The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [104]
He told me in a very angry tone to mind my business,
and would not let the little boy take the hatchet from me. After
this I was sitting on the bench waiting for my train, and a person came
to me saying: "Let me see one of your hatchets." I opened my grip
to show the little souvenirs, several came up to look at them. This same
policeman was watching his chance to arrest me. He came up and said:
"You will have to stop that." I said: "I am making no trouble, I have
a right to meet people and talk to them and show my souvenirs too. You
are the only one, making a disturbance here. Two policemen came up
and caught me one by each arm, dragging me through the depot and
down the elevator, and I was carried to the police station in a "black
maria". This was done for spite and to show his authority. I spent a
night in prison, and next morning I was fined ten dollars. I was my own
lawyer. The magistrate before whom I was tried would not compel the
officer to answer the questions I asked him.
In a few days I returned to Pittsburg and was invited by the Providence
Mission to go out on the streets. Quite a crowd gathered and
while I was speaking, I was arrested again by an officer who refused to
tell me what I was arrested for. I was taken to the police headquarters.
The kind hearted matron wanted to give me a pillow and some bedding
for I had nothing but a hard board in the cell. The Chief of Police forbade
the matron to give me anything to make myself comfortable. He
said: "That woman is giving us a great deal of trouble and we want
to get rid of her." The matron came to me when no one was looking
and advised me to give a bond of thirteen dollars and get out so that I
might have a bed. I did this and went to my boarding house. I secured
the services of a lawyer, Mr. Buckley. I was fined ten dollars which was
afterwards remitted. This republican, rum-soaked police force make it
a point to arrest me on every pretext. They have told me that if I win
they will lose their jobs. Eighteen months before this I had been put in
jail at Pittsburg, making three times all for doing my duty in that city.
CHAPTER XX.
WHY I WENT ON THE STAGE.--THE VICE OF TOBACCO.
I got hundreds of calls to go on the stage before I did. Gradually
I got the light.
This is the largest missionary field in the world. No one ever got
a call or was ever allowed to go there with a Bible but Carry Nation.
That door never was opened to any one but me. The hatchet opened it.
God has given it to me. My managers have said: "This is a variety
house at, Watsons and the Unique, of Brooklyn, or the Boston on the
Bowery. You do not wish to go there." Yes, those need me more than
the rest; never refuse a call even from the lowest. If Jesus ate with
publicans and sinners I can talk to them. Francis Willard said the pulpit
and stage must be taken for God.
Persons often say: "Why do you take the money of such?" I say
"I can do more good with the money than they can." After the battle
the victor takes the spoils and is entitled to them. I will take all I can
get in a good way. Money is a blessing, if used as such. I go on the
stage to do good, I take their money for the same reason. The curse of
it is when it is desired above the good of humanity. I am fishing. I go
where the fish are for they do not come to me. I thank God for this
unspeakable gift. I take my Bible before every audience. I show them
this hatchet, that destroys or smashes everything bad and builds up everything
that is good. I tell them of their loving Deliverer who came to
break every yoke and set the Captive free. When I look upon the hundreds
of faces before me, I say: "Oh, these poor aching hearts! God
give me a loving message." Words can not tell of the love I would like
to bestow upon them. I often weep. "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft
would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings." Then I say: "There is one that loves more than you. He can
make all things right."
There are but a handful comparatively that
and would not let the little boy take the hatchet from me. After
this I was sitting on the bench waiting for my train, and a person came
to me saying: "Let me see one of your hatchets." I opened my grip
to show the little souvenirs, several came up to look at them. This same
policeman was watching his chance to arrest me. He came up and said:
"You will have to stop that." I said: "I am making no trouble, I have
a right to meet people and talk to them and show my souvenirs too. You
are the only one, making a disturbance here. Two policemen came up
and caught me one by each arm, dragging me through the depot and
down the elevator, and I was carried to the police station in a "black
maria". This was done for spite and to show his authority. I spent a
night in prison, and next morning I was fined ten dollars. I was my own
lawyer. The magistrate before whom I was tried would not compel the
officer to answer the questions I asked him.
In a few days I returned to Pittsburg and was invited by the Providence
Mission to go out on the streets. Quite a crowd gathered and
while I was speaking, I was arrested again by an officer who refused to
tell me what I was arrested for. I was taken to the police headquarters.
The kind hearted matron wanted to give me a pillow and some bedding
for I had nothing but a hard board in the cell. The Chief of Police forbade
the matron to give me anything to make myself comfortable. He
said: "That woman is giving us a great deal of trouble and we want
to get rid of her." The matron came to me when no one was looking
and advised me to give a bond of thirteen dollars and get out so that I
might have a bed. I did this and went to my boarding house. I secured
the services of a lawyer, Mr. Buckley. I was fined ten dollars which was
afterwards remitted. This republican, rum-soaked police force make it
a point to arrest me on every pretext. They have told me that if I win
they will lose their jobs. Eighteen months before this I had been put in
jail at Pittsburg, making three times all for doing my duty in that city.
CHAPTER XX.
WHY I WENT ON THE STAGE.--THE VICE OF TOBACCO.
I got hundreds of calls to go on the stage before I did. Gradually
I got the light.
This is the largest missionary field in the world. No one ever got
a call or was ever allowed to go there with a Bible but Carry Nation.
That door never was opened to any one but me. The hatchet opened it.
God has given it to me. My managers have said: "This is a variety
house at, Watsons and the Unique, of Brooklyn, or the Boston on the
Bowery. You do not wish to go there." Yes, those need me more than
the rest; never refuse a call even from the lowest. If Jesus ate with
publicans and sinners I can talk to them. Francis Willard said the pulpit
and stage must be taken for God.
Persons often say: "Why do you take the money of such?" I say
"I can do more good with the money than they can." After the battle
the victor takes the spoils and is entitled to them. I will take all I can
get in a good way. Money is a blessing, if used as such. I go on the
stage to do good, I take their money for the same reason. The curse of
it is when it is desired above the good of humanity. I am fishing. I go
where the fish are for they do not come to me. I thank God for this
unspeakable gift. I take my Bible before every audience. I show them
this hatchet, that destroys or smashes everything bad and builds up everything
that is good. I tell them of their loving Deliverer who came to
break every yoke and set the Captive free. When I look upon the hundreds
of faces before me, I say: "Oh, these poor aching hearts! God
give me a loving message." Words can not tell of the love I would like
to bestow upon them. I often weep. "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft
would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings." Then I say: "There is one that loves more than you. He can
make all things right."
There are but a handful comparatively that