the story of a pioneer-第33章

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the　main　floor。　　As　he　reached　the　floor　he　shouted

‘‘Fire！''　and　rushed　out　into　the　street。　　The　next

instant　every　person　in　the　rink　was　up　and　a　panic

had　started。　　I　was　very　sure　there　was　no　fire；

but　I　knew　that　many　might　be　killed　in　the

rush　which　was　beginning。　　So　I　sprang　on　a　chair

and　shouted　to　the　people　with　the　full　strength　of

my　lungs：



‘‘There　is　no　fire！　　It's　only　a　trick！　　Sit　down！　

Sit　down！''



The　cooler　persons　in　the　crowd　at　once　began　to

help　in　this　calming　process。



‘‘Sit　down！''　they　repeated。　　‘‘It's　all　right！　

There's　no　fire！　　Sit　down！''



It　looked　as　if　we　had　the　situation　in　hand；　for

the　people　hesitated；　and　most　of　them　grew　quiet；

but　just　then　a　few　words　were　hissed　up　to　me　that

made　my　heart　stop　beating。　　A　member　of　our　local

committee　was　standing　beside　my　chair；　speaking

in　a　terrified　whisper：



‘‘There　IS　a　fire；　Miss　Shaw；''　he　said。　　‘‘For　God's

sake　get　the　people　outQUICKLY！''



The　shock　was　so　unexpected　that　my　knees　al…

most　gave　way。　　The　people　were　still　standing；

wavering；　looking　uncertainly　toward　us。　　I　raised

my　voice　again；　and　if　it　sounded　unnatural　my

hearers　probably　thought　it　was　because　I　was　speak…

ing　so　loudly。



‘‘As　we　are　already　standing；''　I　cried；　‘‘and　are

all　nervous；　a　little　exercise　will　do　us　good。　　So

march　out；　singing。　　Keep　time　to　the　music！　

Later　you　can　come　back　and　take　your　seats！''



The　man　who　had　whispered　the　warning　jumped

into　the　aisle　and　struck　up　‘‘Jesus；　Lover　of　My

Soul。''　　Then　he　led　the　march　down　to　the　door；

while　the　big　audience　swung　into　line　and　followed

him；　joining　in　the　song。　　I　remained　on　the　chair；

beating　time　and　talking　to　the　people　as　they　went；

but　when　the　last　of　them　had　left　the　building　I

almost　collapsed；　for　the　flames　had　begun　to　eat

through　the　wooden　walls　and　the　clang　of　the　fire…

engines　was　heard　outside。



As　soon　as　I　was　sure　every　one　was　safe；　however；

I　experienced　the　most　intense　anger　I　had　yet　known。　

My　indignation　against　the　men　who　had　risked

hundreds　of　lives　by　setting　fire　to　a　crowded　building

made　me　‘‘see　red''；　it　was　clear　that　they　must　be

taught　a　lesson　then　and　there。　　As　soon　as　I　was

outside　the　rink　I　called　a　meeting；　and　the　Congre…

gational　minister；　who　was　in　the　crowd；　lent　us　his

church　and　led　the　way　to　it。　　Most　of　the　audience

followed　us；　and　we　had　a　wonderful　meeting；　dur…

ing　which　we　were　able　at　last　to　make　clear　to

the　people　of　that　town　the　character　of　the　liquor

interests　we　were　fighting。　　That　episode　did　the

temperance　cause　more　good　than　a　hundred　ordinary

meetings。　　Men　who　had　been　indifferent　before

became　our　friends　and　supporters；　and　at　the　fol…

lowing　election　we　carried　the　town　for　prohibition

by　a　big　majority。



There　have　been　other　occasions　when　our　op…

ponents　have　not　fought　us　fairly。　　Once；　in　an

Ohio　town；　a　group　of　politicians；　hearing　that　I　was

to　lecture　on　temperance　in　the　court…house　on　a

certain　night；　took　possession　of　the　building　early

in　the　evening；　on　the　pretense　of　holding　a　meeting；

and　held　it　against　us。　　When；　escorted　by　a　com…

mittee　of　leading　women；　I　reached　the　building　and

tried　to　enter；　we　found　that　the　men　had　locked

us　out。　　Our　audience　was　gathering　and　filling　the

street；　and　we　finally　sent　a　courteous　message　to　the

men；　assuming　that　they　had　forgotten　us　and　re…

minding　them　of　our　position。　　The　messenger　re…

ported　that　the　men　would　leave　‘‘about　eight；''

but　that　the　room　was　‘‘black　with　smoke　and　filthy

with　tobacco…juice。　　‘‘We　waited　patiently　until　eight

o'clock；　holding　little　outside　meetings　in　groups；

as　our　audience　waited　with　us。　　At　eight　we　again

sent　our　messenger　into　the　hall；　and　he　brought

back　word　that　the　men　were　‘‘not　through；　didn't

know　when　they　would　be　through；　and　had　told

the　women　not　to　wait。''



Naturally；　the　waiting　townswomen　were　deeply

chagrined　by　this。　　So　were　many　men　in　the　out…

side　crowd。　　We　asked　if　there　was　no　other　en…

trance　to　the　hall　except　through　the　locked　front

doors；　and　were　told　that　the　judge's　private　room

opened　into　it；　and　that　one　of　our　committee　had

the　key；　as　she　had　planned　to　use　this　room　as　a

dressing　and　retiring　room　for　the　speakers。　　After

some　discussion　we　decided　to　storm　the　hall

and　take　possession。　　Within　five　minutes　all　the

women　had　formed　in　line　and　were　crowding　up

the　back　stairs　and　into　the　judge's　room。　　There

we　unlocked　the　door；　again　formed　in　line；　and

marched　into　the　hall；　singing　‘‘Onward；　Christian

Soldiers！''



There　were　hundreds　of　us；　and　we　marched　di…

rectly　to　the　platform；　where　the　astonished　men

got　up　to　stare　at　us。　　More　and　more　women

entered；　coming　up　the　back　stairs　from　the　street

and　filling　the　hall；　and　when　the　men　realized

what　it　all　meant；　and　recognized　their　wives；　sis…

ters；　and　women　friends　in　the　throng；　they　sheep…

ishly　unlocked　the　front　doors　and　left　us　in　posses…

sion；　though　we　politely　urged　them　to　remain。　　We

had　a　great　meeting　that　night！



Another　reminiscence　may　not　be　out　of　place。　

We　were　working　for　a　prohibition　amendment　in

the　state　of　Pennsylvania；　and　the　night　before

election　I　reached　Coatesville。　　I　had　just　com…

pleted　six　weeks　of　strenuous　campaigning；　and　that

day　I　had　already　conducted　and　spoken　at　two　big

outdoor　meetings。　　When　I　entered　the　town　hall

of　Coatesville　I　found　it　filled　with　women。　　Only

a　few　men　were　there；　the　rest　were　celebrating

and　campaigning　in　the　streets。　　So　I　arose　and

said：



‘‘I　would　like　to　ask　how　many　men　there　are　in

the　audience　who　intend　to　vote　for　the　amendment

to…morrow？''



Every　man　in　the　hall　stood　up。



‘‘I　thought　so；''　I　said。　　‘‘Now　I　intend　to　ask

your　indulgence。　　As　you　are　all　in　favor　of　the

amendment；　there　is　no　use　in　my　setting　its　claims

before　you；　and；　as　I　am　utterly　exhausted；　I

suggest　that　we　sing　the　Doxology　and　go　home！''



The　audience　saw　the　common　sense　of　my

position；　so　the　people　laughed　and　sang　the　Doxol…

ogy　and　departed。　　As　we　were　leaving　the　hall

one　of　Coatesville's　prominent　citizens　stopped　me。



‘‘I　wish　you　were　a　man；''　he　said。　　‘‘The　town

was　to　have　a　big　outdoor　meeting　to…night；　and

the　orator　has　failed　us。　　There　are　thousands　of

men　in　the　streets　waiting　for　the　speech；　and　the

saloons　are　sending　them　free　drinks　to　get　them

drunk　and　carry　the　town　to…morrow。''



‘‘Why；''　I　said；　‘‘I'll　talk　to　them　if　you　wish。''



‘‘Great　Scott！''　he　gasped。　　‘‘I'd　be　afraid　to　let

you。　　Something　might　happen！''



‘‘If　anything　happens；　it　will　be　in　a　good　cause；''

I　reminded　him。　　‘‘Let　us　go。''



Down…town　we　found　the　streets　so　packed　with

men　that　the　cars　could　not　get　through；　and　with

the　greatest　difficulty　we　reached　the　stand　which

had　been　erected　for　the　speaker。　　It　was　a　gorgeous

affair。　　There　were　flaring　torches　all　around　it；　and

a　‘‘bull's…eye；''　taken　from　the　head　of　a　locomotive；

made　an　especially　brilliant　patch　of　light。　　The

stand　had　been　erected　at　a　point　where　the　city's

four　principal　streets　meet；　and　as　far　as　I　could

see　there　were　solid　masses　of　citizens　extending

into　these　streets。　　A　glee…club　was　doing　its　best

to　help　things　along；　and　the　music　of　an　organette；

an　instrument　much　used　at　the　time　in　campaign

rallies；　swelled　the　joyful　tumult。　　As　I　mounted

the　platform　the　crowd　was　singing　‘‘Vote　for　Betty

and　the　Baby；''　and　I　took　that　song　for　my　text；

speaking　of　the　helplessness　of　women　and　children

in　the　face　of　intemperance；　and　telling　the　crowd

the　only　hope　of　the　Coatesville　women　lay　in　the

vote　cast　by　their　men　the　next　day。



Directly　in　front　of　me　stood　a　huge　and　ex…

traordinarily　repellent…looking　negro。　　A　g