第 17 节
作者:
谁与争疯 更新:2021-02-19 00:36 字数:9322
I got a knowledge of a deposit of this contraband goods。 I put a little
boy on my buggy horse and sent a letter to our dear Sister Cain; who
was president of our local union。 She called several of the women together
at our W。 C。 T。 V。 room and made known to them what I knew of
O。 L。 Day receiving these intoxicants。 There was a great deal of discussion;
but at last it was decided that we should investigate。 At that
time I was regarded as a fanatic; and many of these were afraid for me to
plan for them; so I kept very quiet。 It was finally agreed that Mrs。 A。 L。
Noble and Mrs。 Runyan should go first and see how matters were。 Sister
Runyan finally said before we got there: 〃Let Mrs。 Nation go in my
place。〃 I said: 〃Thank God!〃 Oh; I was so glad; for I felt that I could
handle this case。
{illust。 caption =
THIS IS A PICTURE OF A SOCIETY I ORGANIZED IN DEWEY COUNTY; OKLA。; WHEN WE
LIVED IN DOUGOUTS。 WE WOULD GO FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE; WASH; SEW; CLEAN HOUSE;
AND OTHERWISE HELP THE HELPLESS。}
O。 L。 Day was a real gentleman by nature。 He was the man with
one fault; and that was alcoholism。 Mrs。 Noble said: 〃You do the talking。〃
While we were in the W。 C。 T。 U。 room discussing; Sister Runyan
said: 〃I will not have anything to do with this if Mrs。 Nation does。〃 I
kept still; praying for the raid to go through; even if I was not in it; and
when it came to the point; I had just what I wanted。 I felt entirely equal
to the occasion。 Sister Runyan did not understand me then; for we are
the best of friends and she has been true to me in my efforts to defend
the homes of Kansas。 I told Mr。 Day; we; as a W。 C。 T。 U。 thought he had
not been dealing fairly; and I looked at his little back room suspiciously;
as much as to say: 〃I would like to see what you have in there。〃 He
said: 〃Ladies would you like to go in the room?〃 I said: 〃Yes。〃 I
knew I could discover the secret。 I saw behind the prescription case a
ten gallon keg。 I said to myself: 〃That is a find。〃 About this time the
rest of the women; accompanied by Sister Cain; came in the front door。
Mr。 Day was as white as death all the time。 As soon as he went to the
front I smelled the keg bung。 I turned it on one side and rolled it to the
front saying; 〃Women; this is the whiskey!〃 Mr。 Day's clerk caught
the end of the keg to turn it out of my hands and on the other side of it
was Jim Gano; the marshal; who I think hauled all the divekeepers' goods
to them。 He was a Republican and in with the whiskey ring and a
〃rummy〃 himself。 I then placed a foot on each side of the keg and held
it firm with both feet and hands。 Jim Gano sprang in front of me and
with his chest against my head; I thought certainly he would break my
neck。 I called to the women to help me。 Mrs。 Noble caught him by one
side of the collar and some one the other side and held him back against
the counter until I could roll the keg out into the street。 All this time
Sister Cain; like a general; was saying: 〃Don't any one touch these
women。 They are right。 They are christian women; trying to save the
boys of our state。〃 I called for a hatchet from the hardware store of Mr。
Case。 He was very angry and said: 〃No!〃 He also; was drinking too
much。 I called to Mrs。 Noble to get a sledge hammer from the blacksmith
shop across the street。 She did and handed it to me。 I struck with all my
might。 The whiskey flew high in the air。 The ladies came near to pour
it out; but I said: 〃Save some。〃 So Sister Runyan got a bottle and filled
it。 Then we poured it out and set it afire。 I fell on my knees in the middle
of the street and thanked God for this victory。 Dr。 Gould; a man
〃fit for treason; stratagem and spoils;〃 was the one to help Day dispose
of these drinks; as many doctors do。 This doctor gave out that this was
〃California Brandy〃; costing seventy…five dollars; that he had advised Day
to get it for medical purposes。
Mr。 Day was at this time getting a permit to sell it for medical purposes。
He appeared in court to prove he was a graduated pharmacist;
never drank; and never had a clerk that did。 The W。 C。 T。 U。 were there
in a body。 We contested his right to have the permit。 Poor man。 I
pitied him。 He was very much under the influence of intoxicants。 When
asked; 〃What that was in the keg the ladies rolled out of his drug store
on the 16th of February?〃 he said: 〃It was California brandy。〃 When
asked: 〃If he knew the taste of whiskey and brandy;〃 he said: 〃Yes。〃
We handed him a bottle of this that he said was brandy。 He pronounced
it 〃a poor quality of sour mash whiskey。〃 Sister Runyan was then put
