the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第4章

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several　sisters；　some　of　them　died　young。

Mark　Antony；　in　his　memorial　address　over　the　body　of　Caesar；　said
that　Brutus　was　Caesar's　angel。　If　I　ever　had　an　angel　on　earth；　it　was　my
father。　I　have　met　many　men　who　had　lovable　characters；　but　none
equaled　him　in　my　estimation。　He　was　not　a　saint；　but　a　manone　of
the　noblest　works　of　God。　He　was　impetuous；　quick；　impatient；　but　never
nervous；　could　collect　himself　in　a　moment　and　was　always　master　of
the　situation。　I　have　seen　him　in　many　trying　places　but　never　remember
to　have　seen　him　in　a　condition　of　being　afraid。　When　he　lived
in　Cass　County；　Mo。；　during　the　war；　we　saw　Quantrell's　men　coming
up　to　the　house。　These　men　were　dressed　in　slouch　hats；　gray　suits；
and　had　their　guns　and　haversacks　roped　to　their　saddles。　My　father
was　a　union　man；　but　a　southern　sympathizer。　He　cried　like　a　child
when　he　heard　the　south　had　seceded　and　taken　another　flag。　He　did
not　know　to　what　extent　he　was　disliked　by　this　gang　of　bushwhackers；
and　we　were　very　much　alarmed；　fully　expected　some　harm　was　meant。
Men　on　both　sides　were　frequently　taken　out　and　shot　down。　When
the　Bushwhackers　would　kill　a　union　man　then　the　Jayhawkers　would
kill　〃a　secesh。〃

My　father　said　to　us：　〃You　stay　in　the　house　and　keep　quiet。　I　will
meet　them。〃　I　watched　him　through　a　window。　He　was　tall　and　straight
as　an　Indian。　He　walked　up　to　them；　taking　off　his　hat　and　called　〃Good
morning〃　to　them　in　a　friendly　tone。　Asked　them　to　get　off　their　horses；
for　he　had　a　treat　for　them。　In　the　corner　of　the　yard　was　the　carriage
house　and　under　that　was　a　rock　spring　house；　through　which　a
living　stream　of　water　ran　around　the　pans　of　milk。　He　took　them　to
the　door；　gave　them　seats；　then　went　in　this　milkhouse　and　brought　out
a　jar　of　buttermilk。　I　have　heard　it　said　that　buttermilk　is　one　of　the
greatest　treats　to　a　soldier。　He　talked　with　these　men　as　if　they　had
been　friends；　brought　out　fruit；　loaded　them　with　bread；　butter　and　milk；
and　they　left　without　even　taking　a　horse　from　us。　I　fully　believe　it
was　their　intention　to　do　some　harm；　but　by　the　tact　of　my　father　they
were　disarmed。　〃A　soft　answer　turneth　away　wrath；　but　grievous　words
stir　up　strife。〃　He　was　a　thorough　business　man；　but　his　social　qualities
exceeded　all　others。　He　often　had　to　pay　security　debts；　one　for
Mr。　Key；　his　brother…in…law；　of　five　thousand　dollars。　Just　before　the
election　of　Lincoln；　he　took　a　large　drove　of　mules　to　Natchez；　Miss。；
twenty…two　of　these　mules　were　of　his　own　raising。　While　there　Lincoln
was　elected；　which　threw　the　south　into　war。　He　sold　the　mules
on　time　and　never　got　a　dollar　for　them。　To　the　honor　of　my　father
be　it　said；　he　gave　up　all　his　property　to　pay　his　debts；　never　withholding；
where　he　could　have　done　so。　A　short　while　before　he　died　there　was
one　debt　of　a　few　hundred　dollars　he　could　not　pay。　He　wept　and　told
me　of　this。　A　year　ago　I　settled　up　with　Mr。　Wills'　heirs　and　paid
this　debt　to　his　children；　who　live　near　Peculiar　in　Cass　county；　Mo。
It　would　be　such　d　joy　to　my　father　to　know　that　I　did　this　to　save　his
honor。　When　I　see　him；　in　our　heavenly　home；　he　will　bless　me　for　this。
〃Love　knows　no　sacrifice。〃

I　can　not　call　to　mind　when　the　thought　of　self；　governed　any　of　my
father's　actions。　It　was　his　delight　to　provide　for　the　comfort　of　others。
Devoted　to　his　family　and　friends；　and　such　a　friend　to　the　poor；　I　have
heard　my　mother　say　that　he　made　every　one　rich　who　worked　for　him。
When　I　first　remember　him　he　was　a　〃Trader〃　and　left　his　farm　to　an
overseer。　My　father　drove　hogs　to　Cincinnati　before　there　were　any
railways。　I　was　always　at　his　heels；　when　I　could　be。　He　was　standing
on　the　stile　one　day　giving　directions　to　have　a　drove　of　hogs　meet
him　at　a　certain　place　on　Sunday。　I　said：　〃Pa；　you　will　lose　on　those
hogs。　You　ought　not　to　do　that　on　Sunday。〃　He　gave　me　a　quick；
light；　playful　slap；　saying：　〃Stop　that；　every　time　you　say　that；　I　do
lose。〃

