第 32 节
作者:
痛罚 更新:2024-04-07 11:54 字数:9322
two traveling experiences which nearly cost me my
life。 One of them occurred in Ohio at the time of
a spring freshet。 I know of no state that can cover
itself with water as completely as Ohio can; and for
no apparent reason。 On this occasion it was break…
ing its own record。 We had driven twenty miles
across country in a buggy which was barely out of the
water; and behind horses that at times were almost
forced to swim; and when we got near the town
where I was to lecture; though still on the opposite
side of the river from it; we discovered that the
bridge was gone。 We had a good view of the town;
situated high and dry on a steep bank; but the river
which rolled between us and that town was a roaring;
boiling stream; and the only possible way to cross
it; I found; was to walk over a railroad trestle; already
trembling under the force of the water。
There were hundreds of men on the river…bank
watching the flood; and when they saw me start
out on the empty trestle they set up a cheer that
nearly threw me off。 The river was wide and the
ties far apart; and the roar of the stream below was
far from reassuring; but in some way I reached the
other side; and was there helped off the trestle by
what the newspapers called ‘‘strong and willing
hands。''
Another time; in a desperate resolve to meet a
lecture engagement; I walked across the railroad
trestle at Elmira; New York; and when I was half…
way over I heard shouts of warning to turn back; as
a train was coming。 The trestle was very high at
that point; and I realized that if I turned and faced
an oncoming train I would undoubtedly lose my
nerve and fall。 So I kept on; as rapidly as I could;
accompanied by the shrieks of those who objected
to witnessing a violent death; and I reached the end
of the trestle just as an express…train thundered on
the beginning of it。 The next instant a policeman
had me by the shoulders and was shaking me as if
I had been a bad child。
‘‘If you ever do such a thing again;'' he thundered;
‘‘I'll lock you up!''
As soon as I could speak I assured him fervently
that I never would; one such experience was all I
desired。
Occasionally a flash of humor; conscious or un…
conscious; lit up the gloom of a trying situation。
Thus; in Parkersburg; West Virginia; the train I
was on ran into a coal…car。 I was sitting in a sleep…
er; leaning back comfortably with my feet on the
seat in front of me; and the force of the collision lifted
me up; turned me completely over; and deposited
me; head first; two seats beyond。 On every side I
heard cries and the crash of human bodies against
unyielding substances as my fellow…passengers flew
through the air; while high and clear above the
tumult rang the voice of the conductor:
‘‘Keep your seats!'' he yelled。 ‘‘KEEP YOUR SEATS!''
Nobody in our car was seriously hurt; but; so
great is the power of vested authority; no one smiled
over that order but me。
Many times my medical experience was useful。
Once I was on a train which ran into a buggy and
killed the woman in it。 Her little daughter; who
was with her; was badly hurt; and when the train
had stopped the crew lifted the dead woman and
the injured child on board; to take them to the next
station。 As I was the only doctor among the pas…
sengers; the child was turned over to me。 I made up
a bed on the seats and put the little patient there;
but no woman in the car was able to assist me。 The
tragedy had made them hysterical; and on every
side they were weeping and nerveless。 The men were
willing but inefficient; with the exception of one un…
couth woodsman whose trousers were tucked into
his boots and whose hands were phenomenally big
and awkward。 But they were also very gentle; as
I realized when he began to help me。 I knew at
once that he was the man I needed; notwithstanding
his unkempt hair; his general ungainliness; the
hat he wore on the back of his head; and the pink
carnation in his buttonhole; which; by its very in…
congruity; added the final accent to his unprepossess…
ing appearance。 Together we worked over the child;
making it as comfortable as we could。 It was hard…
ly necessary to tell my aide what I wanted done;
he seemed to know and even to anticipate my efforts。
When we reached the next station the dead woman
was taken out and laid on the platform; and a nurse
