The Use and Need of the Life of Carry A. Nation — John Shaqi
The Use and Need of the Life of Carry A. NationNation, Carry Amelia
History
The Use and Need of the Life of Carry A. Nation
Nation, Carry Amelia
Nation, Carry Amelia, 1846-1911; Social reformers -- United States -- Biography; Temperance -- United States
One of the prettiest stories I ever heard, and never tired of hearing,
that taught me a great moral, was about two girls the children of a
couple who were hard working people. One of the girls was named
Sarah, the other Mary. Sarah was a very pretty girl with curls. Mary
was rather ugly and had straight hair. Curls in my childhood days were
something very much sought for. Although Sarah was pretty in the face
she had very rude ways; she would not speak kindly and politely; would
not help her hard working mother; but was idle and quarrelsome, always
wanted some one to wait on her; while Mary was the reverse; would pick
up chips to make a fire, would sweep the yard and bring water, and was
kind to all, especially to her mother. One day the well went dry and
there was no water to make the tea for supper. Mary saw her mother
crying and said: "Don't cry, mother; I will go and get some at the
Haunted Spring."
Her mother said: "Oh, no, dear sweet child, those goblins will kill
you."
"No, mother," replied Mary. "I will beg them to let me have some
water for dear father, and I am not afraid."
So her mother got a light bucket for her, and went to the top of
the hill with her, and said: "God bless you, my dear child, and bring
you back to me."
Then Mary went on until she came to the high iron gate. She said:
"Please gate open and let me through. I mind my father and mother
and love everybody."
And the gate opened and she passed into the "haunted" grounds--
She saw a funny, little, short man come running with a stick and said:
"Please, nice man, don't hit me. I have come down to get some good
water to make tea for my father's supper. He has been working all
day, and our well has gone dry. May I please have some of your spring
water?"
"Well, little girl, as you talk so nice, you can have some. Tell the
little folks to open the briars for you."
So she went on and came to a briar patch and saw down at the roots
little people, not much longer than your finger. Mary spoke so kindly to
them; said she would be so glad if they would open a path for her to
walk in, she would thank them so much; so they began to pull the briars
back until there was a good path. Mary thanked them and went on until
she came to the spring and there was a rabbit jumping up and down in
it. Mary said: "Please Mr. Rabbit, don't muddy the water for I would
like to get a bucket of nice clean water to take home to make tea for
supper." The rabbit ran off and she dipped her bucket full of pure
water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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