“I am sorry that I can not give more of the details of his grand work in Iowa.”

The winter of 1851-2 was very cold, but father did not stop for bad weather.  I remember that when he started to his appointment one cold morning mother cried for fear he would freeze to death.  The mail-carrier did freeze to death that day, but father kept from freezing by walking.  The next summer was very rainy, and mother was always anxious when there were high waters, for there were no bridges, and father always swam his horse across streams, although he could not swim a stroke.

Then he preached for several years in Illinois, and was gone for months at a time.

In July, 1854, my little sister—­for by that time I had another brother and sister—­after a brief illness, closed her eyes in death.  Fortunately father was at home, to mingle his tears with mother’s, over the little coffin.

The next spring father sold his Iowa farm.

Before leaving there an incident occurred that I distinctly remember.  The Iowa Legislature had passed some kind of temperance law, and the people were to vote on it at the spring election.  Our country lyceum formed itself into a mock court, and tried King Alcohol for various crimes and misdemeanors.  Father was appointed prosecuting attorney, and he went at it in earnest, as he always did at anything he undertook.  He sent for every man in the vicinity who ever drank, or who had good opportunities to observe the effect of drink on others, to appear as a witness against King Alcohol.  The trial lasted three evenings, with Increasing crowds.  Father’s adroitness in drawing facts from witnesses—­often against their will—­kept the Audience laughing and applauding.  I remember hearing people say that he had mistaken his calling; that he ought to have been a lawyer.  On the last evening, When he addressed the jury, he became eloquent.  He pictured the terrible effects of intemperance, the ruined homes, the weeping wives, the ragged children.  He denounced King Alcohol as guilty of every known crime—­of stealing the bread from the mouths of children, of robbing helpless women of everything they valued most, of brutally shedding the blood of thousands, and of filling the whole earth with violence, until the cries of widows and orphans reached to high heaven.  When he finished, the house rang with applause.  The attorney for the defense tried to reply, but the boys said Mr. Butler had spoiled his speech.  The jury brought in a verdict of guilty.  The election came off soon afterwards, and people said that it was strongly influenced, in that township, by father’s speech.

The next May, mother, my little brother, and I, went to my uncle Gorham’s, near Canton, Illinois; while father went to Kansas to buy land, intending, however, to live several years at Mt.  Sterling, Illinois, before moving to Kansas.

Mrs. Rosetta B. Hastings.

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS