第 26 节
作者:谁与争疯      更新:2021-02-19 00:36      字数:9321
  This negro finally cheated me out of my money and papers also。
  I closed with him after three weeks; he put the papers out; collected for
  them and never paid me a cent。 I believe he paid Mr。 Nation some and
  when I would have made him account for his wrong dealings; I found
  that the contract between he and I; which was drawn up by Mr。 Nation;
  made this negro my partner。 This; of course; was done to prevent me
  from having any legal redress。 My paper was called THE SMASHER'S
  MAIL。 I called it this for it was largely composed of letters which I
  had received on the subject of smashing。 I had no one to read the proofs
  and was at the mercy of this negro; who was not in sympathy with my
  cause; but to the reverse。 I was often humiliated at the way my articles
  were tortured。 I afterwards got The Kansas Farmer to publish the paper
  and I then bought a press of my own; but found that I could not conduct
  a paper and lecture; so after the 13th edition; I closed。 The paper
  accomplished ; this much; that the public could see by my editorials that
  I was not insane。
  THE SECOND TIME IN JAIL AT WICHITA。
  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。}
  These two were very much interested in having me adjudged insane;
  for Mr。 Simmons had in several ways laid himself liable to criminal
  prosecution; especially in the matter of the quarantine。 Mrs。 Simmons
  came to our cell door; and in the presence of Sister Wilhoit; to whom she
  had told that I used 〃obscene language;〃 I asked her if she said this?
  She had to acknowledge that she did。 I told her she spoke a 〃lie;〃 for
  I had never done such a thing。 She sent her husband and son up to the
  cell and they dragged me into the rotary and put me in one of those little
  triangular cells; which was indeed a place of filth。 The faucet leaked;
  and kept a continual spatter; which made the foot of my cot damp。 I
  stayed there five days and while it was not as bad as Jeremiah's dungeon;
  it was similar。 The dampness and poison of this cell added to the already
  deep cold on my lungs。 Dear Bro。 Schollenberger! Who has not heard
  of this great hearted man of Wichita? He brought us little treats and
  in many ways relieved us of our afflictions and bonds。 I was not allowed
  to be with my lovely sisters again in prison they would write notes and
  send them by a 〃trusty;〃 for they were very uneasy about me; fearing
  foul play。
  As soon as the sisters could get bonds; they got out; but I was not
  allowed to give bond。 I was not a meek prisoner; did not act like a
  criminal。 This vexed my prosecutors and they tried to humble me; but
  I felt that I was right and that God would stand by me and I wanted
  Him to look down and always find me brave and true and in nothing
  to be terrified by my adversaries。
  I had some money sent me while in jail and this I divided; often to
  the last; with my fellow prisoners。 To one I gave four dollars; for his
  poor wife was soon to be confined。 To the 〃trusty〃 John; I gave three
  dollars for his destitute wife; and often bought little treats; such as
  fruits and butter。 The meals were meat and beans one day; then potatoes
  and meat all cooked tip into a mush。 I became very much attached to
  my fellow prisoners and I found some with noble sentiments。 What
  do people do who have no hope of heaven; I often ask。 What a joy to
  have a place in view where there is no sickness; no death; no jails; no
  suffering of any kind。
  THE THIRD TIME IN TOPEKA JAIL。
  I had become so disgusted with jail food that my stomach refused
  it。 As soon as I was put in jail I told Mr。 Cook to send the milkman
  to my cell。 He came and was very kind。 He agreed to bring me some
  bread and milk; ten cents worth a day。 This I lived on for the eighteen
  days。 In the cell with me was a woman named Mrs。 Mahanna; who was
  put in for selling beer。 She did not happen to have a government license。
  Poor creature! She bad been the mother of fifteen children; had a
  broken hip caused by a kick of a drunken husband。 She was very ignorant
  but kind…hearted。 The heat was intense and we were next to the
  roof。 Sometimes I would feel like I was suffocated。 The windows
  slanted so that but little draught came in。 One pane of glass was partly
  out and we would sit by that to get a breath of air。 While in this jail
  I had many offers from different theatrical; circus; and museum managers;
  who tried to tempt me with all kinds of prices; one as high as 800
  a week; and a palace car and a maid。 I never for one moment thought
  of taking any of them until two managers came from New York City。
  The sheriff; Mr。 Cook; brought their cards up。 I said: 〃Tell them to
  wait until morning。〃 I prayed over the matter nearly all night and before
  day all seemed settled。 (This was a test to try my faith。) The cloud
  was lifted and I told Mr。 Cook to tell the men that a 〃million a minute
  would not catch me。〃 My dear friends especially Mrs。 Goodwin; Dr。
  Eva Harding and others used their influence to have Stanley; the governor
  pardon me; this he refused to do; the joint…keepers were those he
  favored more than me。
  I had never thought of going before the public as a lecturer。 I
  knew those people only wanted me as they would a white elephant。 I
  did not at this time see the stage as a missionary field。
  At this time I was entirely out of means; was in debt and the duns
  I got while in jail were a terrible trouble to me。 The ten cents I got
  for my bread and milk came in almost daily for copies of my papers。 I
  paid my milkman sometimes in stamps。
  I never wanted to get out of jail so badly in my life; as I did at this
  time; when the offers to make engagements were so many。 Two days
  after the New York managers were there; I got a letter from James E。
  Furlong; a Lyceum Manager of Rochester; N。 Y。; who had managed
  Patti and many of the great singers。 He told me if I would give him
  〃some dates〃; he would assist me in getting out of jail。 I hardly knew
  what he meant by 〃dates〃。 Mrs。 Goodwin of Topeka called to see me;
  I showed the letter to her and asked what this man meant by 〃dates?〃
  She said: 〃He may want you to lecture or you could tell of your experience。〃
  〃I wonder if the people would like to hear me; I can tell my experience;〃
  I said。 I asked her to tell Mr。 Duminel; my lawyer; to come to
  my cell。 I told him of it; and he said he would call the commissioners
  together and would have them let me out by paying my fines by monthly
  installments。 This he did。 So Mr。 Furlong sent the money needed and
  Dr。 Harding and Mrs。 Goodwin collected seventy dollars from my friends
  to help me out。 When I got to Kansas City; I lacked fifty cents of having
  enough money to pay for my ticket east; so I borrowed that of the man
  at the fruit stand in the depot。 In about a week from that I spoke at
  Atlantic City for the Philadelphia American; the proceeds being used to
  give the poor children an outing。 Thousands of people were present。
  I never made a note or wrote a sentence for the platform in my life。
  Have spoken extemporaneously from the first and often went on the
  platform when I could not have told what I was to say to save my life;
  and for s