the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第60章

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Mrs。　Nation　has　certainly　worked　hard　here　and　proven　herself　in
possession　of　wonderful　energy　and　capacity　for　work。　The　following　is
a　list　of　appointments　here　in　ten　days；　every　one　of　which　she　filled　and
not　once　could　she　fully　accommodate　the　crowd：　Friday　night；　October
21；　street　meeting　corner　Main　and　Fourth　streets；　afterwards　to　wedding
anniversary　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　E。　C。　Bennett；　where　many　congenial
spirits　were　present。　This　took　on　the　nature　of　an　entertainment　to　Mrs。
Nation。　Saturday　night；　October　22；　U。　B。　church；　Miamisburg；　Sunday；
October　23；　the　Dunkard　church；　Dayton；　Sunday；　October　23；　afternoon
at　Bellbrook；　O。；　mass　meeting　of　the　three　churches　at　town　hall；　Sunday
night；　October　23；　St。　Paul's　M。　E。；　Dayton；　Monday　night；　October
24；　Riverdale　U。　B。；　Tuesday　night；　First　United　Presbyterian；　Wednesday
night；　Trinity　M。　E。；　Thursday　afternoon；　Free　Methodist；　Thursday
night；　mass　meeting　of　colored　churches　at　McKinley　M。　E。；　Friday
afternoon；　2　o'clock；　U。　13。　seminary；　4　o'clock；　W。　C。　T。　U。　meeting；
Broadway　M：　E。；　Friday　night；　Second　United　Presbyterian；　and　balance
appointments　as　given　above。

The　committees　of　the　various　churches；　the　Citizens'　League　and
Prohibition　party　are　much　pleased　with　the　work　Mrs。　Nation　did　here
and　predict　great　results　from　it。Dayton　Daily。




CHAPTER　XXVII。

　　　　　（Sketch　by　WILL　CARLETON；　in　his　Magazine　EVERYWHERE。）

Some　years　ago；　the　American　publicalways　longing　for　〃something
new；〃　was　treated　to　an　absolutely　unique　sensation。　A　woman　armed
with　a　hatchet　had　gone　into　a　Kansas　liquor　saloon　and　smashed　up　its
appurtenances；　in　a　very　thorough　and　unconventional　manner。　After
this；　she　went　into　and　through　another；　and　another：　and　it　began　to　took
as　if　all　the　bibulous　paraphernalia　of　Kansas　were　about　to　be　sent　into
the　twilight。

When　the　smoke　had　somewhat　cleared　away；　and　time　elapsed　sufficient　to
garner　these　circumstances　into　authentic　news；　it　transpired　that
the　woman　who　had　done　this　was　Mrs。　Carry　A。　Nationutterly　obscure
and　unknown　until　that　week。

This　raid　among　decanters　was　a　very　singular　and　startling　act；　for
a　woman：　but；　somehow；　people　found　it　refreshing。　It　represented　precisely
what　many　had　imagined　in　their　minds；　what　thousands　of　women
had　wished　they　themselves　could　or　dared　do；　what　myraids　of　confirmed
drinkers；　even；　had　wished　might　be　done。　News　of　Mrs。　Nation's
swift　and　decided　action　went　all　over　the　country；　like　a　stiff；　healthy
gale。　She　was　sharply　criticisedbut　there　lurked　very　often　a　〃dry
grin〃　behind　the　criticism。　This　smashing　was　all　very　direct　and　unique
and　Americans　are　in　general　fond　of　directness　and　uniqueness。　It　was；
technically；　illegal；　but；　even　so；　it　was　remarked　that　the　saloons　which
Mrs。　Nation　wrecked；　were　themselves　in　brazen　defiance　of　the　laws　of
the　state　of　Kansasunenforced　on　account　of　the　fear　or　venality　of
public　officers。

The　work　of　this　determined　woman　went　on　with　a　thoroughness
and　promptness　that　made　it　ultra…interesting。　She　was　imprisoned　again
and　again；　and　became　an　inmate；　at　one　time　and　another；　of　some　nineteen
different　jails。　She　had　trial　after　trialin　which　was　developed
the　fact　that　her　tongue　was　as　sharp　as　her　hatchet；　she　often　addressing
even　the　judge　presiding；　as　〃Your　Dishonor；〃　while　prosecuting
attorneys　she　treated　with　supreme　scorn。　Not　much　mercy　was　shown
her　in　the　county　bastiles：　she　was　often　bestowed　in　cells　next　to　insane
peoplein　the　hope；　she　thinks；　that　she　might　become　really　crazy；　as
well　as　reputedly　so。　One　sheriff；　finding　that　the　fumes　of　cigarette…
smoking　made　her　ill；　treated　all　her　follow…inmates　to　the　little　white
cylinders；　and　set　them　at　work　puffing　vigorously。　Chivalry　and　humanity
seemed；　for　the　time　being；　to　have　faded　from　men's　minds。

In　these　different　immurments；　she　had　time　to　write　her　friends　and
even　published　a　paper；　called；　〃The　Smasher's　Mail。〃　She　told　how　she
came　to　do　this　work：　it　was；　she　claimed；　by　the　direct　command　of　God。
She　had　promised　Him　that　if　He　would　forgive　her　many　sins；　she
would　work　for　Him　in　ways　no　one　else　would；　and　He　took　her　at　her
wordordering　her　to　go　and　smash　saloons。　This；　of　course；　provokes
a　smile；　among　most　people；　but　Mrs。　Nation　is　not　the　first　one　that　has
worked　under　God's　commandwhether　real　or　supposed。

At　last；　so　many　fines　were　heaped　up　against　her；　which　must　be
paid　before　she　could　be　liberated；　that　it　seemed　to　her　as　if　she　would
never　get　free；　but　in　this　dark　hour；　a　lecture　agent　appeared；　and　said
he　would　pay　the　amount　if　she　would　give　him　some　〃dates。〃　She
laughingly　says　now；　that　she　did　not　know　what　she　meant：　and　actually
wondered　if　he　thought　she　was　a　fruit　dealer。　But　when　he　explained
what　he　meant　by　〃dates；〃　a　chance　to　go　on　the　platform　and　give　the
people　a　reason　for　the　hatchet　that　was　in　her　hand；　she　saw　the　gates
were　opened；　and　enthusiastically　went　from　jail　to　the　lecture　platform。

She　became　immediately　a　drawing　cardin　assembly　halls　in　some
churches；　and　even　at　county　fairs。　She　often　made　〃big　money〃　by　selling
miniature　hatchets　as　souvenirs。　She　worked；　tirelessly　and　industriously；
to　pay　back　the　lecture　agent　for　the　sums　he　had　advanced；
and　after　a　time　found　surplus　amounts　on　hand。

She　did　not　hesitate　very　long　as　to　the　purposes　for　which　they　were
to　be　applied。　Her　personal　expenses　were　very　small；　she　dresses　plainly；
and　believes　that　God　is　entitled　to　her　financial　gains。

〃A　home　for　drunkards'　wives；〃　was　her　first　thought；　after　paying
the　fine　money；　and　she　set　about　it；　and　is　working　for　it　now。

After　her　platform　work　had　proceeded　for　a　time；　it　was　decided　that
she　should　star　in　the　play；　〃Ten　Nights　in　a　Bar…room。〃　As　all　know；
who　have　witnessed　this　simple　but　powerful　drama；　every　act　of　it　is
a　prohibition　lecture；　and　Mrs。　Nation's　part；　that　of　the　mother　of　the
murdered　boy；　was　a　lecture　of　itself。　In　one　scene；　she　was　represented
as　smashing　a　saloon；　most　thoroughly；　and　this　business　was　the　most
popular　of　anything　in　the　playeven　at　theatres　that　drew　most　of　their
patronage　from　habitues　of　saloons。

Mrs。　Nation's　reasons　for　stepping　from　the　churches　to　the　footlights；
is　not　without　its　logic；　in　these　days。　〃People　go　to　the　theatres
more　than　they　do　the　churches；〃　she　says；　〃and　I　want　to　go　where　there
are　plenty　of　people　to　hear　me；　and　where　they　need　me。〃

From　the　regular　theatre　she　passed；　and　for　the　same　reasons；　to　the
vaudeville；　and　did　her　regular　〃stunts〃　along　with　the　singers；　the　dancers；
the　harlequin's；　acrobats；　and　the　burnt　cork　humorists。　The　writer
of　this　has　seen　her　in　one　of　these　performances；　and　considers　it　entirely
unique　and　unmistakably　commendable。

It　was　in　one　of　the　most　〃free　and　easy〃　vaudeville　shows　in　Greater
New　York；　and　the　audience；　composed　of　men　and　boys；　was　a　hilarious
one；　and　could　have　even　become　a　turbulent　one；　if　anything　had　occured
that　did　not　please　them。　Many　were　half　drunk；　or　nearly　so。
〃Smoke；　if　you　want　to；〃　was　lettered　on　a　conspicuous　sign；　and　most
of　this　audience　wanted　to。　In　the　midst　of　the　exercises；　an　interlude
occurred；　in　which　the　audience　was　invited　to　a　saloon　down　stairs；　where
they　could　proceed　still　farther　in　the　liquid　burning　out　of　their　bodies。
On　the　same　stage　of　this　same　vaudeville　theatre；　John　L。　Sullivan；　the
retired　prize　fighter；　had；　only　a　week　before；　appeared　〃in　monologue；〃
and　had　sometimes　been　so　drunk　that　he　could　not　go　through　with　his
part。

In　the　midst　of　all　this；　Carry　Nation　was　announced；　and　she　stepped
upon　the　stage；　unattended　by　any　glare　of　colored　lights　or　fanfare
of　music。　A　quiet；　motherly　looking　woman；　plainly　dressed；　with　a　Bible
in　her　hand；　she　commanded　almost　immediately　the　respect　of　that　large
crowdfrom　the　men　in　the　orchestra　stalls　to　the　gallery　gods。　One
half　intoxicated　fellow　began　to　scoff　at　her；　but　was　almost　immediately
hushed　by　the　scarcely　less　drunken　ones　around　him。　It　was　a　sight
that　hushed　them　all　into　respectful　sil