# Wife No. 19/Chapter 4
### CHAPTER IV.
#### AFTER JOSEPH'S DEATH. — BRIGHAM YOUNG ELECTED PROPHET.

* Kindness of the Gentiles.
* Strangers in a Strange Land.
* My Parents join the Saints in Nauvoo.
* They Purchase Land in the City.
* Are shamefully Defrauded.
* Joseph's Unfaithful Friends.
* My Parents left almost Destitute.
* I am Born in the Midst of Troubles.
* The Saints Bewildered.
* Who should succeed Joseph?
* Sidney Rigdon's Claims to the Presidency.
* He returns to Nauvoo.
* Has Dreams and Visions.
* He Promises to "Pull Little Vic's Nose."
* The Apostles hear of the Prophet's Murder.
* They hasten to Nauvoo.
* Brigham begins his Successful Intrigues.
* He Settles Sidney Rigdon.
* An Extraordinary Trial.
* Brigham's Idea of Free Voting.
* Women's Suffrage in Utah.
* Why Brigham gave the Franchise to the Women.
* My own Experience as a Voter.
* Brigham dictates what I'm to Do.
* I obey Quietly.
* How Sidney Rigdon was Deposed.
* Brigham Rules the Church.
PON the arrival of the Saints in Illinois they made Quincy their first stopping-place, and thence the majority of them went at once to Nauvoo, the new gathering-place.
My parents did not accompany them, but remained in Quincy two months. They reached that city in a state of almost utter destitution, with barely clothing enough to render them decent, certainly not enough to make them comfortable. Their reception by the residents of the city, indeed by the people of Illinois generally, was very cordial, and my mother often says she ​Page:Wife No 19.djvu/92 ​Page:Wife No 19.djvu/93 ​Nancy, Rigdon was very much offended, and left Nauvoo at once. As soon, however, as he heard of Joseph's death he made all haste to return and secure for himself the "office" of "Prophet, Seer, and Revelator," to which he claimed he had been ordained. He was not received with enthusiasm by the Saints, and he very soon discovered that whoever might step into the dead Prophet's shoes, he, for a certainty, would not be allowed to wear them. There was nothing then remaining for him to do but to assume that Joseph's mantle Sidney Rigdon. of prophecy had fallen upon his shoulders; consequently, he revelled in visions and dreams of the wildest and most fanatical kind. His prophecies were the most wonderful that ever were heard, and were so very incoherent and inconsistent that serious doubts of his sanity were entertained. There were to be tremendous battles; blood was to flow until the horses waded in it up to their very bridles. All the powers of the earth were to assail the Saints, but Rigdon was to lead the faithful to certain victory. All the strength of earth was to bow before this little band of people and their consecrated leader, and he was, as a final act of triumph as he returned from the battle of Armageddon, to call in England and "pull the nose of little Vic."
What the young queen, then in the full flush of popularity, had done to raise this modern Bombastes' ire, remains to this day a mystery. It is needless to say that the battles have never been fought, nor has her majesty's nose been maltreated by Rigdon or any other crazy Mormon fanatic.
​Page:Wife No 19.djvu/95 ​Page:Wife No 19.djvu/96 ​Page:Wife No 19.djvu/97 ​Page:Wife No 19.djvu/98 ​"Excuse me, please, Brother Young," pleaded I; "I don't know who or what to vote for, and I really had much rather not." I was quite in earnest. I did not know anything then of politics, and I must confess I had no interest in them.
"Get into the carriage," commanded he, so sternly that I knew I must obey, and further parley would be useless. "I want you to vote, and at once. Mr. Rossitur will take you to the polls and tell you how to vote."
Mr. Rossitur, to whose care I was committed, was Brigham's coachman, and was to be my political instructor. All the information I gained will never harm nor help me very materially. I was driven to the polls, a ticket was handed me, and hustled along without the opportunity of examining it, and to this day I am in blissful ignorance of what or who I cast my only vote for. I know, however, that among other officers they were electing a delegate to Congress, and I suppose I must have voted for George Q. Cannon. There is an encouraging and inspiring picture for the advocates of female suffrage, who are jubilant over the triumph of their cause in Utah. A polygamous wife of the President of the church conveyed to the polls by her husband's coachman, and compelled to cast the vote he gives her without an opportunity of exercising her judgment or her choice, and ignorant even of what she is doing. By all means let us have the suffrage in Utah, in spite of Judge Poland.
After the Council had disposed of Sidney Rigdon to its satisfaction, and "all the people" had signified theirs by saying "Amen," he turned about and prepared to fight ​Page:Wife No 19.djvu/100 ​Page:Wife No 19.djvu/101