and doctor who had been telegraphed for were wait…
ing to care for the little girl。 She was conscious by
this time; and with the most exquisite gentleness my
rustic Bayard lifted her in his arms to carry her off
the train。 Quite unnecessarily I motioned to him
not to let her see her dead mother。 He was not the
sort who needed that warning; he had already turned
her face to his shoulder; and; with head bent low
above her; was safely skirting the spot where the
long; covered figure lay。
Evidently the station was his destination; too;
for he remained there; but just as the train pulled
out he came hurrying to my window; took the car…
nation from his buttonhole; and without a word
handed it to me。 And after the tragic hour in
which I had learned to know him the crushed flower;
from that man; seemed the best fee I had ever
received。
IX
‘‘AUNT SUSAN''
In The Life of Susan B。 Anthony it is mentioned
that 1888 was a year of special recognition of our
great leader's work; but that it was also the year
in which many of her closest friends and strongest
supporters were taken from her by death。 A。 Bron…
son Alcott was among these; and Louisa M。 Alcott;
as well as Dr。 Lozier; and special stress is laid on
Miss Anthony's sense of loss in the diminishing circle
of her friendsa loss which new friends and workers
came forward; eager to supply。
‘‘Chief among these;'' adds the record; ‘‘was Anna
Shaw; who; from the time of the International Coun…
cil in '88; gave her truest allegiance to Miss An…
thony。''
It is true that from that year until Miss Anthony's
death in 1906 we two were rarely separated; and
I never read the paragraph I have just quoted with…
out seeing; as in a vision; the figure of ‘‘Aunt Susan''
as she slipped into my hotel room in Chicago late
one night after an evening meeting of the Inter…
national Council。 I had gone to bedindeed; I was
almost asleep when she came; for the day had been
as exhausting as it was interesting。 But notwith…
standing the lateness of the hour; ‘‘Aunt Susan;''
then nearing seventy; was still as fresh and as full
of enthusiasm as a young girl。 She had a great deal
to say; she declared; and she proceeded to say it
sitting in a big easy…chair near the bed; with a rug
around her knees; while I propped myself up with
pillows and listened。
Hours passed and the dawn peered wanly through
the windows; but still Miss Anthony talked of the
Cause always of the Causeand of what we two
must do for it。 The previous evening she had been
too busy to eat any dinner; and I greatly doubt
whether she had eaten any luncheon at noon。 She
had been on her feet for hours at a time; and she
had held numerous discussions with other women
she wished to inspire to special effort。 Yet; after
it all; here she was laying out our campaigns for years
ahead; foreseeing everything; forgetting nothing; and
sweeping me with her in her flight toward our com…
mon goal; until I; who am not easily carried off my
feet; experienced an almost dizzy sense of exhilara…
tion。
Suddenly she stopped; looked at the gas…jets paling
in the morning light that filled the room; and for a
fleeting instant seemed surprised。 In the next she
had dismissed from her mind the realization that we
had talked all night。 Why should we not talk all
night? It was part of our work。 She threw off
the enveloping rug and rose。
‘‘I must dress now;'' she said; briskly。 ‘‘I've
called a committee meeting before the morning
session。''
On her way to the door nature smote her with a
rare reminder; but even then she did not realize that
it was personal。 ‘‘Perhaps;'' she remarked; tenta…
tively; ‘‘you ought to have a cup of coffee。''
That was ‘‘Aunt Susan。'' And in the eighteen
years which followed I had daily illustrations of her
superiority to purely human weaknesses。 To her
the hardships we underwent later; in our Western
campaigns for woman suffrage; were as the airiest
trifles。 Like a true soldier; she could snatch a mo…
ment of sleep or a mouthful of food where she found
it; and if either was not forthcoming she did not
miss it。 To me she was an unceasing inspira…
tionthe torch that illumined my life。 We went
through some difficult years togetheryears when
we fought hard for each inch of headway we gained
but I found full compensation for every effort in
the glory of working with her for the Cause that was
f