第 26 节
作者:
谁与争疯 更新:2021-02-19 00:36 字数:9321
This negro finally cheated me out of my money and papers also。
I closed with him after three weeks; he put the papers out; collected for
them and never paid me a cent。 I believe he paid Mr。 Nation some and
when I would have made him account for his wrong dealings; I found
that the contract between he and I; which was drawn up by Mr。 Nation;
made this negro my partner。 This; of course; was done to prevent me
from having any legal redress。 My paper was called THE SMASHER'S
MAIL。 I called it this for it was largely composed of letters which I
had received on the subject of smashing。 I had no one to read the proofs
and was at the mercy of this negro; who was not in sympathy with my
cause; but to the reverse。 I was often humiliated at the way my articles
were tortured。 I afterwards got The Kansas Farmer to publish the paper
and I then bought a press of my own; but found that I could not conduct
a paper and lecture; so after the 13th edition; I closed。 The paper
accomplished ; this much; that the public could see by my editorials that
I was not insane。
THE SECOND TIME IN JAIL AT WICHITA。
I was in a meeting of the W。 C。 T。 U。 in Wichita; of which Mrs。
Summers was president。 I wanted to have these women go with me and
destroy the places there that were murdering their sons。 Many present
were in favor of it; but Mrs。 Summers was bitterly opposed。 Three
went out in the hall with me; Mrs。 Lucy Wilhoit; Miss Muntz and Mrs。
Julia Evans。 The husband of the latter was a great drunkard; otherwise
a capable physician。 Those three women said they would go with me。
We went to Mrs。 Evans' home and then; for the first time; I took a hatchet
and Mrs。 Evans a piece of iron。 We marched down to the first place;
kept by John Burns。 We walked in and began to smash right and left。
With my hatchet I smashed in the large plate glass windows and also
the door。 Sister Evans and I then attacked the show case; went behind
the bar and I smashed everything in sight。 The bartender came running
up to me with his hands up; 〃Don't come near my hatchet; it might fall
on you and I will not be responsible for the results。〃
After we were through for no one resisted us; Mr。 Burns was asked。
〃Why did you not knock that woman down?〃 he replied; 〃God forbid
that I should strike a woman。〃 (〃a man's a man for a' that。〃)
I did not see what the other two women were doing; but heard Sister
Wilhoit talking to the crowd and telling why we had done this。
We were put in one cell; the one I occupied before and were given
a cot apiece。 This was one of the glorious heavenly and refreshing
times。 We sang hymns; repeated scripture; would often laugh and cry
by turns for joy to think we were worthy to suffer for His sake。 〃The
table was prepared before us in the presence of our enemies; our cup
runneth over。〃 This happy condition was not what our persecutors
wished; and Mrs。 Simmons and her husband; whom we called 〃Jezebel〃
and 〃Ahab;〃 were determined to separate us。 Mrs。 Simmons was telling
that I used obscene language to her husband。
{illust。 caption =
THIS PICTURE TAKEN BY A MAN WHO CALLED FOR THE PURPOSE; TO SEE ME IN
TOPEKA JAIL。 I NEVER WANT A PICTURE TAKEN OF ME WITHOUT MY BIBLE; MY
CONSTANT AND HEAVENLY COMPANION。}
These two were very much interested in having me adjudged insane;
for Mr。 Simmons had in several ways laid himself liable to criminal
prosecution; especially in the matter of the quarantine。 Mrs。 Simmons
came to our cell door; and in the presence of Sister Wilhoit; to whom she
had told that I used 〃obscene language;〃 I asked her if she said this?
