the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第29章

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compelled　him　to　turn　some　obscene　pictures　to　the　wall　once；　when　I
called　to　see　him　in　his　office。

I　had　received　ever　so　many　letters　from　all　over　the　country　justifying
smashing　as　being　reasonable；　right　and　legal。　I　also　saw　that　the
republican　newspapers　of　Kansas　and　other　states　were　determined　to
put　me　in　a　false　light　before　the　people。　I　conceived　the　idea　of　editing
a　paper。　I　tried　to　get　the　Journal　to　edit　the　paper；　but　it　seemed
that　I　could　not　get　anyone　to　take　hold　of　it。　Some　one　suggested　to
me　Nick　Chiles；　a　negro；　who　had　a　printing　outfit。　I　knew　but　little　of
this　man。　I　sent　for　him　to　come　and　see　me　at　my　cell。　All　the　money
I　had　in　the　world　was　from　the　sale　of　ten　cows　which　was　240。　This
negro；　Chiles　talked　very　fair　and　promised　to　print　my　paper　in　a
creditable　way。　I　gave　him　the　240。　I　wrote　the　editorials　while　in
the　jail；　and　also　gave　him　bundles　of　letters　which　I　had　received　and
a　great　many　poems　that　had　been　written　on　Carry　Nation　and　smashing。
This　negro　finally　cheated　me　out　of　my　money　and　papers　also。
I　closed　with　him　after　three　weeks；　he　put　the　papers　out；　collected　for
them　and　never　paid　me　a　cent。　I　believe　he　paid　Mr。　Nation　some　and
when　I　would　have　made　him　account　for　his　wrong　dealings；　I　found
that　the　contract　between　he　and　I；　which　was　drawn　up　by　Mr。　Nation；
made　this　negro　my　partner。　This；　of　course；　was　done　to　prevent　me
from　having　any　legal　redress。　My　paper　was　called　THE　SMASHER'S
MAIL。　I　called　it　this　for　it　was　largely　composed　of　letters　which　I
had　received　on　the　subject　of　smashing。　I　had　no　one　to　read　the　proofs
and　was　at　the　mercy　of　this　negro；　who　was　not　in　sympathy　with　my
cause；　but　to　the　reverse。　I　was　often　humiliated　at　the　way　my　articles
were　tortured。　I　afterwards　got　The　Kansas　Farmer　to　publish　the　paper
and　I　then　bought　a　press　of　my　own；　but　found　that　I　could　not　conduct
a　paper　and　lecture；　so　after　the　13th　edition；　I　closed。　The　paper
accomplished　；　this　much；　that　the　public　could　see　by　my　editorials　that
I　was　not　insane。


THE　SECOND　TIME　IN　JAIL　AT　WICHITA。

I　was　in　a　meeting　of　the　W。　C。　T。　U。　in　Wichita；　of　which　Mrs。
Summers　was　president。　I　wanted　to　have　these　women　go　with　me　and
destroy　the　places　there　that　were　murdering　their　sons。　Many　present
were　in　favor　of　it；　but　Mrs。　Summers　was　bitterly　opposed。　Three
went　out　in　the　hall　with　me；　Mrs。　Lucy　Wilhoit；　Miss　Muntz　and　Mrs。
Julia　Evans。　The　husband　of　the　latter　was　a　great　drunkard；　otherwise
a　capable　physician。　Those　three　women　said　they　would　go　with　me。
We　went　to　Mrs。　Evans'　home　and　then；　for　the　first　time；　I　took　a　hatchet
and　Mrs。　Evans　a　piece　of　iron。　We　marched　down　to　the　first　place；
kept　by　John　Burns。　We　walked　in　and　began　to　smash　right　and　left。
With　my　hatchet　I　smashed　in　the　large　plate　glass　windows　and　also
the　door。　Sister　Evans　and　I　then　attacked　the　show　case；　went　behind
the　bar　and　I　smashed　everything　in　sight。　The　bartender　came　running
up　to　me　with　his　hands　up；　〃Don't　come　near　my　hatchet；　it　might　fall
on　you　and　I　will　not　be　responsible　for　the　results。〃

After　we　were　through　for　no　one　resisted　us；　Mr。　Burns　was　asked。
〃Why　did　you　not　knock　that　woman　down？〃　he　replied；　〃God　forbid
that　I　should　strike　a　woman。〃　（〃a　man's　a　man　for　a'　that。〃）

I　did　not　see　what　the　other　two　women　were　doing；　but　heard　Sister
Wilhoit　talking　to　the　crowd　and　telling　why　we　had　done　this。

We　were　put　in　one　cell；　the　one　I　occupied　before　and　were　given
a　cot　apiece。　This　was　one　of　the　glorious　heavenly　and　refreshing
times。　We　sang　hymns；　repeated　scripture；　would　often　laugh　and　cry
by　turns　for　joy　to　think　we　were　worthy　to　suffer　for　His　sake。　〃The
table　was　prepared　before　us　in　the　presence　of　our　enemies；　our　cup
runneth　over。〃　This　happy　condition　was　not　what　our　persecutors
wished；　and　Mrs。　Simmons　and　her　husband；　whom　we　called　〃Jezebel〃
and　〃Ahab；〃　were　determined　to　separate　us。　Mrs。　Simmons　was　telling
that　I　used　obscene　language　to　her　husband。

｛illust。　caption　=
THIS　PICTURE　TAKEN　BY　A　MAN　WHO　CALLED　FOR　THE　PURPOSE；　TO　SEE　ME　IN
TOPEKA　JAIL。　I　NEVER　WANT　A　PICTURE　TAKEN　OF　ME　WITHOUT　MY　BIBLE；　MY
CONSTANT　AND　HEAVENLY　COMPANION。｝


These　two　were　very　much　interested　in　having　me　adjudged　insane；
for　Mr。　Simmons　had　in　several　ways　laid　himself　liable　to　criminal
prosecution；　especially　in　the　matter　of　the　quarantine。　Mrs。　Simmons
came　to　our　cell　door；　and　in　the　presence　of　Sister　Wilhoit；　to　whom　she
had　told　that　I　used　〃obscene　language；〃　I　asked　her　if　she　said　this？
She　had　to　acknowledge　that　she　did。　I　told　her　she　spoke　a　〃lie；〃　for
I　had　never　done　such　a　thing。　She　sent　her　husband　and　son　up　to　the
cell　and　they　dragged　me　into　the　rotary　and　put　me　in　one　of　those　little
triangular　cells；　which　was　indeed　a　place　of　filth。　The　faucet　leaked；
and　kept　a　continual　spatter；　which　made　the　foot　of　my　cot　damp。　I
stayed　there　five　days　and　while　it　was　not　as　bad　as　Jeremiah's　dungeon；
it　was　similar。　The　dampness　and　poison　of　this　cell　added　to　the　already
deep　cold　on　my　lungs。　Dear　Bro。　Schollenberger！　Who　has　not　heard
of　this　great　hearted　man　of　Wichita？　He　brought　us　little　treats　and
in　many　ways　relieved　us　of　our　afflictions　and　bonds。　I　was　not　allowed
to　be　with　my　lovely　sisters　again　in　prison　they　would　write　notes　and
send　them　by　a　〃trusty；〃　for　they　were　very　uneasy　about　me；　fearing
foul　play。

As　soon　as　the　sisters　could　get　bonds；　they　got　out；　but　I　was　not
allowed　to　give　bond。　I　was　not　a　meek　prisoner；　did　not　act　like　a
criminal。　This　vexed　my　prosecutors　and　they　tried　to　humble　me；　but
I　felt　that　I　was　right　and　that　God　would　stand　by　me　and　I　wanted
Him　to　look　down　and　always　find　me　brave　and　true　and　in　nothing
to　be　terrified　by　my　adversaries。

I　had　some　money　sent　me　while　in　jail　and　this　I　divided；　often　to
the　last；　with　my　fellow　prisoners。　To　one　I　gave　four　dollars；　for　his
poor　wife　was　soon　to　be　confined。　To　the　〃trusty〃　John；　I　gave　three
dollars　for　his　destitute　wife；　and　often　bought　little　treats；　such　as
fruits　and　butter。　The　meals　were　meat　and　beans　one　day；　then　potatoes
and　meat　all　cooked　tip　into　a　mush。　I　became　very　much　attached　to
my　fellow　prisoners　and　I　found　some　with　noble　sentiments。　What
do　people　do　who　have　no　hope　of　heaven；　I　often　ask。　What　a　joy　to
have　a　place　in　view　where　there　is　no　sickness；　no　death；　no　jails；　no
suffering　of　any　kind。


THE　THIRD　TIME　IN　TOPEKA　JAIL。

I　had　become　so　disgusted　with　jail　food　that　my　stomach　refused
it。　As　soon　as　I　was　put　in　jail　I　told　Mr。　Cook　to　send　the　milkman
to　my　cell。　He　came　and　was　very　kind。　He　agreed　to　bring　me　some
bread　and　milk；　ten　cents　worth　a　day。　This　I　lived　on　for　the　eighteen
days。　In　the　cell　with　me　was　a　woman　named　Mrs。　Mahanna；　who　was
put　in　for　selling　beer。　She　did　not　happen　to　have　a　government　license。
Poor　creature！　She　bad　been　the　mother　of　fifteen　children；　had　a
broken　hip　caused　by　a　kick　of　a　drunken　husband。　She　was　very　ignorant
but　kind…hearted。　The　heat　was　intense　and　we　were　next　to　the
roof。　Sometimes　I　would　feel　like　I　was　suffocated。　The　windows
slanted　so　that　but　little　draught　came　in。　One　pane　of　glass　was　partly
out　and　we　would　sit　by　that　to　get　a　breath　of　air。　While　in　this　jail
I　had　many　offers　from　different　theatrical；　circus；　and　museum　managers；
who　tried　to　tempt　me　with　all　kinds　of　prices；　one　as　high　as　800
a　week；　and　a　palace　car　and　a　maid。　I　never　for　one　moment　thought
of　taking　any　of　them　until　two　managers　came　from　New　York　City。
The　sheriff；　Mr。　Cook；　brought　their　cards　up。　I　said：　〃Tell　them　to
wait　until　morning。〃　I　prayed　over　the　matter　nearly　all　night　and　before
day　all　seemed　settled。　（This　was　a　test　to　try　my　faith。）　The　cloud
was　lifted　and　I　told　Mr。　Cook　to　tell　the　men　that　a　〃million　a　minute
would　not　catch　me。〃　My　dear　friends　especially　Mrs。　Goodwin；　Dr。
Eva　Harding　and　others　used　their　influence　to　have　Stanley；　the　governor
pardon　me；　this　he　refused　to　do；　the　joint…keepers　were　those　he
favored　more　than　me。

I　had　never　thought