the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第6章

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up　chips　to　make　a　fire；　would　sweep　the　yard　and　bring　water；　and　was
kind　to　all；　especially　to　her　mother。　One　day　the　well　went　dry　and
there　was　no　water　to　make　the　tea　for　supper。　Mary　saw　her　mother
crying　and　said：　〃Don't　cry；　mother；　I　will　go　and　get　some　at　the
Haunted　Spring。〃

Her　mother　said：　〃Oh；　no；　dear　sweet　child；　those　goblins　will　kill
you。〃

〃No；　mother；〃　replied　Mary。　〃I　will　beg　them　to　let　me　have　some
water　for　dear　father；　and　I　am　not　afraid。〃

So　her　mother　got　a　light　bucket　for　her；　and　went　to　the　top　of
the　hill　with　her；　and　said：　〃God　bless　you；　my　dear　child；　and　bring
you　back　to　me。〃

Then　Mary　went　on　until　she　came　to　the　high　iron　gate。　She　said：
〃Please　gate　open　and　let　me　through。　I　mind　my　father　and　mother
and　love　everybody。〃

And　the　gate　opened　and　she　passed　into　the　〃haunted〃　grounds
She　saw　a　funny；　little；　short　man　come　running　with　a　stick　and　said：
〃Please；　nice　man；　don't　hit　me。　I　have　come　down　to　get　some　good
water　to　make　tea　for　my　father's　supper。　He　has　been　working　all
day；　and　our　well　has　gone　dry。　May　I　please　have　some　of　your　spring
water？〃

〃Well；　little　girl；　as　you　talk　so　nice；　you　can　have　some。　Tell　the
little　folks　to　open　the　briars　for　you。〃

So　she　went　on　and　came　to　a　briar　patch　and　saw　down　at　the　roots
little　people；　not　much　longer　than　your　finger。　Mary　spoke　so　kindly　to
them；　said　she　would　be　so　glad　if　they　would　open　a　path　for　her　to
walk　in；　she　would　thank　them　so　much；　so　they　began　to　pull　the　briars
back　until　there　was　a　good　path。　Mary　thanked　them　and　went　on　until
she　came　to　the　spring　and　there　was　a　rabbit　jumping　up　and　down　in
it。　Mary　said：　〃Please　Mr。　Rabbit；　don't　muddy　the　water　for　I　would
like　to　get　a　bucket　of　nice　clean　water　to　take　home　to　make　tea　for
supper。〃　The　rabbit　ran　off　and　she　dipped　her　bucket　full　of　pure
water。

Then　she　looked　down　the　branch；　and　there　was　a　little　lamb　that　had
fallen　in　and　was　lying　down；　and　could　not　get　up。　The　lamb　said：
〃Little　girl；　please　pick　me　up　and　lay　me　on　the　grass　to　dry。〃　Mary
stepped　on　some　rocks　till　she　got　to　the　lamb　and　lifted　him　up　and
laid　him　on　the　bank　to　dry。　The　lamb　said：　〃When　you　go　home；　spit
in　your　mother's　hand。〃　Mary　thought　that　would　not　be　right；　but　she
said　nothing。　She　went　back　through　the　briar　patch　and　the　little　folks
held　them　from　scratching　her；　and　the　little　old　man　spoke　nicely　to　her
and　the　gate　opened　for　her。　Her　mother　was　watching　for　her　and　helped
her　home　with　the　water；　kissed　her；　and　prepared　them　a　good　supper。

While　they　were　sitting　at　the　table　Mary　said：　〃Mother；　the　little
lamb　told　me　to　do　something　I　do　not　like　to　do。〃

〃What　was　it？〃

〃He　told　me　spit　in　your　hand。〃

〃Well；　you　can　my　child；　come　on；〃　and　the　mother　held　out　her
hand　and　Mary　spat　in　it；　a　diamond　and　a　pearl。　This　made　the　family
happy　and　rich；　they　had　men　come　the　next　day　and　dig　a　new　well。

Now　Sarah　wished　to　try　her　fortune；　her　mother　did　not　want
her　to　go；　because　she　knew　what　a　bad　girl　she　was；　to　talk　saucy；　but
Sarah　said　she　would　do　as　well　as　Mary。　Her　sister　told　her　how　she
must　do；　she　got　angry　at　her；　and　said：　〃You　mind　your　own　business；
I　reckon　I　know　what　I　am　about。〃

So　she　took　her　bucket　and　went　on　until　she　came　to　the　gate；　she
gave　that　a　kick　and　said：　〃Open　gate！〃　and　the　gate　opened　and　slammed
on　her。　The　little　old　man　came　running　with　his　stick。　Sarah　said：
〃Don't　you　hit　me；　old　man；　I'll　tell　my　father。〃　And　the　old　man　beat
her　and　the　little　folks　pushed　up　the　briar　bushes　so　she　tore　her　clothes
and　scratched　herself　badly。　The　little　rabbit　was　in　the　spring　and　he
jumped　up　and　down　and　she　threw　at　him；　telling　him　she　would　knock
his　head　off；　but　the　rabbit　jumped　up　and　down　'till　the　spring　was　a
lob…lolly　of　mud；　so　she　had　to　take　muddy　water　in　her　bucket。　The
little　lamb　had　gotten　back　into　the　branch　and　said：　〃Please；　little
girl；　pick　me　up　and　put　me　on　the　bank　to　dry。〃

