The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [33]
and withdrew from me
because I was a "stumbling block," and a "disturber of the peace." This
was a grief to me, for my beloved father, mother, brothers and sisters
belonged to this society of Christians, and I had, since I was a child ten
years of age. I wept much over this, but I went to church as usual, not
so much to the Christian church, but the Baptist, where they were very
kind to me.
Bro. Wesley Cain had charge of that church and this man and his
wife were a tower of strength to me. What this man and wife did for the
people of Medicine Lodge will receive approbation on "That Day," at the
resurrection of the just.
Mrs. Cain was local president of the W. C. T. U. and she was at her
post; was self-sacrificing, and had such a sympathizing heart. The poor
never applied to Bro. Cain and his noble wife in vain. I have much to
thank them for.
I was Jail Evangelist at this time for the W. C. T. U. and I learned
that almost everyone who was in jail was directly or indirectly there from
the influence of intoxicating drinks. I began to ask why should we have
the result of the saloon, when Kansas was a prohibition state, and the
constitution
made it a crime to manufacture, barter, sell or give away intoxicating
drinks? When I went to Medicine Lodge there were seven dives
where drinks were sold. I will give some reasons why they were removed.
I began to harass these dive-keepers, although they were not as much to
blame as the city officials who allowed them to run. Mart Strong was a
noted joint-keeper. He and his son, Frank, were both bad drinking characters,
and would sell it every chance they got. Mart had a dive and I
was in several times to talk to him, and he would try to flatter me and
turn things into a joke. When he saw I did not listen to such talk,
treated me very rude. One Saturday I saw quite a number of men
into his place, and I went in also. Saloons in Kansas generally have a
front room to enter as a precaution, then a back room where the bar is.
I didn't get farther than the front, for Mart came hastily, taking me by the
shoulders and said: "Get out of here, you crazy woman." I was singing
this song:
Who hath sorrow? Who hath Woe?
They who dare not answer no;
They whose feet to sin incline,
While they tarry at the wine.
CHORUS:
They who tarry at the wine cup
They who tarry at the wine cup.
They who tarry at the wine cup.
Who hath babblings, who hath strife?
He who leads a drunkard's life;
He whose loved ones weep and pine,
While he tarries at the wine.
Who hath wounds without a cause?
He who breaks God's holy laws;
He who scorns the Lord divine,
While he tarries at the wine.
Who hath redness at the eyes?
Who brings poverty and sighs?
Unto homes almost divine,
While he tarries at the wine?
Touch not, taste not, handle not:
Drink will make the dark, dark blot,
Like an adder it will sting,
And at last to ruin bring,
They who tarry at the drink."
I continued to sing this, with tears running down my face. When I
finished the song there was a great crowd; some of the men had tears in
their eyes as well. James Gano, the constable, was standing near the door
and said: "I wish I could take you off the streets." I said: "Yes, you
want to take me, a woman, whose heart is breaking to see the ruin of these
men, the desolate homes and broken laws, and you a constable, oath-bound
to close his man's unlawful business."
The treatment I got at the hands of this Mart Strong was told to the
mayor and councilmen, and there was great indignation. The councilmen
went to Mart's place that night. The door was locked and a number of
gamblers were in there. The mayor forced the door open and told Mart
Strong never to open business in the town again. He left next day; and
this closed up one of the worst places in the town. Then there was Henry
Durst, another jointist of long standing who was a German and had
accumulated quite a lot of property by this dishonest business. He was a
prominent Catholic. A Mrs. Elliott, a
because I was a "stumbling block," and a "disturber of the peace." This
was a grief to me, for my beloved father, mother, brothers and sisters
belonged to this society of Christians, and I had, since I was a child ten
years of age. I wept much over this, but I went to church as usual, not
so much to the Christian church, but the Baptist, where they were very
kind to me.
Bro. Wesley Cain had charge of that church and this man and his
wife were a tower of strength to me. What this man and wife did for the
people of Medicine Lodge will receive approbation on "That Day," at the
resurrection of the just.
Mrs. Cain was local president of the W. C. T. U. and she was at her
post; was self-sacrificing, and had such a sympathizing heart. The poor
never applied to Bro. Cain and his noble wife in vain. I have much to
thank them for.
I was Jail Evangelist at this time for the W. C. T. U. and I learned
that almost everyone who was in jail was directly or indirectly there from
the influence of intoxicating drinks. I began to ask why should we have
the result of the saloon, when Kansas was a prohibition state, and the
constitution
made it a crime to manufacture, barter, sell or give away intoxicating
drinks? When I went to Medicine Lodge there were seven dives
where drinks were sold. I will give some reasons why they were removed.
I began to harass these dive-keepers, although they were not as much to
blame as the city officials who allowed them to run. Mart Strong was a
noted joint-keeper. He and his son, Frank, were both bad drinking characters,
and would sell it every chance they got. Mart had a dive and I
was in several times to talk to him, and he would try to flatter me and
turn things into a joke. When he saw I did not listen to such talk,
treated me very rude. One Saturday I saw quite a number of men
into his place, and I went in also. Saloons in Kansas generally have a
front room to enter as a precaution, then a back room where the bar is.
I didn't get farther than the front, for Mart came hastily, taking me by the
shoulders and said: "Get out of here, you crazy woman." I was singing
this song:
Who hath sorrow? Who hath Woe?
They who dare not answer no;
They whose feet to sin incline,
While they tarry at the wine.
CHORUS:
They who tarry at the wine cup
They who tarry at the wine cup.
They who tarry at the wine cup.
Who hath babblings, who hath strife?
He who leads a drunkard's life;
He whose loved ones weep and pine,
While he tarries at the wine.
Who hath wounds without a cause?
He who breaks God's holy laws;
He who scorns the Lord divine,
While he tarries at the wine.
Who hath redness at the eyes?
Who brings poverty and sighs?
Unto homes almost divine,
While he tarries at the wine?
Touch not, taste not, handle not:
Drink will make the dark, dark blot,
Like an adder it will sting,
And at last to ruin bring,
They who tarry at the drink."
I continued to sing this, with tears running down my face. When I
finished the song there was a great crowd; some of the men had tears in
their eyes as well. James Gano, the constable, was standing near the door
and said: "I wish I could take you off the streets." I said: "Yes, you
want to take me, a woman, whose heart is breaking to see the ruin of these
men, the desolate homes and broken laws, and you a constable, oath-bound
to close his man's unlawful business."
The treatment I got at the hands of this Mart Strong was told to the
mayor and councilmen, and there was great indignation. The councilmen
went to Mart's place that night. The door was locked and a number of
gamblers were in there. The mayor forced the door open and told Mart
Strong never to open business in the town again. He left next day; and
this closed up one of the worst places in the town. Then there was Henry
Durst, another jointist of long standing who was a German and had
accumulated quite a lot of property by this dishonest business. He was a
prominent Catholic. A Mrs. Elliott, a