the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第56章

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PRESIDENT　NATIONAL　ANTI…CIGARETTE　LEAGUE。


A　saloon　keeper；　G。　R。　Neighbors；　of　Elizabethtown；　Ky。；　struck　me
over　the　head　with　a　chair；　July　23；　1904。　In　going　up　to　the　hall　to　fill
an　engagement。　I　passed　this　man　and　walking　into　his　saloon；　said；　why
are　you　in　this　business；　drugging　and　robbing　the　people？　〃Hush！　You
get　out。〃　I　replied；　〃Yes　you　want　a　respectable　woman　to　get　out；　but
you　will　make　any　woman's　boy　a　disgrace；　you　ought　to　be　ashamed。〃
I　then　passed　out　going　to　the　hall。　After　the　lecture　I　passed　by　his
place　again。　He　was　sitting　in　a　chair　in　front　of　the　saloon；　and　I　said；
〃Are　you　the　man　that　runs　this　business　and　in　a　moment　with　an　oath
he　picked　up　the　chair　and　with　all　his　strength；　sent　it　down　with　a
crash　on　my　head。　I　came　near　falling；　caught　myself；　and　he　lifted　the
chair　the　second　time；　striking　me　over　the　back；　the　blood　began　to　cover
my　face；　and　run　down　from　a　cut　on　my　forehead。　I　cried　out；　〃He　has
killed　me；〃　An　officer　caught　the　chair　to　prevent　a　third　blow。

There　were　two　officers　in　the　crowd。　I　cried　out；　〃Is　there　no　one
to　arrest　this　man？〃　No　one　appeared　to　do　it。　He　went　back　in　his
saloon。　I　to　the　hotel。　Some　one　sent　for　a　doctor　who　came　and　dressed
the　wound　on　my　forehead；　my　left　arm　was　badly　bruised；　also　my
back。　Had　it　been　for　my　bonnet；　I　should　have　suffered　more。　This
outragous　act　roused　the　people。　The　women　and　men　came　to　see　me
indignant；　saying　this　outrage　would　not　be　tolerated。　The　Methodist
minister　especially　was　deeply　moved。　There　were　two　officers　who　saw
this　outrage；　but　there　was　no　arrest。

Next　morning；　Mrs。　Bettie　James；　came　in　two　miles　from　the　country；
and　had　a　warrant　sworn　out　against　Neighbors；　but　the　case　was　laid
over　to　await　the　action　of　the　〃Grand　jury；〃　in　November；　saloon　keepers
going　on　his　bond。

I　intended　to　go　to　Mammoth　Cave　but　remained　over　on　account　of
trial；　and　spoke　again　that　night。　Elizabethtown　is　one　of　those　bad　rum…
towns　in　Kentucky；　but　there　is　a　fine　prohibition　sentiment；　and　great
indignation　was　felt　and　expressed　that　a　saloon…keeper　even　so　low　and
cowardly　as　to　strike　a　woman；　should　be　tolerated。　I　was　in　bed　most
of　the　day　and　nearly　fainted　during　the　lecture；　but　I　thanked　God　that
I　was　counted　worthy　to　suffer；　that　others　might　not。　I　felt　some　mother
might　receive　fewer　blowsthat　while　my　head　was　bruised　and　bleeding
to　prevent　hearts　from　being　crushed　and　broken；　souls　were　going
to　drunkards　graves；　and　drunkards　Hells；　and　this　outrage　would　reveal
the　enormous　brutality　of　this　curse；　bringing　a　speedy　remedy。

In　the　Spring　of　1904；　I　was　in　the　office　of　Miss　Lucy　Page　Gaston；
the　National　President　of　the　Anti…Cigarette　League。　I　saw　on　the　walls
of　her　room　Mr。　Roosevelt's　picture。　I　said；　〃My　dear　Miss　Lucy；　why
do　you　have　that　picture　in　here？　Don't　you　know；　he　is　a　cigarette
smoker？〃　She　said；　she　did　not　know　it。　I　said；　〃let　me　tear　that　up。
Did　this　man　who　is　at　the　head　of　affairs　in　this　nation　ever　say　a　word
against　this　vice？　Although　he　is　sworn　to　protect　from　just　such。　This
brave；　good　woman；　whose　heart；　soul；　and　body　is　dedicated　to　saving
the　young　men　of　our　land　did　not　seem　to　recognize　the　fact　that　Democrats
and　Republicans　（so…called）　were　the　head　and　front　of　all　the
corruption　we　have。　At　last；　I　said；　〃If　you　will　write　to　Mr。　Roosevelt
and　get　his　statement　that　he　does　not；　nor　ever　did　smoke　cigarettes　I
will　give　You　50　for　your　work；　she　said　she　would。　She　wrote　to　the
President；　got　no　response　from　him；　but　Mr。　Loeb；　his　secretary　wrote
that　the　President；　did　not　nor　ever　had　used　tobacco　in　any　form。　She
sent　this　to　me；　of　course　I　was　not　to　be　caught　with　such　chaff。　I　wrote
her　so；　telling　her　of　the　time　when　Mr。　McKinley　wished　to　deny　the
fact；　that　he　rented　his　property　in　Canton；　Ohio；　for　saloon　purposes；　his
minister　denied　this；　but　the　'Chicago　Voice'　proved　that　he　did。　I　suppose
Mr。　Roosevelt　got　his　minister　to　write　what　he　dared　not。　I　wrote
her　that　old　birds　were　not　easily　fooled　with　chaff；　also　stating；　that　if
she　would　get　a　statement　that　Mr。　Roosevelt　was　not　a　beer　drinker；　I
would　give　her　another　50。00。　Of　course　she　could　not　do　this；　but　the
Republican　Press　published　all　over　the　country　that　Miss　Gaston　got　the
evidence　and　I　paid　the　50。00；　but　not　one　word　of　this　was　true。



