the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


him。　Five　years　ago；　I　came　into　your　place；　looking　just　like　that
young　man。　You　have　made　me　what　you　see　me　now。　Give　that　drink
to　me　and　finish　your　work。　Don't　begin　on　him。〃

I　went　back　to　the　hotel　and　bound　the　rod　and　cane　together；　then
wrapped　paper　around　the　top　of　it。　I　slept　but　little　that　night；　spending
most　of　the　night　in　prayer。　I　wore　a　large　cape。　I　took　the　cane
and　walked　down　the　back　stairs　the　next　morning；　and　out　in　the　alley
I　picked　up　as　many　rocks　as　I　could　carry　under　my　cape。　I　walked　into
the　Carey　Bar…room；　and　threw　two　rocks　at　the　picture；　then　turned
and　smashed　the　mirror　that　covered　almost　the　entire　side　of　the　large
room。　Some　men　drinking　at　the　bar　ran　at　break…neck　speed；　the　bartender
was　wiping　a　glass　and　he　seemed　transfixed　to　the　spot　and
never　moved。　I　took　the　cane　and　broke　up　the　sideboard；　which　had　on
it　all　kinds　of　intoxicating　drinks。　Then　I　ran　out　across　the　street
to　destroy　another　one。　I　was　arrested　at　8：30　A。　M。；　my　rocks　and
cane　taken　from　me；　and　I　was　taken　to　the　police　headquarters；　where
I　was　treated　very　nicely　by　the　Chief　of　Police；　Mr。　Cubbin；　who
seemed　to　be　amused　at　what　I　had　done。　This　man　was　not　very
popular　with　the　administration；　and　was　soon　put　out。　I　was　kept
in　the　office　until　6：30　P。　M。　Gov。　Stanley　was　in　town　at　that　time；
and　I　telephoned　to　several　places　for　him。　I　saw　that　he　was　dodging
me；　so。　I　called　a　messenger　boy　and　sent　a　note　to　Gov。　Stanley；
telling　him　that　I　was　unlawfully　restrained　of　my　liberty；　that　I　wished
him　to　call　and　see　me；　or　try　to　relieve　me　in　some　way。　The　messenger
told　me；　when　he　came　back；　that　he　caught　him　at　his　home；　that　he
read　the　message　over　three　times；　then　said：　〃I　have　nothing　to　say；〃
and　went　in；　and　closed　the　door。　This　is　the　man　who　taught　Sunday
School　in　Wichita　for　twenty　years；　where　they　were　letting　these　murder
shops　run　in　violation　of　the　law。　Strange　that　this　man　should　pull
wool　over　the　eyes　of　the　voters　of　Kansas。　I　never　did　have　any
confidence　in　him。　When　he　came　to　Medicine　Lodge　to　lecture　a　few
months　before　this；　I　would　not　go　to　hear　him；　telling　the　people　that
he　was　an　enemy。

Kansas　has　learned　some　dear　lessons；　and　she　will　be　wise　indeed
when　she　learns　that　only　Prohibitionists　will　enforce　prohibition　laws。
That　republicans　and　democrats　are　traitors；　and　no　one　belonging　to
these　parties　should　ever　hold　office；　especially　in　Kansas。

At　6：30　P。　M。；　I　was　tried　and　taken　to　Wichita　jail；　found　guilty　of
malicious　mischief；　Sam　Amidon　being　the　prosecuting　attorney；　and
the　friend　of　every　joint　keeper　in　the　city。　He　called　me　a　〃spotter〃
when　I　wanted　to　give　evidence　against　the　jointists。

The　legislature　was　to　convene　in　a　few　days　and　it　was　understood
that　the　question　of　resubmitting　the　Prohibition　Amendment　would　come
up。　Being　a　part　of　the　constitution；　the　people　had　to　vote　on　it；　and　it
was　frustrating　their　plans　to　have　such　agitation　at　this　time；　and
these　republican　leaders　were　determined　to　make　a　quietus　of
me；　if　possible。　The　scheme　was　to　get　me　in　an　insane　asylum；
and　they　wished　to　increase　my　insanity　as　they　called　my　zeal；　so　as　to
have　me　out　of　their　way；　for　I　was　calling　too　much　attention　to　their
lawlessness；　at　this　time；　when　it　might　prove　disastrous　to　their　plots。
Two　sheriffs　conducted　me　to　my　cell。　The　sensation　of　being　locked　in
such　a　place　for　the　first　time　is　not　like　any　other；　and　never　occurs　the
second　time。　These　men　watched　me　after　the　door　was　locked。　I　tried
to　be　brave；　but　the　tears　were　running　down　my　face。　I　took　hold　of
the　iron　bars　of　my　door；　and　tried　to　shake　them　and　said：　〃Never　mind；
you　put　me　in　here　a　cub；　but　I　will　go　out　a　roaring　lion　and　I　will　make
all　hell　howl。〃　I　wanted　to　let　them　know　that　I　was　going　to　grow　while
in　there。

Three　days　after；　on　the　30th；　there　was　brought　in　and　put　next　to
my　cell　an　old　man；　named　Isaiah　Cooper；　a　lunatic；　who　raved；　cursed
and　tore　his　clothes　and　bedding。　He　was　brought　from　the　poor　farm
where　he　was　waiting　to　be　sent　to　the　insane　asylum。　There　were　some
cigarette；　smokers　in　the　jail　and　the　fumes　came　in　my　cell；　for　I　had
nothing　but　an　open　barred　door。　I　begged　that　I　might　not　be　compelled
to　smell　this　poison；　but；　instead　of　diminishing；　the　smoke　increased。
Two　prisoners　from　across　the　rotunda　were　brought　next　to
my　cell。

