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
"Let me see what you have in the back room," I asked. "All right,
Mother," he said, and took me through several windings, until I came to a
very small room with a table covered with beer bottles, that had been
recently emptied, and in one corner sat a man, Mr. Smith, a man from
Sharon, who the W. C. T. U. had been talking of handling for selling
liquor in that town. Mr. Grogan introduced me to him, and he, Mr.
Smith, looked terrified and astonished. I took up one of the bottles
and asked what it had contained. His reply: "Hop Tea." I asked:
"What name is that on the label?" It was "Anheuser-Busch," but I could
get neither of them to pronounce it. I turned up one of the bottles and
put it to my lips and told them that it was beer, and that I could take an
oath that it was. Grogan threw up his hands saying: "Now, Mother
Nation, if you get me into trouble I will do something desperate." I
had visited this man Grogan in jail about a year before this, where
he was put for getting drunk and fighting. I said: "I do not wish
to get either of you in trouble, but want to get you out." I had my Bible
with me and I opened it to several passages where drink was condemned,
and told them where it would lead. I told them I would not speak of this
to anyone. When I said I would not "tell on them" the look of gladness
on their faces was pitiful to see.
I said, I am going to pray God to have mercy on you. Kneel down,
like two obedient little children--they knelt--some may smile at this,
but I was deeply affected and felt a compassion and tenderness toward
these poor men, whom the devil was leading captive at his will. That
prayer I offered, was heard.
In one week from that time this man Grogan came to my house; one
Sunday morning, and fell down at my feet crying and wringing his hands,
saying: "Oh! Mrs. Nation I am going to hell, but it is not your fault and
I came to ask you to pray for me." He was in great agony of soul.
He had been drinking until he was almost crazy. He left in about half
an hour, saying he "was going to hell," but I told him, no; to have faith
in God and He would save him.
This was the last I saw of him, but I heard afterwards that he had
a small store in Wichita and was living in the rear of it with his family.
The person that told me of him, said that he asked Mr. Grogan if he sold
liquor. His answer was: "No, I got enough of that in Medicine Lodge."
This Mr. Smith became a wreck for a time, and lost his business in Sharon.
After I came out of jail in Wichita the third time, I met a man on the
street and he made himself known as the Smith of Sharon. He looked
quite well and said he had quit drinking entirely and was a real estate
dealer in Wichita.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account