the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第5章

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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　another　〃Bill〃。　He　was　a　widower　or　a　batchelor　and　had　no
family。　There　was　one　colored　man　my　father　valued　highly；　and
wanted　to　take　with　him；　but　this　man；　Tom；　had　a　wife；　who　belonged
to　a　near　neighbor。　After　we　got　in　the　carriage　to　go　to　our　new　home；
Tom　followed　us　crying：　〃Oh；　Mars　George；　don't　take　me　from　my
wife。〃　My　father　said：　〃Go　and　get　some　one　to　buy　you。〃　This　Tom
did；　the　buyer　being　a　Mr。　Dunn。　Oh！　What　a　sad　sight！　It　makes　the
tears　fill　my　eyes　to　write　it。

But　a　worse　slavery　is　now　on　us。　I　would　rather　have　my　son　sold
to　a　slave…driver　than　to　be　a　victim　of　a　saloon。　I　could；　in　the　first　case；
hope　to　see　him　in　heaven；　but　no　drunkard　can　inherit　eternal　life。　The
people　of　the　south　said　no　power　could　take　from　them　their　slaves；　but
'tis　a　thing　of　the　past。　People　now　say；　you　can't　shut　up　saloons。　But
our　children　will　know　them　as　a　thing　of　the　past。　My　father　was　glad
when　the　slaves　were　free。　He　felt　the　responsibility　of　owning　them。
Have　heard　him　say；　after　having　some…trouble　with　them：　〃Those
negroes　will　send　me　to　hell　yet。〃　He　would　gather　them　in　the　dining…
room　Sunday　evenings　and　read　the　Bible　to　them　and　have　prayer。　He
would　first　call　aunt　Liza　and　ask　her　to　have　them　come　in。　The　negroes
would　sing；　and　it　is　a　sweet　memory　to　me。

｛illust。　caption　=
THIS　IS　A　PICTURE　OF　MYSELF　AND　SISTER　EDNA；　SITTING　ON　EACH　SIDE　OF　OUR
MOTHER。I　AM　ON　THE　LEFT　AND　WAS　ABOUT　SIX　YEARS　OLD。｝



CHAPTER　II。

MY　EXPERIENCE　WITH　THE　NEGROES　AS　SLAVES。THEIR　SUPERSTITIONS。
A　BEAUTIFUL　FAIRY　TALE。

The　colored　race；　as　I　knew　them；　were　generally　kind　to　the　white
children　of　their　masters。　Their　sympathy　was　great　in　childish　troubles。
They　were　our　nurses　around　our　sick　beds。　Their　lullabyes　soothed　us
to　sleep。　Very　frequently　my　nurse　would　hold　me　in　her　arms　until
both　of　us　would　fall　asleep；　but　she　would　still　hold　me　secure。　When
any　of　my　misdoings　came　to　the　ears　of　my　parents；　and　I　was　punished
their　testimony　would；　as　far　as　possible；　shield　me；　and　not　until　I　would
try　their　patience　out　of　all　bounds　would　they　tell　my　mother　on　me。　I
never　heard　an　infidel　negro　express　his　views；　even　if　very　wicked。
They　had　firm　belief　in　God　and　a　devil。　I　always　liked　their　meetings；
their　songs　and　shoutings。　They　always　told　me　that　no　one　could　help
shouting。　The　first　time　I　ever　heard　a　white　woman　shout　was　in　Northern
Texas；　during　the　war。　I　did　not　wish　the　spirit　to　cause　me　to
jump　up　and　clap　my　hands　that　way；　for　these　impulses　were　not　in　my
carnal　heart；　so；　for　fear　I　should　be　compelled　to　do　so；　I　held　my　dress
down　tight　to　the　seat　on　each　side；　to　prevent　such　action。　The　negroes
are　great　readers　of　character；　despise　stingy　people　or　those　who　were
afraid　of　them。　These　colored　friends　taught　me　the　fear　of　God。　The
first　time　I　ever　attended　church；　I　rode　behind　on　horseback；　and
sat　with　them　in　the　gallery。　I　imbibed　some　of　their　superstitions。
They　consider　it　bad　to　allow　a　sharp　tool；　as　a　spade；　hoe　or　ax；　to　be
taken　through　the　house；　to　throw　salt　in　the　fire；　for　you　would　have　to
pick　it　out　after　death。　They　would　kill　a　hen　if　she　crowed；　looked　for
a　death；　if　a　dog　howled；　or；　if　one　broke　a　looking…glass；　it　meant
trouble　of　some　kind　for　seven　years。　They　believed　that　persons　had
power　to　put　a　〃spell〃　on　others；　would；　if　taken　sick；　frequently　speak　of
having　〃stepped　on　something〃　put　in　their　way　or　buried　in　their　dooryard。