CHAPTER　XXIV。

SISTER　LUCY　WILHOITE'S　VISION。WRITES　TO　ME　FOR　CO…OPERATION　IN　MAKING
RAID　ON　MAHAN'S　WHOLESALE　LIQUOR　HOUSE。HESITATE　ON　ACCOUNT
PRESSING　ENGAGEMENTS　AHEAD。ANSWER　THE　CALL。RAID　SET
FOR　29TH。W。　C。　T。　U。　CONVENTION　IN　SESSION。FOUR　SISTERS　AND　MYSELF
START　FROM　M。　E。　CHURCH。A　CALL　FOR　THE　POLICE　BEFORE　WE
COULD　EFFECT　AN　ENTRANCE。TAKEN　TO　JAIL　IN　HOODLUM　WAGON。
UNHEALTHY　CONDITION　OF　CELL。IN　JAIL　FROM　FRIDAY　TO　MONDAY。
GOOD　OLD　PENTECOSTAL　TIME　ON　SUNDAYCOUNTY　JAIL　MONDAYTRIAL
WEDNESDAYJAIL　SENTENCE　AND　FINESAPPEAL　TO　DISTRICT　COURT。

In　the　Fall　of　1904；　I　received　a　letter　from　Sister　Lucy　Wilhoite　of
Wichita；　telling　me　of　a　vision；　which　I　will　relate　here　in　her　own　words：
〃During　a　severe　illness；　last　July；　the　Lord　appeared　unto　me　and
revealed　many　wonderful　things　concerning　our　work　in　which　I　have　been
engaged　for　seven　years。　Temperance　and　Prohibition。

My　life　was　despaired　of　by　my　friends　and　I　knew　I　was　very　near
the　borderland；　and　as　I　lay　on　my　bed　of　suffering　in　the　still　hour　of
midnight；　God　showed　me　the　awful　desolation　which　our　thirty　eight
saloons　and　five　wholesale　houses　were　making　in　the　homes　of　Wichita
and　surrounding　country；　The　sight　so　overwhelmed　me；　I　cried　unto
the　Lord　and　said；　〃Oh　my　God！　Have　I　done　all　I　could　during　this　life
of　mine　to　dam　up　this　fearful　tide？　Then　I　said；　show　me　Lord；　what
this　means。　Immediately　a　great　cloud　of　human　souls　came　rolling　down
a　steep　decline　and　as　my　eyes　followed　them；　saw　them　rolling　on　and
on　until　they　finally　fell　into　a　pit　from　whence　fire　and　smoke　were
ascending。　Then　my　eyes　were　turned　again　up　the　ascent　from　whence
the　souls　were　coming。　When；　Lo！　I　saw　the　National　Capitol；　with　her
Senate　and　Congressmen。　I　saw　the　Legislative　Halls；　and　our　Educational
Institutions。　I　saw　our　churches　with　her　educated　ministry；　and
her　secret　societies；　our　public　libraries　and　reading　rooms；　our　National
State　and　Local　W。　C。　T　U's；　all　of　them　right　in　the　track　of　this　awful
tide　of　human　souls；　yet　they　still　rolled　on　and　on　until　they　reached　the
pit。　Then　I　cried　again　unto　the　Lord　and　said；　〃Oh；　Why　do　you　show
me　these　horrible　things；　when　I　am　on　the　brink　of　the　grave？　And
still　the　picture　or　vision　remained　before　me；　growing　more　and　more
vivid　every　moment　until　I　struggled　to　my　knees；　and　said；　'O　God；　if
I　can　do　anything　to　dam　up　this　fearful　tide；　just　heal　this　body；　and
let　the　healing　be　the　seal　that　I　can　do　something　to　help；　and　I　shall
do　it　if　it　costs　my　life。　Then　a　deep　calm　and　soul　rest　settled　over　me
and　I　sank　into　a　deep　sleep；　when　I　awoke　I　realized　the　pain　was　gone
and　also　the　fever。　I　lay　there；　looking　up　to　God　and　I　said；　〃Now；
Lord；　show　me　what　you　want　me　to　do。　Immediately；　like　a　great　scroll
reaching　across　the　sky；　these　words　appeared；　written　in　letters　of　gold。
〃Spill　it　out！〃　Then　he　showed　me　the　very　place　I　was　to　attack　Mahan's
Wholesale　Liquor　House。

〃For　many　weeks　I　pondered　upon　this　vision　and　prayed　about　it
most　earnestly；　that　I　might　not　be　mistaken　and　know　of　a　truth　that　it
was　God's　will。　I　never　found　any　soul　rest　until　I　wrote　to　Mrs。　Nation；
and　told　her　the　time　was　ripe　for　God　and　that　we　must　attack
Mahan's　Wholesale　Liquor　House；　that　was　helping　to　degrade　so　many
women　and　debase　so　many　men。　This　resulted　in　an　attempt　to　carry　out
God's　purpose　on　Sept。　30；　1904。

I　was　true　to　the　〃Heavenly　Vision；〃　which　is　only　the　beginning　of
the　fulfillment；　for　there　are　yet　many　things　to　be　spilled　out；　not　only
the　liquor；　but　also　the　hypocrites　in　the　church；　and　the　false　prophets
with　sin　of　every　kind；　and　our　lives　also。

The　Wichita　Eagle　Reporter；　uttered　a　profound　truth；　whether　he
int