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
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.}
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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