The Kanzas news., 1857-08-15

Brigham, however, does not reverence the
claims of these old ladies to respect, and
throws IN among them many firebrand of
contention. They are supposed to be fully
yersed III "the mysteries of the kingdom, =
and they talk outrageous nonsense on the
most reeondite subjects. God, angels, eter-
nifty, creation of matter, and the insoIyable
problem of good and evil, these old ladies'
make short work of; and snuff and .snyste-
RES abound in their reunions.
There sits another person, smiling at a
girl about seventeen, with dark flowing
though now past middle age. She illus
trates another class of Brigham's wives
That is Mrs. Cobb. She saw, heard, be-
Iieyed, and loved Brigham Young; EN-
braced MormonisIn, and ran away from her
husband, respeesfbIe gentleman N AIassa-
chusetts, carrying off her daughter Char
lotte, the young ringleted lady. She ar
rived at Council Bluffs and married Brig
ham Young. Her husband, half crazed,
endeavored to obtain his child, but was baf-
fed and nandeuvred, and they got safe
ly to Salt Lake. She is now .smother In
Israeli and her daughter, if not married to
Brigham himself, will probably become sec
ond or third wife to one of his boys. Nor
is this marriage of mother and daughter to
the same man 1t all unusual at Salt Lake
One man with whom l was acquainted there
has three sisters and their mother married to
him, and he liues aCith them all l know
several instances of mother and one daugh-
ter being married to the same man, and
could mention their names. However afro
cious this may appear to benighted Gen
tiles, it is not the slightest stumbling block
to enlightened Saints!
There sits another lady, about forty-fve
years of age. She is also the time worn
wreck of handsome woman. Brigham
has very good taste She is bound to the
Prophet by another tie. Mrs. Poulterer-
her husband l believe still living-heard of
and loved Joseph Smith, in 1854. But
Smith has been dead ten years ~ remarks
the astonished reader. That may seem an
iusuperable difficulty to you, my friend, but
it is nothing to Mormonism. AS Brigham
Young could be Smiths agent in taking his
widows to perpetuate his kingdom, why
should he not pGri paSSu, marry new wives
for Smith, for the same object? However
idicUously apparent this sophism maybe
to you, it is gospel logic to them. accord
ingly. Mrs. Poulterer, good so:l was
married to- Brigham, he kindly acting as
Joseph Smiths agent n she whole affair
She gave up her entire property to the
spected. s.But who is that tall, bright,
,blaek-eyed person romping with The ehil-
dren ?'' Oh, she is another example of the
Prophets amatory adventures. G. D. Watt
Mormon from England, brought his half
sister to Brigham once, requesting to be
married to her as his second wife. Brig
ham refused. Mr.. Watt urged that Abra-
ham married his half-sister, and ''he guess d
he had just as much right as Abraham !''
The point was knotty, because, if AbFa-
hams example justifes polygamy, evidently
his example must justify such marriage,
The girl was rather handsome; and SO, to
settle the whole matter effectually, and to
spare the necessity of George Watts being
still more Abrahamic than his brethren,
Brigham took her himselfi So far, so well.
But he was not contented; and so, after all,
there was much force in Watts argument
and Abraham's example; and he told Watt
that he might take her then. if he wished.
Of course he wished, and Brigham di-
vorced her in order TO effect this convenient
compromise. Now Mr.. George Watt is one
of ssfhe faithful saints and quite prom
inent person in the community. Since this
unfortunate contretemps, which was unpala-
table to the toughest conscience of them
all, Brigham has declared that he viii ''take
no more wives, as his family is large
enough This declaration, however, does
not save him from being asked by many.
remember one young lady who is trying
to nine herself miserable for the love of
Brigham
"Sighing and weeping for love of him."
and although she has been Iirectly refused,
is just as obstinately determined to @'hope
against hope" and says ''She'n have him
or nobody She is proving her faith by
her works.
We bow to the ladies; and Brigham con-
ducts us, by narrow passage into his lion
house. We enter on a corridor with room
doors at each side. He opens one, and we
peep In, and see a very neatly, but plainly
furnished apartment. We notice that every
thing is In the best order, and dazzlingly
clean. He opens another door, and we OBJ
serve this apartment Is the exact counter
part of the first. With a slight gesture
and smile, as he indicates the row of doors,
says he, Gentlemen, they are all just alikel"
These are the sleeping apartments of his
wives, of which they have one each.
We are then conducted to noisy part of
the house Here, IN busy work-room, Is
beyy of industrious ladies-some at looms,
some at spinning some at quilting
frames; and high above the chatter of bat
tens, shuttles, and wheels, rises the sound
of women's voices. They hush into silence
on seeing Brother Brigham, who then tells
US how many pounds of wool they have
spun, knitted and wove; the yards of hnsey,
flannel and carpeting they have made
Stockings and quilts are at quite premium
in this private factory. Brigham makes all