Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-03-02
A Sad History.

We yesterday met young and in-
teresting girl at the house Of an ac-
quaintance, who told us a tale Of
wrong and suffering that would fur
nish material for good sized novel.
One year ago this young lady left
her home in Pennsylvahia--a home
where all the luxuries of life were at
her command. Her parents were in
duigent, and she, an only child, was
loved by them with all the fondness of
true parental Affection. No wish of
hers remained ungratified, for she was
the idol Of those parents, and the light
of the home made desolate by an act
which will forever cast its shadow ON
her heart.
In February, 1864, she became ac-
quainted with Mormon preacher who
painted to her in glowing terms the
glories of Utah and the Mormon reli-
gion. He told her of the beautiful val
leys of Utah fortified on all sides by
giant mountains, whose peaks, bur
nished by eternal SHOWS, looked down
upon the valleys of perpetual green,
peopled by Gods own chosen kindred,
who were free as the mountain tor
rents that leap the rocks of lofty TIM
panagos range. He told her Of the
content and peace reigning among the
saints, and assured her that the Nor
mons were Gods own peculiar people.
and SO worked upon her Imagination
that she finally consented TO leave
friends, family, and all the endear-
ments of home, and go with him to the
Valley of the Saints.
Arriving at Chicago, he forced her
to marry him, the ceremony being per-
formed by mock priest, without re-
cord or license. On last April she left
Wyoming, Nebraska, with Mormon
train, for the land of promise, and
finally arrived in the city of the Saints.
Here she found that her husband had
four other wives, who regarded her
with no tender emotions, but heaped
abuse and contumely upon her head.
After few months her Hege lord
told her he had concluded to seal her
to another, who had taken great fam
cy to her that his other wives were
jealous, and declared his last wife
should live with him no longer.
She declared she would die before
she would thus be put away and forced
to live as the wife of man with whom
she had no acquaintance, and had seen
but once in her life. Her husband
told her it was Brigham's order, and
she must do so or lose her life. De-
termined not to be sacrificed she start
ed to run away with the intention Of
making her way to Camp Breckin-
ridge, in Cedar Valley, then garrison
ed by the United States troops, and
claim protection there. She started
on foot and after travelling about ten
miles, was caught and brought back,
placed in dungeon, or rather a cellar,
and was thus kept for month, with
just enough food to sustain life. The
man whom she refused to live with fire.
quently visited her, and besought her to
change her resolution in order to save
her life.
Through force Of circumstances she
at last yielded, and was duly installed
in his family, as the sixth wife. Here
she found, as before, the jealousies
and quarrels arising were intolerable,
and she again determined to escape or
die in the attempt. This time she sue
ceeded in reaching the headquarters Of
General Conner, to whom she told her
tale of suffering. The General sent
her through to the States with gov
ernment train bound for Fort Kearney,
which place she reached early last
week.
She leaves this city tonight, q re-
pentant, sorrowfnl child for her homo
in Pennsylvania-that home which she
was persuaded to desert through the
Misrepresentation and wiles Of crafty
scoundrel. What joy and gladness
will well up from the hearts of those
parents, when they again behold the
one they believed lost to them forever.
We drop the veil. Reader, this is not
and isolated case, but an every day
occurrence in this busy, sinful world
81. Joseph Herald.
Il = n - Ia