The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [118]
and after dinner she held a
meeting at Christ's mission, Soldiers' Home. At 5 o'clock, accompanied
by some of her committee, she went to Salem, O., where she was entertained
by Rev. Baker, of the U. B. church, and afterwards held the usual
crowded meeting in his church, leaving there at 8 o'clock for Brookville,
O., where she held another big meeting at the U. B. church.
Mrs. Nation has certainly worked hard here and proven herself in
possession of wonderful energy and capacity for work. The following is
a list of appointments here in ten days, every one of which she filled and
not once could she fully accommodate the crowd: Friday night, October
21, street meeting corner Main and Fourth streets; afterwards to wedding
anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Bennett, where many congenial
spirits were present. This took on the nature of an entertainment to Mrs.
Nation. Saturday night, October 22, U. B. church, Miamisburg; Sunday,
October 23, the Dunkard church, Dayton; Sunday, October 23, afternoon
at Bellbrook, O., mass meeting of the three churches at town hall; Sunday
night, October 23, St. Paul's M. E., Dayton; Monday night, October
24, Riverdale U. B.; Tuesday night, First United Presbyterian; Wednesday
night, Trinity M. E.; Thursday afternoon, Free Methodist; Thursday
night, mass meeting of colored churches at McKinley M. E.; Friday
afternoon, 2 o'clock, U. 13. seminary; 4 o'clock, W. C. T. U. meeting,
Broadway M: E.; Friday night, Second United Presbyterian, and balance
appointments as given above.
The committees of the various churches, the Citizens' League and
Prohibition party are much pleased with the work Mrs. Nation did here
and predict great results from it.--Dayton Daily.
CHAPTER XXVII.
(Sketch by WILL CARLETON, in his Magazine EVERYWHERE.)
Some years ago, the American public--always longing for "something
new," was treated to an absolutely unique sensation. A woman armed
with a hatchet had gone into a Kansas liquor saloon and smashed up its
appurtenances, in a very thorough and unconventional manner. After
this, she went into and through another, and another: and it began to took
as if all the bibulous paraphernalia of Kansas were about to be sent into
the twilight.
When the smoke had somewhat cleared away, and time elapsed sufficient to
garner these circumstances into authentic news, it transpired that
the woman who had done this was Mrs. Carry A. Nation--utterly obscure
and unknown until that week.
This raid among decanters was a very singular and startling act, for
a woman: but, somehow, people found it refreshing. It represented precisely
what many had imagined in their minds, what thousands of women
had wished they themselves could or dared do, what myraids of confirmed
drinkers, even, had wished might be done. News of Mrs. Nation's
swift and decided action went all over the country, like a stiff, healthy
gale. She was sharply criticised--but there lurked very often a "dry
grin" behind the criticism. This smashing was all very direct and unique
and Americans are in general fond of directness and uniqueness. It was,
technically, illegal; but, even so, it was remarked that the saloons which
Mrs. Nation wrecked, were themselves in brazen defiance of the laws of
the state of Kansas--unenforced on account of the fear or venality of
public officers.
The work of this determined woman went on with a thoroughness
and promptness that made it ultra-interesting. She was imprisoned again
and again, and became an inmate, at one time and another, of some nineteen
different jails. She had trial after trial--in which was developed
the fact that her tongue was as sharp as her hatchet; she often addressing
even the judge presiding, as "Your Dishonor," while prosecuting
attorneys she treated with supreme scorn. Not much mercy was shown
her in the county bastiles: she was often bestowed in cells next to insane
people--in the hope, she thinks, that she might become really crazy, as
well as reputedly so. One sheriff, finding that the fumes of cigarette-
meeting at Christ's mission, Soldiers' Home. At 5 o'clock, accompanied
by some of her committee, she went to Salem, O., where she was entertained
by Rev. Baker, of the U. B. church, and afterwards held the usual
crowded meeting in his church, leaving there at 8 o'clock for Brookville,
O., where she held another big meeting at the U. B. church.
Mrs. Nation has certainly worked hard here and proven herself in
possession of wonderful energy and capacity for work. The following is
a list of appointments here in ten days, every one of which she filled and
not once could she fully accommodate the crowd: Friday night, October
21, street meeting corner Main and Fourth streets; afterwards to wedding
anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Bennett, where many congenial
spirits were present. This took on the nature of an entertainment to Mrs.
Nation. Saturday night, October 22, U. B. church, Miamisburg; Sunday,
October 23, the Dunkard church, Dayton; Sunday, October 23, afternoon
at Bellbrook, O., mass meeting of the three churches at town hall; Sunday
night, October 23, St. Paul's M. E., Dayton; Monday night, October
24, Riverdale U. B.; Tuesday night, First United Presbyterian; Wednesday
night, Trinity M. E.; Thursday afternoon, Free Methodist; Thursday
night, mass meeting of colored churches at McKinley M. E.; Friday
afternoon, 2 o'clock, U. 13. seminary; 4 o'clock, W. C. T. U. meeting,
Broadway M: E.; Friday night, Second United Presbyterian, and balance
appointments as given above.
The committees of the various churches, the Citizens' League and
Prohibition party are much pleased with the work Mrs. Nation did here
and predict great results from it.--Dayton Daily.
CHAPTER XXVII.
(Sketch by WILL CARLETON, in his Magazine EVERYWHERE.)
Some years ago, the American public--always longing for "something
new," was treated to an absolutely unique sensation. A woman armed
with a hatchet had gone into a Kansas liquor saloon and smashed up its
appurtenances, in a very thorough and unconventional manner. After
this, she went into and through another, and another: and it began to took
as if all the bibulous paraphernalia of Kansas were about to be sent into
the twilight.
When the smoke had somewhat cleared away, and time elapsed sufficient to
garner these circumstances into authentic news, it transpired that
the woman who had done this was Mrs. Carry A. Nation--utterly obscure
and unknown until that week.
This raid among decanters was a very singular and startling act, for
a woman: but, somehow, people found it refreshing. It represented precisely
what many had imagined in their minds, what thousands of women
had wished they themselves could or dared do, what myraids of confirmed
drinkers, even, had wished might be done. News of Mrs. Nation's
swift and decided action went all over the country, like a stiff, healthy
gale. She was sharply criticised--but there lurked very often a "dry
grin" behind the criticism. This smashing was all very direct and unique
and Americans are in general fond of directness and uniqueness. It was,
technically, illegal; but, even so, it was remarked that the saloons which
Mrs. Nation wrecked, were themselves in brazen defiance of the laws of
the state of Kansas--unenforced on account of the fear or venality of
public officers.
The work of this determined woman went on with a thoroughness
and promptness that made it ultra-interesting. She was imprisoned again
and again, and became an inmate, at one time and another, of some nineteen
different jails. She had trial after trial--in which was developed
the fact that her tongue was as sharp as her hatchet; she often addressing
even the judge presiding, as "Your Dishonor," while prosecuting
attorneys she treated with supreme scorn. Not much mercy was shown
her in the county bastiles: she was often bestowed in cells next to insane
people--in the hope, she thinks, that she might become really crazy, as
well as reputedly so. One sheriff, finding that the fumes of cigarette-