What　an　outrage；　to　tax　the　citizens　of　Sedgwick　County　to　build
such　a　jail　as　that　in　Wichita。　It　holds　one　hundred　and　sixty　prisoners。
There　were　thirteen　there　when　I　was　put　in。　I　have　been　in　many　jails；　but
in　none　did　I　ever　see　a　rotary；　except　in　Wichita；　a　large　iron　cage；
with　one　door；　the　little　cells　the　shape　of　a　piece　of　pie。　Perhaps　there
were　a　dozen　in　this　one。　The　cage　rotated　within　a　cylinder。　This　was
for　the　worst　criminals；　and　the　cells　were　only　large　enough　for　a　small
cot；　a　chair　and　a　table　about　a　foot　square。

｛illust。　caption　=
JUST　BEFORE　I　LEFT　WICHITA　JAIL　A　PHOTOGRAPHER　CAME　TO　MY　CELL　AND　ASKED
TO　TAKE　MY　PICTURE。　　HERE　IT　IS　IN　THE　POSITION　OF　KNEELING；　READING
MY　BIBLE；　WHICH　WAS　MY　USUAL　ATTITUDE。｝


Mr。　Simmons　was　the　sheriff　and　he　told　the　prisoners　to　〃smoke　all
they　pleased；〃　that　he　would　keep　them　in　material；　and　he　kept　his　word。
Tobacco　smoke　is　poison　to　me　and　cigarettes　are　worse。　The　health…
board　belonged　to　this　republican　whiskey　ring；　and　was　in　conspiracy
to　make　me　insane；　so　they　put　a　quarantine　on　the　jail　for　three　weeks；
and　I　was　a　lone　woman　in　there；　with　two　cigarette　smokers；　and　a
maniac；　next　to　my　cell。　John；　the　Trusty；　smoked　a　horrid　strong　pipe；
and　he　also　was　next　to　my　cell。　Strange　to　say；　when　that　jail　had　so
many　apartments；　and　so　few　in　them；　that　four　inmates　should　have　been
put　next　to　me；　but　there　was　〃a　cause。〃　Mr。　Dick　Dodd　was　the　jailor；
and　for　three　weeks　he　was　the　only　one　who　came　in　my　cell　and　I　was
not　allowed　to　see　anyone　in　that　time；　but　Dr。　Jordan　who　called　once。
I　cried　and　begged　to　be　relieved　of　the　smoke；　for　I　do　not　think　Mr。
Dodd　realized　how　poisonous　it　was　to　me。　I　would　have　to　keep　my
windows　up　in　the　cold　January　weather；　and　the　fire　would　go　down　at
night。　I　had　two　blankets；　no　pillow　and　a　bed　that　the　criminals　had
slept　on　for　years　perhaps。　I　would　shiver　with　cold；　and　often　would　lay
on　the　cement　floor　with　my　head　in　my　hands　to　keep　out　of　the　draught。
Oh！　the　physical　agony！　I　had　something　like　La　Grippe　which　settled
on　my　bronchial　tubes；　from　which　I　have　never　recovered；　and　I
expect　to　feel　the　effect　to　my　dying　day。　I　had　a　strong　voice　for
singing；　which　I　lost；　and　have　never　been　able　to　sing；　to　speak　of　since。
Hour　after　hour　I　would　lay　on　the　floor；　listening　to　the　ravings　of　this
poor　old　man；　who　would　fall　on　his　iron　bed　and　hard　floor；　cursing　and
calling　out　names。　One　night　I　thought　I　could　not　live　to　see　day。　I
had　in　my　cell　sweetest　of　all　companions；　my　Bible。　I　read　and　studied
it；　and　this　particular　night　I　told　the　Lord　he　must　come　to　my　aid。　As　I
often　do；　I　opened　my　Bible　at　random　and　read　the　first　place　I　opened
to；　the　144th　Psalm。　I　have　often　read　the　book　through；　but　this　chapter
seemed　entirely　new。　It　reads；　Verse　1：　〃Blessed　be　the　Lord　my
strength；　which　teacheth　my　hands　to　war　and　my　fingers　to　fight。　2。　My
goodness　and　my　fortress　my　high　tower　and　my　deliverer；　my　shield
and　He　in　whom　I　trust；　who　subdueth　my　people　under　me。〃

God　told　me　in　this　chapter　that　He　led　me　to　〃fight　with　my　fingers
and　war　with　my　hands；〃　that　He　would　be　my　REFUGE　and　DELIVERER；
that　He　would　bring　the　people　to　me。

David　had　just　such　enemies　as　these　when　be　says　in　this　chapter：
〃Cast　forth　thy　lightnings　and　scatter　them；　shoot　out　thine　arrows　and
destroy　them。〃

7。　Send　thine　hand　from　above；　rid　me　and　deliver　me　out　of　great
waters　from　the　hand　of　strange　children。

8。　Where　mouth　speaketh　vanity；　and　where　right　hand　is　a　right
hand　of　falsehood。

12。　That　our　sons　may　be　plants　grown　up　in　their　youth；　that　our
daughters　may　be　as　corner…stones　polished　after