But　Sarah　said：　〃I　won't　do　it。〃

The　lamb　replied：　〃Spit　in　your　mother's　hand　when　you　go　home。〃

So　Sarah　had　to　go　through　the　briars；　that　scratched　her；　and　the　old
man　beat　her；　and　the　gate　slammed　on　her；　and　when　her　mother　met　her
she　was　a　〃sight。〃　Her　face　was　dirty；　her　dress　torn；　her　legs　and　arms　were
scratched　and　bleeding；　and　her　curly　hair　was　in　a　mass　of　tangles。　Her
mother　washed　the　dirt　off　and　scolded　her　for　being　so　naughty。　Mary
helped　to　wash　and　dress　her　for　supper。　Then　they　all　sat　down　to　eat；
and　every　one　was　happy　but　Sarah。

Sarah　said：　〃Mother；　the　lamb　told　me　to　spit　in　your　hand。〃

〃Very　well；　come　on；〃　answered　the　mother。　So　Sarah　spat　in　her
mother's　hand　and　out　jumped　a　lizard　and　a　frog。

A　child　ever　so　small　will　see　the　moral；　and　that；　I　never　forgot。　Of
course　the　pearls　and　the　diamonds　are　the　politeness　and　kindness；　which
is　so　beautiful　in　children；　and　the　lizard　and　the　frog　are　rudeness
and　impudence。　Very　often　the　nurse　would　say：　〃Look　here；　you　Sarah；
you。〃

I　remember　how　shocked　I　would　be　to　think　I　would　ever　be　like　that
naughty　Sarah。

A　positive　indication　of　a　corrupt　age　is　the　lack　of　respect　children
have　for　parents。　This　is　largely　owing　to　the　neglect　of　teachers。　I
am　heartily　thankful　I　was　taught　to　say　'Yes　Ma'am；　and　'No；　ma'am；'
'Yes；　Sir；　and　No；　Sir。'　Now　it　is'Yah！　Yes；　No；　What；　etc。　Nothing
is　a　greater　letter　of　credit　than　politeness　and　it　costs　nothing。　T'is　not
the　child's　fault　but　the　parents　and　teachers。

I　was；　when　a　child；　always　doing　something；　was　very　fond　of
climbing；　seemed　to　have　a　mania　for　it。　I　never　saw　a　tall　tree　that　I
did　not　try　to　climb；　or　wish　I　could。　I　used　to　run　bareheaded　over　the
fields　and　woods　with　the　other　children；　lifting　up　rocks　and　logs　to　look
at　the　bugs　and　worms。　When　we　found　a　dead　chicken；　bird；　rat　or
mouse；　we　would　have　a　funeral。　I　would　usually　be　the　preacher　and　we
would　kneel　down　and　while　one　prayed；　the　rest　would　look　through
their　fingers；　to　see　what　the　others　were　doing。　We　would　sing　and　clap
our　hands　and　shake　hands；　then　we　would　play：　〃Come　and　see。〃

I　never　had　but　one　doll；　bought　out　of　a　store；　it　was　given　to　me　by
Dr。　Jackson　for　taking　my　medicine；　when　I　was　sick。　We　made　rag
dolls　out　of　dresses。　My　delight　was　to　have　one　of　the　colored　women's
babies。　We　would　go　visiting　and　take　our　dolls；　and　would　tell　of　the
dreadful　times　we　had　and　of　how　mean　our　husbands　were　to　the　children；
sometimes　one　would　tell　of　how　good　instead。　And　then　we　would
catch　bees　in　the　althea　blooms。　One　of　the　delightful　pastimes　was　to
make　mud　cakes　and　put　them　on　boards　to　dry。　We　had　some　clay　that
we　could　mould　anything　out　ofall　kind　of　animals；　and；　indeed；　there
were　shapes　worked　out　by　little　fingers　never　seen　before。

The　race　question　is　a　serious　one。　The　kindly　feeling　between　black
and　white　is　giving　place　to　bitterness　with　the　rising　generations。　One
reason　of　this　seems　to　be　a　jealousy　of　the　whites　for　fear　the　negroes
will　presume　to　be　socially　equal　with　them。　The　negro　race　should
avoid　this；　should　not　desire　it；　it　would　be　of　no　real　value　to　them。
They　are　a　distinct　race　with　characteristics　which　they　need　not　wish
to　exchange。　When　a　negro　tries　to　imitate　white　folks；　he　is　a　mongrel。
I　will　say　to　my　colored　brothers　and　sisters　in　Christ　Jesus；　Never
depart　from　your　race　lines　and　bearings；　keep　true　to　your　nature；
your　simplicity；　and　happy　dispositionand　above　all　come　back　to　the
'Oldtime'　religion；　you　will　never　strand　on　that　rock。



CHAPTER　III。

MOVED　TO　WOODFORD　COUNTY；　KENTUCKY。ALSO　MOVED　TO　MISSOURI。SAVED
FROM　BEING　A　THIEF。MY　CONVERSIONGOING　SOUTH　AT　OPENING　OF
THE　CIVIL　WAR。AN　INCIDENT　OF　MY　GIRLHOOD　SCHOOL　DAYS。WHY　I
HAD　TO　BELIEVE　IN　REVELATION。SPIRITUALISM　OR　WITCHCRAFT。

In　1854；　we　moved　to　Woodford　County；　Kentucky；　and　bought　a　farm
from　Mr。　Hibler；　on　the　pike；　between　Midway　and　Versailles。　Mr。　Warren
Viley　was　our　nearest　neighbor。　My　father　was　one　of　the　trustees　in
building　the　Orphans'　Home　at　Midway。　Here　in　Midway　I　atte