Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-04-17
much as in the nursery, the kitchen, the

EDGllSn lady are quite unknOWn W uSi Nuo...
mon sister. Only when tie subject of
plurality of wives has been under considera;
ton between host and guest, have ever
seen Mormon lady's face grow bright, and
then it was to look sentiment, to hint an
opinion, the reverse of those maintained BY
Belinda Pratt. 7a
am convinced that the practice of mar
rying plurality of wives is not popular with
the female Saints. Besides what l have seen
and heard from Mormon wives, themselves
living in polygamous families, l have talked,
alone and freely, with eight or nine different
girls, all of whom have lived at Salt Lake for
two or three years. They are undoubted
Mormons, who have made many sacrifices for
their religion; but after seeing the family
life of their fellow Saints, they have one and
all become hostile to polygamy. Two or
three of these girls are pretty, and might
have been married in month. They have
been courtcd very mnch: and one OF them
has received no less than seven offers. Some
of her lovers are old and rich, some young
and poor, with their fortunes still to seek.
The old fellows Lave already got their houses
full oc wives, and she will not fall into the
train as either fifty or a fifteenth spouse F;
the young men being true Saints, will not
promise to confne themselves forever to their
earliest vows, and so she refuses to wed any
of them. All these girls prefer to remain
sirglc-to live life of labor and dependence
as servants, chambermaids, miliners, char.
women-to a life of comparative ease and
leisure in the harem of Mormon Bishop.
1t is common belief gathercdin a great
measure from the famous letter on plurality,
bv Belinda Pratt, that the Mormon Sarai is
willing to seek out, and eager to bestow, any
number of Hagars on her lord. More than
one Saint has told me that this is true, as a
rule though he admits there may be- excep-
tions in so far as the Mormon Sarai falls
short of her high calling. My experience
lies among the exceptions solely. Some
wives may be good enough to undertake this
office. l have never found one who would
own it, even in the presence of her husband,
and when the occasion might have been hell
to warrant little feminine 6bbing. Every
lady to whom 1 have put this question flushed
into denial, though with that cuged and
broken courage which seems to characterize
every Mormon wife. Court new wife for
hin!" said one lady; no woman could do
that; and no woman would submit to be
courtcd by woman"
The process Of taking either second or
sixteenth wife is the same in ali cases. II
will tell you" said a mormon elder, how we
do these things in our order. For example,
have two wives living, and one wife dead.
1 am thinking IF taking another, as I can
we'll afford the expense, and man is not
much respected in the church who has less
than three wives. Well Fix my mind on
Young lady, and consider within myself whcth
er it is the will Of God that [ should seek
her. If 1 feel, in my own heart, that it would
be right to try, speak to my bishop who
advises and approves, as be shall see liz; on
which 60 to the PresiI Ient. who will consid-
o. -ho.Lor nma good man ana worthy
husband, capable of ruling my little house
bold, keeping peace among my wlve, bring
ing up my children il the fear Of God; and if
am found worthy, in his sight, OF the bless
ing, shall obtain permission to 20 on with
the chase Then lay the whole matter OF
my desire, my permission and my choice, be-
fore my first wife, as head OF my house, and
take her counsel as to the young lady's hab
its, character, and accomplishments. Per
haps may speak with my second wife per-
haps not since it is not so much her bust
ness as it is that of my first wife; beside
which, nv first wife is older in years, has
seen more Of life, and is much more of
friead to me than the second. An ohpc
ton on the first wiie's part would have
great weight with mc; should not care much
for what the SECOND either said or thought.
Surprising all 60 we'll, should next have
talk with the young lady's father aud il he
consented to my suit, should then address
the young lady herself
But before you take all these pains to
get her." ! asked, would YOU not have tried
to be sure of your ground with the lady her
self? Would you not have courted her and
won her good will before taking all these per-
sons into your trust.
"No," answered the elder; 81 should
think that wrong. In our s5ciely we are
strict. should have seen the girl, in the
theatre, in the tabernacle, in the social hail.
should haved talked with her, danced with
her. walked about with her, and in these ways
ascerlaincd her merits and guessed her incli.
nations: but should not have made love to
her, in your sense OF the word, got up an un-
derstanding with her, and entered into pri-
vate and personal engagement of the aifec-
tions. These affairs are not OF earth, but Of
heaven. and willrus they must follow the or
der of Gods kingdom and church."
This elders two wives live in separate houses,
and seldom see each other. While we have
been at Salt Lake, child of the second wife
has fallen sick; there has been much trouble
in the house; and we have heard the first
wife, at whose cottage we were dining, say
she would 90 aud pay the second wife visit.
The elder would not hear of such thing;
and he was certainly right, as the sickness
was supposed to be dyptheria, and she had
brood OF little folks playing about her knees.
Still the manner of her proposal told Us that
she was not in the habit Of daily intercourse
with her sister vile.
|, is an open question in Utah whether it
is better for plural household to be gather
ed under one roof or not. Young sets the ex.
ample of unity, SO far at least as his actual
wives and children are concerned. A few old
ladies who have been sealed to him for heav-
en-, whether in his own name or IN that Of
Joseph. dwell in cottages apart but the dog.
en- women, who share his own couch, who ar,
the mothers of his children, live in one block
close to another, dine at one table and join
in the family prayers. Taylor, the apostle,
keeps his families in separate cottages and
arcl.rds; two Of his wives only live in lis
principal house; the rest have ieuements Of
their own. Every man is fee to arrange his
household as he likes; 50 long as he avoids
contention, and promotes the public peace.
"How will you arrange your visits when
yoa have won and sealed your new wife,
| asked my friendly and communicative ell
der {; shall you adopt the Oriental custom
of eaual Justice and attention to the ladies laid
down d. by Moses and by Mohammed b.
"By heaven SIR he answered, with afiusa
of scorn, no man shall tell me what to
Tho ;,,tiolc nf III, ,,,,a