I　can　see　that　a　responsibility　to　God　was　the　fundamental　principle
in　my　father's　life。　After　the　negroes　were　freed；　and　we　lived　on
the　farm；　there　was　so　much　to　do；　especially　for　him；　but　there　was
always　a　conveyance　prepared　to　take　his　family　to　church　and　Sunday
SchoolI　took　the　〃New　York　Ledger。　Mrs。　Southworth　wrote　for　it
then。　'Capitola'；　The　Wrecker's　Son；　with　other　thrilling　stories；　were
so　fascinating　to　meThe　paper　came　late　Saturday　and　I　would　rather
read　it　Sunday　morning　than　go　anywhere。　One　morning　I　took　my
paper　and　went　to　the　back　of　the　orchard；　thinking　to　get　out　of　the
sound　of　my　father's　voice　when　he　would　call　me　to　get　ready　for
church。　I　could　just　hear　him　but　did　not　move。　After　reading　my
paper；　I　returned　to　the　house；　Pa　was　just　coming　back　with　the　rest
of　the　family　from　church。　He　looked　at　me　with　grief　and　anger　in
his　glance　and　said；　〃Never　mind；　you　ungrateful　girl；　you　cannot　say
at　the　judgment　Day；　that　your　father　did　not　provide　a　way　for　you
to　go　to　church。〃　I　never　did　this　again　and　never　was　free　from　remorse
for　this　ingratitude。　I　know　how　Dr。　Johnson　felt　when　he　was
seen　standing　on　a　corner　of　the　street　with　the　sun　beaming　down
upon　his　bare　head；　when　asked　why　he　did　that　he　said；　〃My　father
had　a　book　stand　on　this　corner；　when　I　was　a　boy　once　he　asked　me　to
stand　here　in　his　place　as　he　was　sick。　I　would　not；　now　I　would　expiate
that　by　blistering　my　bare　head　in　the　sun　if　I　could。　To　this　day
I　weep　to　think　of　grieving　so　noble　a　parent。

My　mother　was　a　very　handsome　woman。　My　father　was　what　you
might　call　good　looking。　I　was　very　anxious　to　look　like　him；　used　to
try　to　wear　off　my　teeth　on　the　right　side；　because　his　were　worn　off。
About　two　years　before　he　died；　he　came　to　Texas　to　visit　me。　I　was
then　in　the　hotel　business。　During　the　first　meal　he　ate　at　the　hotel；
he　looked　up　and　seeing　me　waiting　on　the　table；　he　got　up　and　began
waiting　on　the　table　himself。　I　had　to　work　very　hard　then　and　it　was
a　grief　to　him　to　have　no　means　to　give　me。　One　morning　he　came　into
my　room　while　I　was　dressing　and　said：　〃Daughter；　I　have　not　slept
all　night　for　thinking　of　you。　The　last　thing　last　night　was　you　in　the
kitchen　and　the　first　thing　this　morning。　I　have　always　hoped　to　have
something　to　leave　you；　and　it　is　such　a　grief　to　me　that　I　can　not　help
you。　Carry；　it　seems　the　Lord　has　been　so　hard　on　you。〃　I　said：
〃No；　Pa；　I　thank　God　for　all　my　sorrows。　They　have　been　the　best　for
me；　and　don't　you　worry　about　not　leaving　me　money；　for　you　have　left
me　something　far　better。〃　He　looked　up　surprised　and　said：　〃What　is
it？〃　I　answered：　〃The　memory　of　a　father　who　never　did　a　dishonorable
act。〃　My　father's　eyes　filled　with　tears；　and　after　that　he　seemed　to
be　happier　than　I　had　ever　seen　him；　everything　seemed　to　go　right。

My　father　was　a　very　indulgent　master　to　his　colored　servants；　who
loved　him　like　a　father。　They　always　called　him　〃Mars　George。〃　The
negro　women　would　threaten　to　get　〃Mars　George〃　to　whip　their　bad
children；　and　when　he　whipped　them；　I　have　heard　them　say：　〃Served
you　right。　Did　not　give　you　a　lick　amiss。〃　This　was　proving　their
great　confidence；　they　being　willing　for　some　one　else　to　whip　their
children。　They　were　very　sensitive　in　this　matter　and　were　not　willing
for　my　mother　to　do　this。　My　father　would　lay　in　a　supply；　while　in
Cincinnati；　of　boxes　of　boots　and　shoes；　arid　get　combs；　head　handkerchiefs；
and　Sunday　dresses；　which　would　greatly　delight　his　colored　people。
Happy；　indeed；　would　the　negroes　have　been　if　all　their　masters
had　been　as　my　father　was。

When　we　moved　to　Mercer　County　from　Garrard；　we　had　a　sale。
It　was　customary　then　at　such　a　time　to　have　a　barbecue　and　a　great
dinner。　The　tables　were　set　in　the　yard。　I　remember　Mr。　Jones　Adams；
a　neighbor　and　great　friend　of　my　father；　brought　over　a　two　bushel　sack　of
turnip　greens　and　a　ham。　I　remember　seeing　him　shake　them　out　of　the
bag。　At　this　sale　for　the　first；　and　only　time；　I　saw　a　negro　put　on　a
block　and　sold　to　the　highest　bidder。　I　can't　understand　how　my　father
could　have　allowed　this。　His　name　was　〃Big　Bill；〃　to　distinguish　him
from　anothe