She had to acknowledge that she did。 I told her she spoke a 〃lie;〃 for
I had never done such a thing。 She sent her husband and son up to the
cell and they dragged me into the rotary and put me in one of those little
triangular cells; which was indeed a place of filth。 The faucet leaked;
and kept a continual spatter; which made the foot of my cot damp。 I
stayed there five days and while it was not as bad as Jeremiah's dungeon;
it was similar。 The dampness and poison of this cell added to the already
deep cold on my lungs。 Dear Bro。 Schollenberger! Who has not heard
of this great hearted man of Wichita? He brought us little treats and
in many ways relieved us of our afflictions and bonds。 I was not allowed
to be with my lovely sisters again in prison they would write notes and
send them by a 〃trusty;〃 for they were very uneasy about me; fearing
foul play。
As soon as the sisters could get bonds; they got out; but I was not
allowed to give bond。 I was not a meek prisoner; did not act like a
criminal。 This vexed my prosecutors and they tried to humble me; but
I felt that I was right and that God would stand by me and I wanted
Him to look down and always find me brave and true and in nothing
to be terrified by my adversaries。
I had some money sent me while in jail and this I divided; often to
the last; with my fellow prisoners。 To one I gave four dollars; for his
poor wife was soon to be confined。 To the 〃trusty〃 John; I gave three
dollars for his destitute wife; and often bought little treats; such as
fruits and butter。 The meals were meat and beans one day; then potatoes
and meat all cooked tip into a mush。 I became very much attached to
my fellow prisoners and I found some with noble sentiments。 What
do people do who have no hope of heaven; I often ask。 What a joy to
have a place in view where there is no sickness; no death; no jails; no
suffering of any kind。
THE THIRD TIME IN TOPEKA JAIL。
I had become so disgusted with jail food that my stomach refused
it。 As soon as I was put in jail I told Mr。 Cook to send the milkman
to my cell。 He came and was very kind。 He agreed to bring me some
bread and milk; ten cents worth a day。 This I lived on for the eighteen
days。 In the cell with me was a woman named Mrs。 Mahanna; who was
put in for selling beer。 She did not happen to have a government license。
Poor creature! She bad been the mother of fifteen children; had a
broken hip caused by a kick of a drunken husband。 She was very ignorant
but kind…hearted。 The heat was intense and we were next to the
roof。 Sometimes I would feel like I was suffocated。 The windows
slanted so that but little draught came in。 One pane of glass was partly
out and we would sit by that to get a breath of air。 While in this jail
I had many offers from different theatrical; circus; and museum managers;
who tried to tempt me with all kinds of prices; one as high as 800
a week; and a palace car and a maid。 I never for one moment thought
of taking any of them until two managers came from New York City。
The sheriff; Mr。 Cook; brought their cards up。 I said: 〃Tell them to
wait until morning。〃 I prayed over the matter nearly all night and before
day all seemed settled。 (This was a test to try my faith。) The cloud
was lifted and I told Mr。 Cook to tell the men that a 〃million a minute
would not catch me。〃 My dear friends especially Mrs。 Goodwin; Dr。
Eva Harding and others used their influence to have Stanley; the governor
pardon me; this he refused to do; the joint…keepers were those he
favored more than me。
I had never thought of going before the public as a lecturer。 I
knew those people only wanted me as they would a white elephant。 I
did not at this time see the stage as a missionary field。
At this time I was entirely out of means; was in debt and the duns
I got while in jail were a terrible trouble to me。 The ten cents I got
for my bread and milk came in almost daily for copies of my papers。 I
paid my milkman sometimes in stamps。
I never wanted to get out of jail so badly in my life; as I did at this
time; when the offers to make engagements were so many。 Two days
after the New York managers were there; I got a letter from James E。
Furlong; a Lyceum Manager of Rochester; N。 Y。; who had managed
Patti and many of the great singers。 He told me if I would give him
〃some dates〃; he would assist me in getting out of jail。 I hardly knew
what he meant by 〃dates〃。 Mrs。 Goodwin of Topeka called to see me;
I showed the letter to her and asked what this man meant by 〃dates?〃
She said: 〃He may want you to lecture or you could tell of your experience。〃
〃I wonder if the people would like to hear me; I can tell my experience;〃
I said。 I asked her to tell Mr。 Duminel; my lawyer; to come to
my cell。 I told him of it; and he said he would call the commissioners
together and would have them let me out by paying my fines by monthly
installments。 This he did。 So Mr。 Furlong sent the money needed and
Dr。 Harding and Mrs。 Goodwin collected seventy dollars from my friends
to help me out。 When I got to Kansas City; I lacked fifty cents of having
enough money to pay for my ticket east; so I borrowed that of the man
at the fruit stand in the depot。 In about a week from that I spoke at
Atlantic City for the Philadelphia American; the proceeds being used to
give the poor children an outing。 Thousands of people were present。
I never made a note or wrote a sentence for the platform in my life。
Have spoken extemporaneously from the first and often went on the
platform when I could not have told what I was to say to save my life;
and for s