The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-14
BRIGHAM YOUNG.
Interview with the Mormon Propnet.
Salt Lake City Correspondence of the Cincinnati
Commercial.

Calling on prominent tradesman IN this
place (himself leading Mormon and a
Utah pioneer), our party of four inquired
"a to the feasibility of obtaining brief
interview with Brigham Young. We were
told that the modern Solomon Tin domestic
multiplicities if not III wisdom) granted
few audiences to parties seeking his pres
ence from motives of curiosity, besides
which he WIS fresh from the grave Of one
of his most trusted ministers-Heber Kim
ball-and must be presumed to be lnduig-
ing in that grief that arises so much from
the suggestion, How soon may parall ysis
pin me- as from the sense of pain and va-
cancy that follows bereavement. 1t so
happened that one of our number had q
PROPOSITION to lay before the arch-chief of
the Mormons which had the color if not the
substance of business and so, after prl-
vate parey between the gentleman we ap--
piled to and Brigham, we were informed
that the latter would see US at 10 A. NJ. If
he could spare the time if not, then at some
later hour.
At ten minutes before the musical town
clock struck ten we were on the way from
the hotel, walking along the stream and
exouisitely blue, and famed by an atmos-
phere that seemed just to have been I'M
wrapped from the original package. Brig
ham Young's famous presidential mansions
or harems, the Lion and the Beehive
houses, stand in the centre Of square
about ten feet from the pavement, and are
surrounded by beautifully embellished
grounds of twenty acres, the whole block
being inclosed by q high wall Of boulders.
The Lion House and the Beehive House
stand side by side, and look like ambitious
country villas, three stories high, adorned
by wilderness of gables. A carved lion
surmounts the portal of one, and beehive
that of the other. In front and along the
entire square the pavement is margined
with row of wildly green locust trees
half grown. To the left of the mansion
large branch of the network of small streams,
that line the streets and irrigate the gar
dens of the city, tumbles out into the street
in a rocky channel excayated under the
wall of boulders and neatly arched over.
On the opposite side of the way the square
is occupied by the smaller but still beauti-
full residences of leading fleece Mormons,
each house peering through an exterior of
Juicy trees and shrubbery. Brigham's
houses are painted in light and cheerful
colors, and have the aspect OF being most
sedulously "kept up" Their privacy is
rendered absolute by meagreness Of win
dows, profusion of shade trees, opacity Of
blinds and curtains, thickness and height
of the exterior wall and bristling strength
of the entrance gates. Of the extensive
grounds adjacent We were permitted to catch
no glimpse, on account, doubtless, of the
extreme largeness Of the Prophets family
and their custom of promenading there after
partaking of the grand breakfast, which Is
the one democratic meal to which the whole
household assemble en- maSSe.
Passing through the iron gate of the Bee
hive House we found our intercessor wait
ing to introduce liz to the modern Seer Of
Zion. We were conducted into Brigham's
Office, large apartment handsomely fur
nished, and found ourselves shaking hands
with a strongly-built man of sixty-eight,
who seems ten years younger. His man
ner was gravely cordial, and ne motioned
US to chairs with the routine air Of one
whose station demands that he take daily
"public bath" Of visitors of all degrees.
We were but fairly seated when two other
callers were announced-a Mr.. -, Of
Illinois, and his daughter, o slender young
lady of twenty or thereabout. She rushed
at Brigham with palpitating stride, seized
his hand convulsively, and exclaimed with
hasty effusion, "Ah, President Young, l
am dee-Hght-ed to make your acquaint-
ance."
Brigham bowed with formal gallantry
but with certain something lurking IN his
composure that seemed to say, "Don't
overdo it, my dear young woman; either
you are scared OF triae bold" The au-
ditors, now numbering six, took seats in a
semi-circle, while the Prophet deposited
himself with due deliberation in a cush-
Toned armchair, Implying his face and
attitude of all but the soberest expression,
he entered into general conversation with
the father of the young lady, whose name
suggested the invention Of the telegraph.
Upon that topic the discourse ran for few
moments, then glided to Robert Fulton, his
rebuffs, reverses, and final triumph. The
young lady's father thought the progress of
the nineteenth century was something al
most startling; and the young lady, in o
bolt upright, prunes, and prism pose, look
ed as if she were debating whether or not
it would presently be the thing to say, Pre-
sident Young, am dee-hght-ed to drop your
acquaintance.
While the conversation ran on empty
generalities o few moments were afforded
to take glance around the apartment
which serves the double purpose OF private
Office and audience-room. On one side OF
the wall near the ceiling is row Of bust
portraits in oil, presenting Brigham his