The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-04-07
Peter cartwr1shs tanass q sarev,.

Peter Cartwright tanass . ehrew.
Within the bounds of this district.
there lived local preacher, who was q
small, very easy, good natured, pleasan:
man he was believed to be also very
pious man, and a good and useful preach
er. His wife was almost directly the
reverse of everything that WAS good ),
saving that it was believed that she was
xirtuous. She was high-tem.ered,
overbearing, quarrelsome, and o vcryc
violent opposer Of religion. She would
not fix her husbands clothes to 60 out
and preach, and was unwilling that he
should ask blessing at the table, or
pray in the family. And when he at
tempted to prey, she would not conform.
but tear around and make all tho noise
and disturbance in her power. Sho.
would turn the chairs over while he
was reading, singing or praying; and il
she could not stop him in any othe.-
way, she would catch cat and throw
into his face while ho was kneeling and
trying to pray. Poor little man! he
was tormented almost to desperation.--
He had invited several preachers homo
with him to talk to her, and see if they
could not moderate her. but all to no
purpose she would curse them to thei.'
face, and rage like demon. He hats
insisted on my going home with him
several times, but I frankly confess tbn.
| was afraid to trust myself. pitied
him from my very heart, and so did
everybody else that was acquainted uiih
his situation. But at length I yielded
to his opportunities, and went home
with him one evening, intending to stay
all night. After we arrived saw in !.
minute that she was mad, and that the.
ID was in her as big as wood-chuck ::
so l fixed my purpose and determined
on my course: After supper he said ia
her, very kindly
Come, wife, stop your little affairs,
and let us have prayer"
That moment she boiled over and
said =
Il will have none of your praying
about me-"
l spoke to her mildly, and expostula-
ted with her, and tried to- reason bu.
no. the further went the more wrath
full she became and she cursed me mos.
bitterly. l then put on a stern Loo.
and said to her
"Madam. if you we're wife of mine.
| would break you of your bad ways, or
l would break your neck"
"Ihe ID you would p said She
Eyes, a pretty Christian you are. sin.
you?"
And then such a volley of curses a.
she poured on me was almost beyond
"Be STILL" said I, ''if you do not b,
still and behave yourself, I'll put YOU
out of DOORS"
At this she clinched her fist and sworc
that she was one half swapping turtle,
and that it would take better man
than l was to put her out from the door.
which was then standing open. |
caught her by the arm and swinging her,
round in circle brought her right up
to the door and showed her out. She
jumped up, tore her hair, foamed, and
such swearing as she uttered was sci
dom, if ever equalled, and never sur
passed. The door or shutter of the.
door was very strongly made, to keeI>
out hostile Indians. I shut it tight
barred it, and went to prayer; and /
prayed as best could, but l had n
language at my command to express M
feelings; at the same time was deter
mined to conquer, or die in the attempt
While she was raging and foaming il.
the yard and around the cabin, started
a spiritual song, and sung aloud to drown
her voice as much as possible. Tho
five or six little children ran and squat
ted about, and crawled under the beds.
Poor things! they were scared almos.
10 death.
l sang on, and she roared and than
dered on the outside till she became
perfectly exhausted, and painted for
breath. At length, when she had s2en,
her force. she became calm and still.
and then knocked at the door, say
ing
''Mr. Cartwright, please to let n,o
in I"
"Will you behave yourself, if I Let
you in ?" S id.
ooh yes," said she, 81 will ;" and
throwing myself on my guard and per
fectly self-possessed, ! opened the door,
took her by the hand, led her in, and
seated her near the fireplace. She hae'
roared and foamed till she was in higE
state of perspiration, and looked pale u.
death. After she took her seat
"Oh!" said she. ss~hat a fccl n
am"
"Yes." said /, s'about one Of the big
gest fools ever saw in all my life. Ant
now," said I, "you will have to re
pent Of all this, or go to the d-la:
last"
She was silent. Said l.
"Children, come out here your
mother won't hurt you now - and turn
ing to her husband, said
Brother c., let us pray again.
We kneeled down, and both prayed
She was as quiet as a lamb.
And now, gentle reader, this was on,
Of the hardest cases that ! ever saw o.,
this earth. l must record it to the gEc-
ry OF Divine Grace, l lived to see in less
than six months after this frolic with The
ID. this woman soundly converted L.
God and if ever there was changed
mortal for the better, It was this woman
Her children, as they grew up, all l b.;
lieve obtained religion, and the famii,
became a religious, happy family. an2
she was as bold in the cause of God
as she had been in the service of Sa.
tan.
-D-sOsNN
GoLp IN IowA-GREAT ExcIrEMEN.