the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第33章

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there　with　me；　I　would　pay　his　board　and　room　rent；　which　I　did。　He
came　to　Topeka　and　the　first　thing　that　he　took　offense　at　was　my　objecting
to　his　opening　my　mail；　for　when　he　did　I　never　saw　a　dollar　sent
for　a　subscription　and　sometimes　would　find　parts　of　letters　destroyed。

On　the　day　of　the　trial；　Mr。　Nation　could　not　produce　a　witness　to
prove　I　was　other　than　kind；　except　the　affidavit　of　a　man　who　could
neither　read　nor　write。　Mr。　Nation　wrote　out　what　he　wanted　this　man
to　swear　to；　and　the　man　signed　it；　for　he　could　just　write　his　name。
This　man　was　in　Oklahoma　at　the　time；　My　neighbors　came　of　their
own　accord　and　testified　to　my　having　done　my　cooking　and　housework；
frequently　cooking　meals　and　taking　them　to　Mr。　Nation；　who　was　still
in　bed。　Judge　Gillette；　the　same　man　who　was　on　the　bench　in　my
slander　suit　presided。　Mr。　Nation　did　not　get　his　divorce　because　of　my
〃extreme　cruelty；〃　but　because　I　testified　that　I　could　not；　nor　would
never　live　with　him　as　a　wife。　I　could　not。　I　was　very　much　grieved　to
bear　this　reproach；　of　a　divorced　wife。　I　made　my　home　during　the　trial
with　my　dear　friend；　Mrs。　Judge　Howe；　who　is　still　living；　and　she　knows
how　bitter　this　was　to　me。

The　home　was　given　me；　and　the　divorce　and　a　small　piece　of　property
in　Medicine　Lodge　to　Mr。　Nation。　I　shortly　after　sold　this　home　for
800。　It　was　part　of　the　payment　for　〃Home　for　Drunkards'　Wives〃　in
Kansas　City。　It　was　as　I　expected；　a　means　used　by　my　enemies　to　hinder
me　in　my　work。　I　was　blamed　for　the　divorce。　It　was　said；　〃I　broke　up
a　home。〃　That　if　I　was　in　a　good　work　I　would　not　do　these　things。
And　while　delivering　my　lectures；　it　was　often　called　out；　〃Why　don't
you　go　back　to　your　husband？　No　wonder　he　got　a　divorce　from
you；〃　and　all　such　sayings。　But　I　learned　to　expect　and　was　prepared　for
such　treatment。

We　hear；　〃A　woman's　place　is　at　home。〃　That　is　true；　but　what　and
where　is　home。　Not　the　walls　of　a　house。　Not　furniture；　food　or　clothes。
Home　is　where　the　heart　is；　where　our　loved　ones　are。　If　my　son　is
in　a　drinking　place；　my　place　is　there。　If　my　daughter；　or　the　daughter
of　any　one　else；　my　family　or　any　other　family　is　in　trouble；　my　place
is　there。　That　woman　would　be　selfish　or　cowardly　who　would　refuse
to　leave　her　home　to　relieve　suffering　or　trouble。　Jesus　said；　〃Go　out
into　the　highways　and　hedges。〃　He　said　this　to　women；　as　well　as　men。
If　the　women　of　Galilee　had　not　left　their　homes　they　would　not　have
followed　Jesus。　If　Phoebe　had　not　left　her　home；　she　would　not　have
gone　on　the　business　of　the　church　to　Jerusalem。　We　would　have　no
woman　missionariesWomen　now；　are　forced　to　go　out　to　save　the
homes。

D。　L。　Moody　once　said；　and　which　I　hardly　understood　at　the　time：
〃When　a　wife　knew　that　the　man　that　should　be　her　husband　was　unfaithful
and　corrupt；　she　was　as　bad　as　he　if　she　lived　with　him。〃　I　have　thought
much　of　the　meaning　of　husband。　He　is　one　who　is　a　man　who　provides
and　cares　for　his　family；　as　much　as　it　is　in　his　power　to　do；　but　when
he　refuses　and　will　not　do　this；　he　breaks　his　marriage　vow　and　becomes
his　wife's　enemy。　A　husband　is　not　an　enemy。　This　will　place　many
women　in　the　roll　of　living　with　men　who　are　not　their　husbands；　and
this　is　so。　I　do　not　favor　divorce；　but　it　is　better　to　separate；　than　bring
up　children　of　drunkards　or　licentious　fathers。　There　is　nothing　which
is　making　so　much　enmity　between　the　sexes　as　intoxicating　drink。　This
is　the　cause　of　so　many　divorces。　Men　who　go　into　saloons　generally
visit　houses　of　prostitution。　The　women　they　meet　there　have　been
deceived　and　lost　their　self　respect；　become　discouraged　because　men　have
made　them　their　victims　through　treachery　and　in　turn　these　women
revenge　themselves　by　taking　all　means　to　drag　these　men　down。　Prostitutes
do　not　like　men；　they　often　hate　them。　The　man　who　goes　there
generally　loses　respect　for　the　virtues　of　women；　and　from　associating
with　bad　women　they　judge　other　women　to　be　vile。　These　men　hate
the　very　women　they　go　to　see。　Married　men　who　drink　are　bad　husbands；
for　they　deceive　their　wives；　who　soon　find　it　out；　and　the　husbands
and　wives　cannot　be　happy。　A　woman　leaves　all　others　for　one
man　and　she　wishes　his　society。　In　the　evening　the　clubs　and　drinking
places　take　up　men's　time　when　their　families　should　have　it。　These
things　destroy　love　and　confidence　between　husbands　and　wives。　'Tis
not　all　men's　fault；　for　there　are　some　drinking　women。

A　man　came　to　me　just　before　I　went　on　the　stage　at　Newport；　and
said：　〃Carry　Nation；　step　aside　here；　I　must　speak　to　you。　I　am　in　so
much　trouble。　Give　me　some　advice。　My　wife　is　at　home　drunk；　she
is　that　way　most　of　the　time。　We　have　six　children　and　they　feel　disgraced。
What　can　I　do？　I　am　almost　wild。〃

I　asked：　〃Did　you　ever　drink　with　your　wife？〃

He　looked　confused。　I　said：　〃Women　do　not　usually　go　to　saloons
but　you　men　bring　it　home　and　use　it　on　the　table　and　women　are　just
as　apt　to　catch　the　disease　of　alcoholism　as　men。　This　may　be　the　way
your　wife　learned　to　be　a　drunkard。　Wives　have　been　nursing　their
drunken　husbands　for　years；　now　the　chickens　have　come　home　to　roost；
and　you　are　nursing　your　drunken　wives。〃

Poor　man！　He；　indeed；　seemed　distracted；　and　he　is　not　alone；
there　are　hundreds　of　cases。

I　met　a　lovely　creature　on　the　train；　who　had　been　married　a　few
months。　Her　husband　was　a　lumber　merchant　in　Chicago。　She　sat　by
me　and　told　me　her　sad　story。　She　had　been　a　poor　girl　and　dearly　loved
a　man　whose　mother　opposed　the　match　and　prevented　the　marriage。
The　young　lumber　merchant；　left　rich　by　the　death　of　his　father；　proposed
and　she　married　him。　In　a　month；　the　mother　of　the　man　she
loved　first；　died　and　the　obstacle　was　removed。　In　telling　me　this　story
I　smelled　liquor　on　her　breath。　She　would　say　a　few　sentences　and　then
say：　〃Oh；　Carry　Nation　I　am　so　miserable！　If　Charlie　would　only　be
true　to　me　I　would　not　grieve　for　the　man　I　love；　but　Charlie　drinks
and　he　goes　with　other　women；　and　leaves　me　alone。　He　gives　me　all　the
money　I　want。　I　have　everything　that　money　can　buy；　but；　Oh！　I
almost　hate　these　things！　I　had　rather　have　a　hut　with　someone　to　love
me。〃　She　kept　talking　this　way　until　it　was　enough　to　break　my　heart。
She　said：　〃Charlie　will　be　in　from　the　smoking　car；　and　please　Mrs。
Nation　speak　to　him。　I　want　to　be　a　good　wife　and　I　will　do　all　I　can
to　make　him　a　good　man。　But　he　laughs　at　me　when　I　talk　to　him；　he
never　takes　me　in　earnest。　Go　speak　to　him。〃

So　I　did。　I　found　him　to　be　a　young　man　about　twenty…three；　with
the　marks　of　dissipation　on　his　face。　I　said：　〃I　have　something　to　say　to
you　privately。　You　have　a　beautiful　young　wife。　If　you　wish　to　make
her　happy　you　can　do　so。　There　is　one　thing　that　will　ruin　the　happiness
of　both。　That　is　intoxicating　drink。　Did　you　know　your　wife　is　under
the　influence　of　some　drug？　He　said：　〃Oh；　don't　say　a　word　to　her
about　that；　I　am　the　cause　of　it。　I　drink　and　have　persuaded　her　to；
because　she　has　a　right　to　do　what　I　do。〃

I　told　him　of　the　fatal　results　and　asked　him　to　quit　or　it　would　be
the　ruin　of　both。　Here　were　these　two　on　the　brink　of　ruin；　so　young；
so　attractive。　I　never　shall　forget　the　pathos　of　that　woman's　story。
The　yearning　of　that　heart　for　love。　Of　course　in　her　unhappiness　she
would　turn　to　the　benumbing　fascination　of　the　poisonous　drug。

On　every　hand　I　see　the　desolation　of　homes　and　hearts。　There　are
no　five　things　that　make　so　much　enmity　between　the　sexes　as　this　one
the　licensed　saloon。　The　home　life　is　destroyed。　Men　and　boys　are　taken
from　home　at　the　very　time　they　ought　to　be　there；　after　their　work　is
done。　Families　should　gather　in　the　evening　to　enjoy　each　other's　society。
It　is　said　that　Germans　are　the　cruelest　husbands　on　earth。　Their　beer
gardens　have　taken　the　place　of　firesides。　There　are　more　insane　and
suicides　in　Germany　than　any　nation　on　earth。　Alcoholism　is　a　disease。
Men　go　to　the　Keeley　cure　and　take　different　treatments　to　get　cured。
This　disease　is　killing　more　every　year　than　the　deadliest　epidemic；　and
still　not　one　of　the　senators　or　representatives　will　discuss　this。　Roosevel