　do　it；　that　I
had　done　all　I　knew；　that　the　wicked　had　conspired　to　take　from　us　the
protection　of　homes　in　Kansas；　to　kill　our　children　and　break　our　hearts。
I　told　Him　I　wished　I　had　a　thousand　lives；　that　I　would　give　Him　all
of　them；　and　wanted　Him　to　make　it　known　to　me；　some　way。　The　next
morning；　before　I　awoke；　I　heard　these　words　very　distinctly：　〃Go　to
Kiowa；　and〃　（as　in　a　vision　and　here　my　hands　were　lifted　and　cast　down
suddenly。）　〃I'll　stand　by　you。〃　I　did　not　hear　these　words　as　other
words；　there　was　no　voice；　but　they　seemed　to　be　spoken　in　my　heart。　I
sprang　from　my　bed　as　if　electrified；　and　knew　this　was　directions　given
me；　for　I　understood　that　it　was　God's　will　for　me　to　go　to　Kiowa　to
break；　or　smash　the　saloons。　I　was　so　glad；　that　I　hardly　looked　in　the
face　of　anyone　that　day；　for　fear　they　would　read　my　thoughts；　and　do
something　to　prevent　me。　I　told　no　one　of　my　plans；　for　I　felt　that　no
one　would　understand；　if　I　should。

I　got　a　box　that　would　fit　under　my　buggy　seat；　and　every　time　I
thought　no　one　would　see　me；　I　went　out　in　the　yard　and　picked　up
some　brick…bats；　for　rocks　are　scarce　around　Medicine　Lodge；　and　I　wrapped
them　up　in　newspapers　to　pack　in　the　box　under　my　buggy　seat。　I
also　had　four　bottles　I　had　bought　from　Southworth；　the　druggist；　with
〃Schlitz…Malt〃　in　them；　which　I　used　to　smash　with。　I　bought　two　kinds
of　this　malt　and　I　opened　one　bottle　and　found　it　to　be　beer。　I　was　going
to　use　these　bottles　of　beer　to　convict　this　wiley　joint…druggist。

One　of　the　bottles　I　took　to　a　W。　C。　T。　U。　meeting；　and　in　the　presence
of　the　ladies　I　opened　it　and　drank　the　contents。　Then　I　had　two　of
them　to　take　me　down　to　a　Doctor's　office。　I　fell　limp　on　the　sofa　and
said：　〃Doctor；　what　is　the　matter　with　me？〃

He　looked　at　my　eyes；　felt　my　heart　and　pulse；　shook　his　head　and
looked　grave。

I　said：　〃Am　I　poisoned　or　in　an　abnormal　state？〃

〃Yes；　said　the　Doctor。〃　I　said：　〃What　poisoned　me　is　that　beer
you　recommended　Bro。　　to　take　as　a　tonic。〃　I　resorted　to　this
stratagem；　to　show　the　effect　that　beer　has　upon　the　system。　This　Doctor
was　a　kind　man　and　meant　well；　but　it　must　have　been　ignorance　that
made　him　say　beer　could　ever　be　used　as　a　medicine。

There　was　another；　Dr。　Kocile；　in　Medicine　Lodge　who　used　to　sell
all　the　whiskey　he　could。　He　made　a　drunkard　of　a　very　prominent
woman　of　the　town；　who　took　the　Keely　cure。　She　told　the　W。　C。　T。　U。
of　the　villainy　of　this　doctor　and　she　could　not　have　hated　anyone　more。
Oh！　the　drunkards　the　doctors　are　making！　No　physician；　who　is
worthy　of　the　name　will　prescribe　it　as　a　medicine；　for　there　is　not　one
medical　quality　in　alcohol。　It　kills　the　living　and　preserves　the　dead。
Never　preserves　anything　but　death。　It　is　made　by　a　rotting　process　and
it　rots　the　brain；　body　and　soul；　it　paralyzes　the　vascular　circulation　and
increases　the　action　of　the　heart。　This　is　friction　and　friction　in　any
machinery　is　dangerous；　and　the　cure　is　not　hastened　but　delayed。

I　have　given　space　in　this　book　to　one　of　the　most　scientific　articles；
showing　how　dangerous　alcohol　is　to　the　human　system。

Any　physician　that　will　prescribe　whiskey　or　alcohol　as　a　medicine
is　either　a　fool　or　a　knave。　A　fool　because　he　does　not　understand　his
business；　for　even　saying　that　alcohol　does　arouse　the　action　of　the　heart；
there　are　medicines　that　will　do　that　and　will　not　produce　the　fatal
results　of　alcoholism；　which　is　the　worst　of　all　diseases。　He　is　a　knave
because　his　practice　is　a　matter　of　getting　a　case；　and　a　fee　at　the　same
time；　like　a　machine　agent　who　breaks　the　machine　to　get　the　job　of　mending
it。　Alcohol　destroys　the　normal　condition　of　all　the　functions　of　the
body。　The　stomach　is　thrown　out　of　fix；　and　the　patient　goes　to　the　doctor
for　a　stomach　pill；　the　heart；　liver；　kidneys；　and　in　fact　the　whole　body
is　in　a　deranged　condition；　and　the　doctor　has　a　perpetual　patient。　I
sincerely　believe　this　to　be　the　reason　why　many　physicians　prescribe　it。

