Hand painted glass lanternslide depicting a man reaching for a mug of beer. The slide can be manipulated so temperance advocate Carry Nation appears with a hatchet from the mug, and the man's hair stands on end. Part of a collection made by Samuel Reader between 1866 and 1913. Reader was a Kansas farmer who was active in the early Topeka community. He built two homes, served in the Civil War, and wrote in a diary nearly every day for 64 years. Reader began painting slides in 1866 and continued throughout much of his life, holding magic lantern shows for the local community in his house and at church. He titled this slide, "The Bride Fighting." Carry Nation visited Topeka in January 1901. Reader's daughter, Elizabeth attended Nation's lecture and joined the "Home Defenders," a group of supporters defending their homes from the ravages of alcoholism. Reader also noted in his diary that Nation smashed the Senate Saloon on February 5. His single word response was, "Good."
Kansas Memory
Kansas Historical Society
Samuel Reader lanternslide, The Bride Fighting - 1