the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第22部分

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　For　wrecking　an　earthly　hell。

　Day　by　day；　and　night　she　dwelt　there；
　Singing　songs　of　Christ's　dear　love；
　At　His　cross　she　pray'd　and　knelt　there；
　As　an　angel　from　above。

　In　the　cells　and　'round　about　her；
　Prisoners　stood；　deep　stained　in　sin；
　Listening　to　the　prayers　she'd　offer；
　Looking　for　her　Christ　within。

　Some　who'd　never　known　a　mother；
　Ne'er　had　learned　to　kneel　and　pray；
　Raised　their　hands；　their　face　to　cover；
　Till　her　words　had　died　away。

　In　the　silent　midnight　hours；
　Came　a　voice　in　heavenly　strain；
　Floating　o'er　in　peaceful　showers；
　Bringing　sunshine　after　rain。

　Each　one　rose　from　out　his　slumber；
　Listening　to　her　songs　of　cheer；
　Then　the　stillness　rent　asunder；
　With　their　praises　loud　and　clear。

　Praise　from　those　whose　crimes　had　led　them；
　O'er　a　dark　and　stormy　sea；
　Where　its　waves　had　lashed　and　tossed　them
　Into　〃hell's〃　captivity。

　Wine　it　was；　the　drink　that　led　them；
　From　the　tender　Shepherd's　fold；
　Now　they　hear　His　voice　call　them；
　With　His　precious　words　of　gold。

　Like　the　sheep　that　went　astray；
　Twice　we've　heard　the　story　told；
　They　heard　His　voice；　they　saw　the　way；
　That　leads　to　His　pastured　fold。


The　first　time　I　was　put　in　jail；　after　everything　was　quiet；　I　heard
some　prisoner　down　below；　swearing；　and　I　called　out：　〃What　do　you
mean　boys　by　asking　God　to　damn　this　place？　I　think　he　has　done　so
and　we　don't　want　any　more　damns　here。　Get　down　on　your　knees　and
ask　God　to　bless　you。〃　And　all　the　rest　of　time　I　never　heard　an　oath。
In　a　week　or　so　I　heard　them　singing　hymns；　and　I　called　to　them：
〃How　are　you　boys？〃

〃We　have　all　been　converted　since　the　first　of　January；〃　was　their
reply。

One　of　those　young　men　got　out　while　I　was　there；　and　came　to　my
cell　and　told　me　that　it　was　true　about　their　conversion。

Oh！　the　sad　hearts　behind　the　bars！　Oh！　the　injustice！　I　am　glad
I　have　been　a　prisoner　for　one　thing；　I　never　see　a　face　behind　the　bars
that　my　heart　does　not　pity。　I　have　heard　so　many　tales　of　ruined　lives；
have　seen　men　with　muscles　and　brain；　bowed　into　tears。　Oh；　if　we
would　only　love　each　other　more；　if　we　would　feel　as　Paul：　〃To　owe
love　to　all　we　meet；　and　pay　the　debt。　'Tis　the　most　pleasant　debt　to
pay　and　the　indebtedness　blesses　both　parties；　especially　the　one　who
pays。〃　I　used　to　think　that　birth　and　other　circumstances　made　one　person
better　than　another。　I　do　not　see　it　that　way　now。　The　man　with
many　opportunities　is　not　entitled　to　as　much　consideration　as　one　with
fewer。　I　am　the　defender　of　the　one　who　needs　help　most。　The　great
need　of　the　world　is　Love。



CHAPTER　IX。

OUT　OF　JAIL。EGGS　AND　STONE。SMASHING　STILLING'S　JOINT　AT　ENTERPRISE。
WHIPPED　BY　HIRED　PROSTITUTES。PLOT　AT　HOLT　BY　HOTEL　KEEPER
AND　JOINTIST　TO　POISON　AND　SLUG　ME。AT　CONEY　ISLAND。HAND
BROKEN　AND　HANDCUFFS。


I　got　out　of　Wichita　jail　about　the　last　week　in　January；　1901；　under
a　writ　of　habeas　corpus。　I　got　bail；I　forget　who　went　my　bail；　but　God
bless　them；　and　left　on　the　evening　train　about　seven　o'clock。

While　in　jail　I　got　a　letter　asking　me　to　come　to　Enterprise；　Dickinson
County；　and　break　up　saloons　there。　I　said　the　name　ENTERPRISE；
is　good　and　I　will　go；　so　I　left　jail　with　the　intention　of　going　there。
It　was　dark　when　I　started　for　the　train。　Many　of　the　Salvation　Army
were　near　me。　The　streets　were　almost　impassable；　and　the　whole　city
seemed　to　be　on　the　streets　marching　down　to　the　station；　yelling　and
laughing。

Many　said：　〃Are　you　not　afraid？〃　Perfect　love　casteth　out　all　fear
I　love　the　people；　I　do　not　fear　them。

There　walked　by　my　side；　a　man　keeping　the　crowd　back。　〃Are　you
one　of　the　Salvation　Army？〃　I　said　to　him。

He　said：　〃No；　I　am　only　a　tin　horn　gambler。〃

I　asked　him：　〃Why　do　you　seem　to　be　such　a　friend　of　mine。〃

He　answered：　〃Because　I　intend　that　no　one　shall　hurt　you；　for
you　are　a　good　woman；　and　I　will　see　you　safe。　They　all　know　me；　and
they　will　not　hurt　you。〃　He　carried　my　valise　and　put　me　on　the　train。

There　were　several　thousand　at　the　depot　and　the　crowding　was
dangerous。　I　wanted　to　see　the　crowd；　so　I　raised　the　window；　waved
my　hand　and　as　the　train　pulled　out；　the　eggs　began　to　come；　the　window
fell　down　and　I　did　not　get　a　spatter。　God　said：　〃I'll　stand　by　you。〃
explains　this。　In　two　minutes　a　rock　the　size　of　my　fist　came　crashing
in　at　the　window；　shivered　the　glass；　and　the　rock　fell　down　at　my　side；
which　was　a　miracle。　Not　once　did　I　feel　alarmed　but　smiled；　while　all
the　passengers　were　on　their　feet　with　fright。

I　got　to　Enterprise　at　night。　I　stayed　all　night　with　Mrs。　Hoffman
and　next　morning；　I　went　down　to　a　dive　kept　by　a　man　named　Stillings。
He　had　closed　to　go　out　to　a　baseball　game。　The　door　was　locked；　so　I
broke　the　front　glass　and　climbed　in。　Several　ladies　were　on　the　outside；
and　were　friendly　to　my　smashing。　I　broke　the　place　up。　There　were
twelve　cases　of　beer　and　I　destroyed　them　and　piled　them　up　in　the　center
of　the　room　on　the　floor。　At　the　close；　the　marshal　came　in；　took　me　out
and　would　not　let　me　break　up　the　other　dive　near　by。　Neither　did　he
arrest　me。

I　came　down　on　the　corner　of　the　street　that　night；　to　tell　the　people
why　I　did　this；　when　Stillings　passed；　cursing　and　shaking　his　fist　at　me；
saying：　〃My　wife　will　settle　you。〃　Just　then　a　furious　woman　came
around　the　corner；　rushed　up　to　me　and　struck　me　a　fearful　blow　in　the
eye；　then　ran　to　her　husband；　Stillings；　and　in　a　frantic　manner　said：
〃I　have　done　what　you　asked　me；　now　let　us　go　home。〃　I　stopped　speaking
long　enough　to　go　into　a　meat　shop　and　have　a　piece　of　fresh　meat
bound　on　my　eye；　which　was　already　very　dark　and　painful。　Then　I
finished　my　address　on　the　street；　and　went　up　to　a　meeting　in　the　church；
gave　an　address；　and　we　organized　a　society　to　smash　saloons；　if　they　did
not　close。　Next　morning　we　went　down　the　street　in　a　body；　Mrs。　Hoffman
and　other　women；　and　the　other　dive　keeper　talked　to　us　and　promised
to　go　out　of　business。　This　Stillings　came　to　me　again　cursing　and
threatening；　saying：　〃His　wife　would　fix　me。〃　Although　this　man　was
disturbing　the　peace；　disorderly　and　dangerous；　no　one　offered　to　arrest
him。　He　held　me；　while　four　women　ran　from　some　place　with　whips
and　sticks。　One　beat　me　with　her　fist；　another　with　a　whip；　one　with　a
raw…hide；　while　one　pulled　my　hair　and　kicked　me　into　the　gutter；　nearly
killing　me。

I　said：　〃Women；　will　you　let　me　be　murdered。〃　For　although　there
were　men　and　women　present；　not　one　did　a　thing；　until　at　last；　an　old
lady；　the　mother　of　the　saloon…keeper's　wife；　picked　up　a　brick　and　said：
〃If　anyone　strikes　that　woman　again　I　will　hit　them　with　this。〃　Then　all
rushed　to　defend　me。

I　was　almost　breathless。　My　hair　was　down；　much　of　it　being　pulled
out。　I　went　home　with　my　friend；　Mrs。　Hoffman。　These　parties　were
arrested。　The　trial　brought　out　the　fact　that　this　dive…keeper；　Stillings；
had　hired　these　women。　To　the　gambler's　wife　he　was　to　give　twenty…
five　dollars；　to　use　the　raw…hide。　Two　women　were　prostitutes；　whom
this　Stillings　had　brought　to　town　for　this　purpose。　They　were　fined　a
small　sum；　and　the　whole　of　them　given　a　few　hours　to　leave　town。

My　body　was　bruised　and　sore。　My　limbs　were　striped　with　bruises；
but　I　was　only　disabled　two　days。

While　in　Enterprise　I　got　a　telegram　from　Holt；　signed　by　the　〃Temperance
Committee；〃　it　read：　〃Come　here　and　help　us　break　up　dives。〃
This　little　town　was　only　twelve　miles　from　Enterprise。　In　going　to
the　train　that　night　there　seemed　to　have　been　some　one　hiding　on　every
corner　throwing　eggs。　My　dress　was　covered　with　them。　I　got　to　Holt
at　midnight。　When　I　got　off　the　train；　I　then　knew　it　was　a　plot　to
injure　me　for　no　one　was　there　to　meet　me；　and　I　saw　some　suspicious
men　keeping　in　the　dark。　I　got　in　a　hack　and　went　to　a　hotel。
I　asked　for　the　women　but　all　had　retired。　I　went　up　to　my　room；
which　was　very　small。　It　had　one　window　which　was　raised　an　inch
with　a　lath　under　it；　and　I　thought　it　strange　at　the　time　that　the　landlord
should　have　let　the　window　down；　but　I　was　very　tired　and　dropped
asleep　almost　as　soon　as　I　touched　the　bed。　About　two　o'clock　I　was
awakened　with　a　smothered　feeling；　struggling　for　breath。　I　jumped　for
the　window；　which　I　threw　up；　for　the　room　was　full　of　the　most　poisonous
odor；　as　of　cigarettes；　and　other　smells。　I　knew　that　there　were　persons
at　the　door　puffing　the　poison　in。　I　sat　at　the　window　and　listened
and　in　about　fifteen　minutes　I　heard　some　one　whistling　and　saw
through　the　transom　that　a　light　was　coming。　A　man　stopped　at　my
door　and　knocked。

〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃I　want　to　speak　to　you；〃　he　replied。

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　want　to　speak　to　you。〃

God　showed　me　in　a　vision　two　men　crouched　on　each　side　of　the
door　ready　to　either　catch　or　slug　me；　if　the　door　was　opened。

〃I　see　you　sluggers　on　each　side　of　the　door。　You　villain；　you　have
tried　to　murder　me　by　throwing　poison　in　my　room　and　now　you　are
trying　something　else。〃

〃There　is　a　mob　here　after　you。〃

〃You　are　a　liar；〃　I　answered。

〃There　is　a　committee　wants　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃You　are　telling　lies　in　order　to　have　me　open　my　door。〃

He　left　and　went　down　below；　and　for　ten　minutes　there　was　a
great　tramping　of　feet　and　I　could　hear　the　landlord　making　out　as
if　he　was　dispersing　a　crowd。　I　watched　from　my　window　and　saw　two
men　walking　away。　I　certainly　was　thankful　for　a　lock　on　my　door。
Next　morning　when　ready　to　leave　my　room；　I　looked　up　and　down　the
passages　well；　then　I　hurried　and　did　not　feel　safe；　until　I　got　on　the
outside。　I　asked　a　little　boy　if　there　were　any　Christians　in　Holt。

〃No；　but　there　are　some　in　the　country。〃

I　got　my　breakfast　at　a　restaurant；　and　I　called　out　on　the　streets
that　I　would　hold　a　meeting　in　front　of　this　hotel　where　I　had　stopped。
There　was　a　crowd　and　I　then　told　of　the　telegram　and　of　how　I　was
treated。　I　pointed　to　the　landlord；　who　was　the　picture　of　a　villain；　and
a　coward。　The　two　dive…keepers　of　Holt　were　at　this　meeting。　They
asked　me　if　I　intended　to　smash　the　saloons　there。

〃Of　course；　I　didn't　come　to　Holt　to　do　anything　else。〃

One　man　told　me　tha