Jerauld County, SD News.....Letter from Mrs. Hall August 16, 1889 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 8, 2005, 12:11 am Wessington Springs Herald August 16, 1889 Letter From Mrs. Hall (The following letter was mailed at Parker, Aug. 10th which we publish with pleasure – ED.) Dear Herald:- As I to go into battle tonight, not knowing what the outcome will be, I drop you a line, so that if I "fall by the way" somebody will know what became of me. I am in "Russia" just as much as if I was outside the limits of the United States. Have stirred up a hornets nest among the Russian Mennonites, who own and control this country. No one would receive me into their homes, and I would have been left out on the prairie but for an Irishman who had brought me out, and who kept saying "don't be unaisy ma'am, I'll stand by ye, never lave ye among such haythens" and I assure you it was comforting. To be honest; I really preferred the prairie to the houses, where bread and the cats all took refuge in the family bed, and such a bed, the cat perched on top of a warm loaf of bread, winked dreamily. For the first time I began to waver. My Irish friend finally found one American family, (and they were making ready to leave.) But my escort asked permission for the "leddy" what talks temperance, and a perfect leddy she is from the crown of her head to her fut." And if its not continted ye air, its meself that will take ye back to my wife. Is it that ye air afraid of the Hayhens?' Nat a hair of yer head shall be hurt ma'am." After assuring him that I felt perfectly safe, he departed. When night came my American friends started with me to the meeting in the school house, as the church had been refused me. About half way we were met by a wagon load of Russians who said the house was full and wanted me to hurry. One got out and came to me and spoke in low german (they all understand german) told me two saloon keepers and a speaker had come over from Hutchinson county to talk against me, and he thought I ought to know it. I felt sure of one friend. After distributing the campaign song leaflets I took advantage of their love of music and kept them singing until I had their sympathy to a small extent. When I asked my opponent to stand up, and give his reason for wanting to take possession of my meeting, he answered it "was a free country and he came to talk against prohibition because it was never heard of in Russia or Germany." I invited him to take the floor. He refused, I asked him if he now lived in Russia or German?" "no." I said neither do I, consequently I propose that we all act like Americans. I told him I was sent out by the state, who sends you? "O, shust some folks." I said "I represent the home, with the Lord, and good men and pure women, and innocent children on my side, who, and what do you stand for?" He was standing by my side, blushing and trembling when I turned to the audience and explained the difference, and it seemed that the Lord put words in my mouth. Heads were nodding assent over the house, and he went out. After I was through he rushed to the front and began in German. I asked him to talk in English, he flatly refused but said anything I did'nt understand he would interpret. I asked him to interpret a sentence I did'nt just catch, and he told me to keep still. You can imagine how my blood boiled when he went on with a tirade of abuse and ridicule of American women, and the women-the women applauded him! I understood him all the way through, and you can rest assured that blank astonishment came over the faces of the women when I got up and answered him, and pointed my finger at those women and said; I can make better bread than you, I can cook potatoes and kraut better, and if we American women do sit in our rocking chairs, it is because we are smart enough to get our work done and out of the way. We don't laugh at your odd dress and dirty cooking, but welcome you to our country, etc., etc. They dropped their heads and said "die yankee frau verstichen." He had said we were so lazy we would sit in the rocking chair all day with house so dirty you couldn't get in, and then the women laughed. He also said I better be at home asking counsel of my husband, quoting Paul! I turned to him and told him my husband died for this country that you might have liberty, and then you come here from the old country and dare to ridicule American women-go back to Germany where you will see none of them. We can spare you. He quoted scripture largely about Christ making wine etc. I told them if they had wine made out of water alone, same as that was, we had no objections to it. He attempted to apologize, and I still insisted that he return to either Germany or Russia. The majority of the audience were with me, for a wonder, and he was beaten for that time. One old Russian says "glad you tell him go back to old country. He no good. You have God with you, he have devil." I have been warned that he will follow me to the other places for more of same kind, and that there will be trouble tonight as he has whiskey with him and I shall not have one American with me. No one else would come here, and the saloon has had full sway. I never so much felt the necessity of the ballot for women. These women would not vote, but intelligent ones would. If there is anything left of me I will return to Yankton next week to a county convention, and then to Minnehaha and Lincoln counties. Splendid success everywhere. Among the Scandinavians I always have good, quiet interested audiences and always organize them. I find whole townships of them that will be almost solid for prohibition. Hoping to return to the states soon. Mrs. Nettie C. Hall, State Lecturer Dak. W. C. T. U. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/jerauld/newspapers/letterfr195gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/sdfiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb