The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-05-12

CSfanceS.
john. G. COLLINS.
N~-~~~~~~~~~~-~~-~~-
Hrs. Knott Before the w. c. I. ..
Mrs w. v. Knott, the wife of our
honored State Treasurer, Hon. w. V.
Knott, a cultured lady Of Tallahassee.
made quite q telling address on Thurs.
day morning, when che told in q few
graceful, well-chOsen remarks, how
Tallahassee had become q prohibition
town. In her own language we viii
tell the story:
Madam President. Ladies-I have
been asked to tell the convention how
Tallahassee became a prohibition city.
Well, it was hard work and prayer that
did it. / looked over the field; called
the w. c. T. u. members together,
first one and then another announced
that they were going away on their va
cations. said, Ladies, / was going
on my vacation, but will not COL am
needed right here in my home town,
and here / will stay so handful of
good, faithful workers and myself band
ed ourselves together to pray said,
Ladies, let US meet every day at 3
O'Clock in the M. E. church for prayer
and conservation. We did so, and we
kept this up for two weeks, then some
Of the gentlemen became interested,
and they arranged a meeting, to hear
both sides, the wet and the dry We
women kept on praying, and we asked
God TO confuse the speakers and not let
them make good speeches for the wet
side but TO make the speakers for the
dry side silver-tongued orators. And
the voters told around how the negroes
hundreds Of ,them.-had been hired 10
vote for the wet side. vi prayed that
God would let the negroes put mo-
where they should put yes, and yes
where they should put no, and sign
them in the wrong places and they did
Just what we asked God to make them
do, and the election officers told my
husband that they had to throw out ov-
er hundred negro votes because they
were not filled in properly. And, lad
les, am here at this convention 10 tell
you that God heard all of our prayers.
Our ladies' are conservative women,
and had never done such things as we
did the niSht of that meeting. | asked
God before I went not to let me be con-
spicuous. Well, we mustered our forces
together, and what do you think?-we
had four long squares Of marching wo-
men and children singing Temperance
songs, headed by a brass band. did
the very thing had asked God not to
let me do, that was, TO be conspicuous.
l found myself marching up and down
that line singing and telling them not
TO falter but TO sing louder, and clap |
ping my hands, the most conspicuous
woman in the city at that time. Well,
the speakers commenced. The first
speaker, a wet speaker, one Of the
most brilliant men in the State, got up
TO speak, and what do you think the
Lord did? He confused him so he lost
his place IN the manuscript which he
red In the face and had TO sit down.
and God did that for US. Then our side
and you never heard such
a speech. Our speaker made some
brilliant points and God helped him.
We went from the meeting to our
homes. The next day was election day.
Our band Of women went at o'clock
in the morning TO the church again, and
we had prayers for an hour, then we
disbanded and went in small parties TO
the polls, where the ladies remained
until the polls closed. They served
lemonade sandwiches, tea and coffee,
and the leading citizens Of the place
stood around and chatted with the ladies
and kept them from insult. l stayed
with them until 10 a. m. then / said,
Ladies, you do not need me here; !
feel that ] must 60 TO the church again
to pray, and ! went and the first day
ever tasted in my whole life ! tasted
from 10 a. M, until the polls closed. /
was on my knees when they came 20
the church, and they said, Come, Mrs
Knott, God has answered our prayers
has gone dry. EustiS Lake
Region.
With her usual modesty Mrs Knott
wishes 20 make q correction In the
above article. But all who were here
last summer and took part In the MEM
orable contest know full well how
largely her earnestness and persever-
ance, her little words Of praise and soft
answers contributed % the successful
issue.
The following Is Mrs. Knots version
and corrections:
= During an interval In the w, G. 7.
u. convention Mrs. Knott was called on
for q few remarks