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. Simmons was the sheriff and he told the prisoners to "smoke all
they pleased," that he would keep them in material, and he kept his word.
Tobacco smoke is poison to me and cigarettes are worse. The health-
board belonged to this republican whiskey ring, and was in conspiracy
to make me insane, so they put a quarantine on the jail for three weeks,
and I was a lone woman in there, with two cigarette smokers, and a
maniac, next to my cell. John, the Trusty, smoked a horrid strong pipe,
and he also was next to my cell. Strange to say, when that jail had so
many apartments, and so few in them, that four inmates should have been
put next to me; but there was "a cause." Mr. Dick Dodd was the jailor,
and for three weeks he was the only one who came in my cell and I was
not allowed to see anyone in that time, but Dr. Jordan who called once.
I cried and begged to be relieved of the smoke, for I do not think Mr.
Dodd realized how poisonous it was to me. I would have to keep my
windows up in the cold January weather, and the fire would go down at
night. I had two blankets, no pillow and a bed that the criminals had
slept on for years perhaps. I would shiver with cold, and often would lay
on the cement floor with my head in my hands to keep out of the draught.
Oh! the physical agony! I had something like La Grippe which settled
on my bronchial tubes, from which I have never recovered, and I
expect to feel the effect to my dying day. I had a strong voice for
singing, which I lost, and have never been able to sing, to speak of since.
Hour after hour I would lay on the floor, listening to the ravings of this
poor old man, who would fall on his iron bed and hard floor, cursing and
calling out names. One night I thought I could not live to see day. I
had in my cell sweetest of all companions, my Bible. I read and studied
it, and this particular night I told the Lord he must come to my aid. As I
often do, I opened my Bible at random and read the first place I opened
to, the 144th Psalm. I have often read the book through, but this chapter
seemed entirely new. It reads, Verse 1: "Blessed be the Lord my
strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight. 2. My
goodness and my fortress my high tower and my deliverer; my shield
and He in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me."
God told me in this chapter that He led me to "fight with my fingers
and war with my hands;" that He would be my REFUGE and DELIVERER;
that He would bring the people to me.
David had just such enemies as these when be says in this chapter:
"Cast forth thy lightnings and scatter them; shoot out thine arrows and
destroy them."
7. Send thine hand from above; rid me and deliver me out of great
waters from the hand of strange children.
8. Where mouth speaketh vanity; and where right hand is a right
hand of falsehood.
12. That our sons may be plants grown up in their youth; that our
daughters may be as corner-stones polished after the similitude of a
palace."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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