There　is　no　dialect　in　the　world　that　has　the　original　characteristics　so
pleasing　to　the　ear　as　the　negro。　There　is　a　softness　and　music　in　the
voice　of　a　negro　not　to　be　found　in　any　other　race　on　earth。　No　one　can
sing　a　child　to　sleep　so　soothingly　as　a　negro　nurse。　After　I　left　Texas
and　went　to　Medicine　Lodge；　Kansas；　when　I　had　a　headache　or　was
otherwise　sick；　I　would　wish　for　the　attendance　around　my　bed　of　one　of
the　old…fashioned　colored　women；　who　would　rub　me　with　their　rough
plump　hands　and　call　me　〃Honey　Chile；〃　would　bathe　my　feet　and　tuck
the　cover　around　me　and　sit　by　me；　holding　my　hand；　waiting　until　I
fell　asleep。　I　owe　much　to　the　colored　people　and　never　want　to　live
where　there　are　none　of　the　negro　race。　I　would　feel　lonesome　without
them。　After　I　came　to　Medicine　Lodge；　I　did　not　see　any　for　some
time。　One　day；　while　looking　out；　I　saw　one　walking　up　the　street
toward　the　house。　I　ran　to　the　kitchen；　cut　an　apple　pie；　and　ran　out
and　said：　〃Here；　Uncle；　is　a　piece　of　pie。〃　He　was　gray…headed；　one　of
the　old　slaves。　He　seemed　so　glad　to　see　my　friendly　face　and　took　the
pie　with　a　happy　courtesy。　I　watched　for　his　return；　as　he　came　in　on
the　train；　and　was　going　out。　At　last　he　came。　I　asked　him　in　the
kitchen；　fixed　a　meal　for　him；　and　waited　on　him　myself。　Before　eating；
he　folded　his　hands；　closed　his　eyes；　with　his　face　toward　heaven；　thanked
God　for　the　meal；　as　I　had　often　seen　them　do　in　slave　time。　As　a
race；　the　negroes　have　not　the　characteristics　of　treachery。　They　are
faithful　and　grateful。

In　my　hotel　experience；　I　would　often　ask　Fannie；　my　cook：　〃What
kind　of　a　man　is　that？〃　Fannie　would　say：　〃Don't　trust　him　too　far
Mrs。　Nation；　he　steps　too　light。〃　When　a　child　my　playmates　were　a
lot　of　colored　children。　Betsy　came　to　the　table　with　the　children　and
ate　with　us。　But　the　sweetest　food　was　that　left　in　the　skillets；　both
black　and　white　children　would　go　around　the　house；　sit　down　and　〃sop〃
the　gravy　with　the　biscuits　the　cooks　would　give　us。　I　was　fond　of
hearing　ghost　stories　and　would；　without　the　knowledge　of　my　mother；
stay　in　the　cabin　late　at　night　listening　to　the　men　and　women　telling
their　〃experiences。〃　The　men　would　be　making　ax　handles　and　beating
the　husk　off　of　the　corn　in　a　large　wooden　hopper　with　a　maul。　The
women　would　be　spinning　with　the　little　wheel；　sewing；　knitting　and
combing　their　children's　heads。　I　would　listen　until　my　teeth　would
chatter　with　fright；　and　would　shiver　more　and　more；　as　they　would　tell
of　the　sights　in　grave…yards；　and　the　spirits　of　tyrannical　masters；　walking
at　night；　with　their　chains　clanking　and　the；　sights　of　hell；　where
some　would　be　on　gridirons；　some　hung　up　to　baste　and　the
devil　with　his　pitchfork　would　toss　the　poor　creatures　hither
and　thither。　They　would　say：　〃Carry；　you　must　go　to　the　house；〃
and　I　would　not　go　with　one；　but　have　two；　one　on　each　side　of　me。　I
remember　seeing　the　negro　men　laugh　at　me；　but　the　women　would　shake
their　heads　and　say：　〃You　better　quit　skeering　that　chile。〃　But　there
was　one　pleasure　above　all　the　rest；　it　was　to　hear　any　one　tell　〃tales。〃
When　my　mother　would　have　a　visitor；　very　frequently　the　lady　would
bring　a　nurse　to　care　for　one　child　or　children；　she　might　bring　with　her。
Oh；　how　pleased　the　black　and　white　children　would　be　to　see　such　visitors。
We　would　gather　around　and　in　every　way　made　our　pleasure
known。　Would　give　them　doll…rags；　nuts；　or　apples；　and　in　many　ways
express　our　delight　at　having　them　come。　As　soon　as　they　were　made
comfortable；　the　next　thing　was：　〃Tell　us　a　tale。〃　And　seating　ourselves
around　on　the　floor；　or　in　a　close　group；　we　would　be　all　attention。
Of　course　there　would　be　some　raw　heads　and　bloody　bones；　but　not　so
much　as　the　stories　told　at　night　in　the　cabins。

One　of　the　prettiest　stories　I　ever　heard；　and　never　tired　of　hearing；
that　taught　me　a　great　moral；　was　about　two　girls　the　children　of　a
couple　who　were　hard　working　people。　One　of　the　girls　was　named
Sarah；　the　other　Mary。　Sarah　was　a　very　pretty　girl　with　curls。　Mary
was　rather　ugly　and　had　straight　hair。　Curls　in　my　childhood　days　were
something　very　much　sought　for。　Although　Sarah　was　pretty　in　the　face
she　had　very　rude　ways；　she　would　not　speak　kindly　and　politely；　would
not　help　her　hard　working　mother；　but　was　idle　and　quarrelsome；　always
wanted　some　one　to　wait　on　her；　while　Mary　was　the　reverse；　would　pick
up　chips　to　make　a　fire；　would　sweep　the　yard　and　bring　water；　and　was
kind　to　all；　especially　to