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
Mr. Nation's life was threatened and we had to leave. He went to
Kansas where he had a brother. After an application he took charge of a
Christian church at Medicine Lodge, Barber County, Kansas. This is January,
1904, and we moved to Kansas about fourteen years ago.
We traded the hotel for property in Medicine Lodge. Charlien, Lola
and their husbands moved to themselves and mother Gloyd would consent
to stay away from me only until we could get settled in Kansas. She
had her trunk prepared for the journey. She was now eighty-six years
old, but had remarkable vitality. I said:
"Mother you had better stay here the rest of your life, for Kansas is
much colder than this climate."
But she replied: "I came from Vermont and it is very cold there."
She followed me to the train, and when I went to leave her she placed
her arms around me and her head on my breast. Her last words were:
"I have lived with you and I want to die with you." Oh, how I disliked
to leave her! This was the last time I saw her dear, sweet face. We
had lived together as constant companions for twenty-three years.
Before I left Richmond, I requested of two of my dear friends, Mrs.
Connor and Mrs. Todd, that if mother ever got sick, they would stay by
her until the last. In a year from this time she died, being sick only three
days. These dear friends stayed by her side until the last. A telegram
was sent to me when she was first taken sick, and I wanted to go, but I
had no money of my own, and Mr. Nation would not consent. I have
never ceased to be sorry for it.
I was very much pleased when I first went to Kansas, for it was a
great relief from burdens. We boarded six months. After the year was
up, Mr. Nation went to Holton, Kansas, and took charge of a church
there. He went before I did, and to save shipping our horse and buggy,
I drove through. In order to get a good start and directions for my journey,
I went to Bro. Ed. Crouce, who lived on a farm about five miles from
town. Our horse was not very safe for he had a way of balking. Bro.
Crouce told me to give him a severe cut across the back and give him the
reins if he attempted to balk. I tried this on two occasions, following his
directions. The horse reared up and acted in a way that terrified me, but I
conquered and for ten years I drove that horse. He was a noble beast
with almost human sense. This journey was four hundred miles. For a
hundred and fifty miles I was accompanied by a young girl of sixteen
years of age, who was a farmer's daughter and seemed to be afraid of
nothing. She was a great inspiration to me, preparing me to drive the two
hundred and fifty miles alone. The great difficulty was in finding places
to stop at night. I got so I did not look for large roomy houses for
entertainment, but the smaller ones. I found out that the friends of the
poor are the poor. Mr. Nation met me at Topeka and he was so pleased that
he said: "You shall have this horse and buggy for your own."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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