The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [64]
believe he was
induced to do this by the republicans, thinking to hinder my work.
The people of Medicine Lodge were shocked at this, for they knew
I had been faithful to my duties as a wife, up to the time I went to
Wichita, and when I went to Topeka I told Mr. Nation if he would stay
there with me, I would pay his board and room rent, which I did. He
came to Topeka and the first thing that he took offense at was my objecting
to his opening my mail, for when he did I never saw a dollar sent
for a subscription and sometimes would find parts of letters destroyed.
On the day of the trial, Mr. Nation could not produce a witness to
prove I was other than kind, except the affidavit of a man who could
neither read nor write. Mr. Nation wrote out what he wanted this man
to swear to, and the man signed it, for he could just write his name.
This man was in Oklahoma at the time, My neighbors came of their
own accord and testified to my having done my cooking and housework;
frequently cooking meals and taking them to Mr. Nation, who was still
in bed. Judge Gillette, the same man who was on the bench in my
slander suit presided. Mr. Nation did not get his divorce because of my
"extreme cruelty," but because I testified that I could not, nor would
never live with him as a wife. I could not. I was very much grieved to
bear this reproach, of a divorced wife. I made my home during the trial
with my dear friend, Mrs. Judge Howe, who is still living, and she knows
how bitter this was to me.
The home was given me, and the divorce and a small piece of property
in Medicine Lodge to Mr. Nation. I shortly after sold this home for
$800. It was part of the payment for "Home for Drunkards' Wives" in
Kansas City. It was as I expected, a means used by my enemies to hinder
me in my work. I was blamed for the divorce. It was said, "I broke up
a home." That if I was in a good work I would not do these things.
And while delivering my lectures, it was often called out; "Why don't
you go back to your husband? No wonder he got a divorce from
you," and all such sayings. But I learned to expect and was prepared for
such treatment.
We hear, "A woman's place is at home." That is true, but what and
where is home. Not the walls of a house. Not furniture, food or clothes.
Home is where the heart is, where our loved ones are. If my son is
in a drinking place, my place is there. If my daughter, or the daughter
of any one else, my family or any other family is in trouble, my place
is there. That woman would be selfish or cowardly who would refuse
to leave her home to relieve suffering or trouble. Jesus said, "Go out
into the highways and hedges." He said this to women, as well as men.
If the women of Galilee had not left their homes they would not have
followed Jesus. If Phoebe had not left her home, she would not have
gone on the business of the church to Jerusalem. We would have no
woman missionaries--Women now, are forced to go out to save the
homes.
D. L. Moody once said, and which I hardly understood at the time:
"When a wife knew that the man that should be her husband was unfaithful
and corrupt, she was as bad as he if she lived with him." I have thought
much of the meaning of husband. He is one who is a man who provides
and cares for his family, as much as it is in his power to do, but when
he refuses and will not do this, he breaks his marriage vow and becomes
his wife's enemy. A husband is not an enemy. This will place many
women in the roll of living with men who are not their husbands, and
this is so. I do not favor divorce, but it is better to separate, than bring
up children of drunkards or licentious fathers. There is nothing which
is making so much enmity between the sexes as intoxicating drink. This
is the cause of so many divorces. Men who go into saloons generally
visit houses of prostitution. The women they meet there have been
deceived and lost their self respect, become discouraged because men have
made them their victims through treachery and in turn these women
revenge themselves
induced to do this by the republicans, thinking to hinder my work.
The people of Medicine Lodge were shocked at this, for they knew
I had been faithful to my duties as a wife, up to the time I went to
Wichita, and when I went to Topeka I told Mr. Nation if he would stay
there with me, I would pay his board and room rent, which I did. He
came to Topeka and the first thing that he took offense at was my objecting
to his opening my mail, for when he did I never saw a dollar sent
for a subscription and sometimes would find parts of letters destroyed.
On the day of the trial, Mr. Nation could not produce a witness to
prove I was other than kind, except the affidavit of a man who could
neither read nor write. Mr. Nation wrote out what he wanted this man
to swear to, and the man signed it, for he could just write his name.
This man was in Oklahoma at the time, My neighbors came of their
own accord and testified to my having done my cooking and housework;
frequently cooking meals and taking them to Mr. Nation, who was still
in bed. Judge Gillette, the same man who was on the bench in my
slander suit presided. Mr. Nation did not get his divorce because of my
"extreme cruelty," but because I testified that I could not, nor would
never live with him as a wife. I could not. I was very much grieved to
bear this reproach, of a divorced wife. I made my home during the trial
with my dear friend, Mrs. Judge Howe, who is still living, and she knows
how bitter this was to me.
The home was given me, and the divorce and a small piece of property
in Medicine Lodge to Mr. Nation. I shortly after sold this home for
$800. It was part of the payment for "Home for Drunkards' Wives" in
Kansas City. It was as I expected, a means used by my enemies to hinder
me in my work. I was blamed for the divorce. It was said, "I broke up
a home." That if I was in a good work I would not do these things.
And while delivering my lectures, it was often called out; "Why don't
you go back to your husband? No wonder he got a divorce from
you," and all such sayings. But I learned to expect and was prepared for
such treatment.
We hear, "A woman's place is at home." That is true, but what and
where is home. Not the walls of a house. Not furniture, food or clothes.
Home is where the heart is, where our loved ones are. If my son is
in a drinking place, my place is there. If my daughter, or the daughter
of any one else, my family or any other family is in trouble, my place
is there. That woman would be selfish or cowardly who would refuse
to leave her home to relieve suffering or trouble. Jesus said, "Go out
into the highways and hedges." He said this to women, as well as men.
If the women of Galilee had not left their homes they would not have
followed Jesus. If Phoebe had not left her home, she would not have
gone on the business of the church to Jerusalem. We would have no
woman missionaries--Women now, are forced to go out to save the
homes.
D. L. Moody once said, and which I hardly understood at the time:
"When a wife knew that the man that should be her husband was unfaithful
and corrupt, she was as bad as he if she lived with him." I have thought
much of the meaning of husband. He is one who is a man who provides
and cares for his family, as much as it is in his power to do, but when
he refuses and will not do this, he breaks his marriage vow and becomes
his wife's enemy. A husband is not an enemy. This will place many
women in the roll of living with men who are not their husbands, and
this is so. I do not favor divorce, but it is better to separate, than bring
up children of drunkards or licentious fathers. There is nothing which
is making so much enmity between the sexes as intoxicating drink. This
is the cause of so many divorces. Men who go into saloons generally
visit houses of prostitution. The women they meet there have been
deceived and lost their self respect, become discouraged because men have
made them their victims through treachery and in turn these women
revenge themselves