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