on the stand and said: 〃It came from the keg that was smashed。〃
This man was so humbled that he sold out in a month and left Medicine Lodge。
There are parties in that town who are more responsible
than O。 L。 Day。 They did every thing in their power to have him do that
which was his ruin。 In retaliation for this the republican rum element
one night made an attack on Sister Cain's and my house; broke windows
and threw rocks; and broke my buggy。 They also sent a negro to my
house; named Haskel; a noted bootlegger。 He asked for an interview。
He had quite a tale to tell me about hearing some men say that if the
women appeared against Day that my house would go。 I am so well
acquainted with the colored race I could read him from the first and knew
that these 〃Rummies〃 had put this negro up to intimidate me。 I listened
as if I believed。 Then I said: 〃Haskel you ought to know by this time
that such men as these will not prevent me from doing my duty; besides
should my home be burned; it would be a lecture in favor of my cause
that would be worth more to me than the home。 Now Haskel you get in
the company of these men and you tell them what I have told you。〃 This
negro pretended to me that he came to me as a friend。 When I told him
what I did; his expression was amusing to see。
CHAPTER VII。
SPIRITUAL LEADINGS。JESUS A CONSCIOUS PRESENCE THREE DAYS。LOSS OF
LIBERTY BY COMPROMISING。THE PRICE PAID TO BE REINSTATED。DISGRACE
TO BE A MILLIONAIRE
I had once while in Medicine Lodge; a heavenly rapture for three
days。 My Savior was my constant companion。 I saw no form; heard no
word。 But His dear face was just behind and looking over my right shoulder。
He was a conscious presence and the deep peace was beyond any
experience I ever had。 I shunned the society of persons。 I would talk
to Him; would sing and play the accompaniment on the organ。 I was
particular about my home work。 While I saw no face; or form; I realized
that His was a sweet; smiling; gratified expression; and it told me I was
pleasing Him。 I did not seem then to think this anything wonderful; and
have often reproached myself for not setting more store by this at the
time。
There was a period of from six months to a year that I was terribly
haunted by a feeling as if hung over a precipice。 I was hanging
only by a rope above my head held by a hand out of a cloud。 At night or in
the day; it was the same uneasy dread of falling。 The precipice below
was black and horrible。 There were banks on each side。 At last I swung
over; landing on the right side。 Oh! the relief!
When I first began to pray in public I was very awkward; never could
make any but what one would call a disconnected prayer; that never seems
to be impressive in an audience;
I asked an old…fashioned sister; who I knew was a saint; to tell me
what was wrong in my testimony。 〃I do not have liberty when I speak。〃
She said: 〃You do not praise God enough。〃 I began to pray for a spirit
of praise。 Shortly after this I was at prayer…meeting; was praying for
a spirit of praise。 It was put in my mouth I rose to my feet and
began to say: 〃Praise God; Praise God!〃 repeating it over and over。
Oh! how sweet to use and hear those words! I could scarcely repress the
impulse to use them all the time。 For a long time after this; when the
Bible was read or testimony struck me as being just right; I would audibly
say: 〃Praise God!〃 This was a 〃gift〃; for I had never felt the
impulse before。 I have in a measure left this off; but I use it all the time;
when I hear good news; or see what pleases me。 〃He led captivity (sin)
captive and gave GIFTS unto men。 Ever since I received the 〃baptism of
the Holy Ghost;〃 I have liked one church about as well as another。 I go
to all even the Catholic。 I fast on Friday and use the sign of the cross。
Fast; because my Savior suffered in the flesh on Friday; use the sign
of the cross; because in the cross is salvation。 Meditations on the cross
always lift heavenward。 'Tis the royal way; I want to keep it always in
view; want it to be the last I see。 We who bear the cross continually in
this transient life; will wear the crown continually in the eternal。 I love
a picture of the cross or a crucifix。 I am debtor both to the Jew and the
Greek。 I do not feel the dislike to the Catholic church that some Protestants
do。 I believe there are as many honest priests as there are other
ministers。 God's church is invisible to the world; for it is set up in the
hearts of the children of men。 I have been greatly edified by conversing
with Catholic priests。 When I lived in Texas my spiritual condition wa