I　was　doing　my　own　work　at　the　time　God　spoke　to　me；　cooking；
washing　and　ironing；　was　a　plain　home　keeper。　I　cooked　enough　for
my　husband　until　next　day；　knowing　that　I　would　be　gone　all　night。　I
told　him　I　expected　to　stay　all　night　with　a　friend；　Mrs。　Springer。　I
hitched　my　horse　to　the　buggy；　put　the　box　of　〃smashers〃　in；　and　at　half
past　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　the　sixth　of　June；　1900；　I　started　to
Kiowa。　Whenever　I　thought　of　the　consequences　of　what　I　was　going
to　do；　and　what　my　husband　and　friends　would　think；　also　what　my
enemies　would　do；　I　had　a　sensation　of　nervousness；　almost　like　fright；
but　as　soon　as　I　would　look　up　and　pray；　all　that　would　leave　me；　and
things　would　look　bright。　And　I　might　say　I　prayed　almost　every　step
of　the　way。　This　Mrs。　Springer　lived　about　ten　miles　south　of　Medicine
Lodge。　I　often　stopped　there　and　I　knew　that　Prince；　my　horse；
would　naturally　go　into　the　gate；　opening　on　the　road；　if　I　did　not　prevent
it。　I　thought　perhaps　it　was　God's　will　for　me　to　drive　to　Kiowa　that
night；　so　gave　the　horse　the　reins；　and　if　he　turned　in；　I　would　stay　all
night；　if　not；　I　would　go　to　Kiowa。　Prince　hastened　his　speed　past　the
gate；　and　I　knew　that　it　was　God's　will　for　me　to　go　on。　I　got　there　at
8：30　P。　M。　and　stayed　all　night　with　a　friend。　Early　next　morning　I
had　my　horse　put　to　the　buggy　and　drove　to　the　first　place；　kept　by
Mr。　Dobson。　I　put　the　smashers　on　my　right　arm　and　went　in。　He　and
another　man　were　standing　behind　the　bar。　These　rocks　and　bottles　being
wrapped　in　paper　looked　like　packages　bought　from　a　store。　Be
wise　as　devils　and　harmless　as　doves。　I　did　not　wish　my　enemies　to
know　what　I　had。

I　said：　〃Mr。　Dobson；　I　told　you　last　spring；　when　I　held　my　county
convention　here；　（I　was　W。　C。　T。　U。　president　of　Barber　County；）　to
close　this　place；　and　you　didn't　do　it。　Now　I　have　come　with　another
remonstrance。　Get　out　of　the　way。　I　don't　want　to　strike　you；　but　I
am　going　to　break　tip　this　den　of　vice。〃

I　began　to　throw　at　the　mirror　and　the　bottles　below　the　mirror。
Mr。　Dobson　and　his　companion　jumped　into　a　corner；　seemed　very　much
terrified。　From　that　I　went　to　another　saloon；　until　I　had　destroyed　three；
breaking　some　of　the　windows　in　the　front　of　the　building。　In　the　last
place；　kept　by　Lewis；　there　was　quite　a　young　man　behind　the　bar。　I　said
to　him：　〃Young　man；　come　from　behind　that　bar；　your　mother　did
not　raise　you　for　such　a　place。〃　I　threw　a　brick　at　the　mirror；　which　was
a　very　heavy　one；　and　it　did　not　break；　but　the　brick　fell　and　broke
everything
in　its　way。　I　began　to　look　around　for　something　that　would　break
it。　I　was　standing　by　a　billiard　table　on　which　there　was　one　ball。　I
said：　〃Thank　God；〃　and　picked　it　up；　threw　it；　and　it　made　a　hole　in
the　mirror。　While　I　was　throwing　these　rocks　at　the　dives　in　Kiowa；
there　was　a　picture　before　my　eyes　of　Mr。　McKinley；　the　President；　sitting
in　an　old　arm　chair　and　as　I　threw；　the　chair　would　fall　to　pieces。

The　other　dive　keepers　closed　up；　stood　in　front　of　their　places　and
would　not　let　me　come　in。　By　this　time；　the　streets　were　crowded　with
people；　most　of　them　seemed　to　look　puzzled。　There　was　one　boy　about
fifteen　years　old　who　seemed　perfectly　wild　with　joy；　and　he　jumped；
skipped　and　yelled　with　delight。　I　have　since　thought　of　that　as　being
a　significant　sign。　For　to　smash　saloons　will　save　the　boy。

I　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　street　and　spoke　in　this　way：　〃I　hav