Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-06-15
A Mormon Love Story.

"A Mormon, whom we will call Broth
er Nehi Gibbons took wife at
the blooming age Of %. He was pious
and industrious, and seemed to be per
fectly satisfied with his bride, whose
name was unfortunate for heroine,
being plain Mary Ann. She was the
best Of wives, and she sang in the choir,
bore Nehl child, and helped to cult
vate his vine and fig tree. Their apprl-
cots and pear trees grew and hourished,
their cattle and sheep increased, and
nothing seemed wanting in this comfor-
table establishment, which was the envy
Of every youthful saint.
Still, there was n skeleton in the clos
ct. Mary Ann had Il secret passion
She wanted Nehi to take a second wife!
This was not only because he was a
good and true man, and devoted and
able-bodied, but because she had set her
mind upon the other wife he was to
take, Mary Ann wanted to provide for
her bosom friend, Susan, who was in
every way deserving Of Nehi's affection,
and who loved Nehi as purely and as
really ms Mary Ann herself! They had
conferred together about 1t. Mary Ann,
who could not be happy where Susan
was not-evcn at Nehis side-she had
broken the subject to Susan, and her
clearest suspicious were confirmed by
the secret disclosure that both the ladies
loved the same saint.
Far from feeling indignant at this
frank and forward confidence Nehi's
wife received it with delight. She gave
her maiden friend every assurance that
their mutual choice was worthy of their
united ambition, and they set to com
pei Nehi to accept another Mrs Glib
bons. 1t being unseemly for Susan to
do more than put herself as frequently
as possible in Mr.. Gibbons way, the
plot ripened slowly, and, in comforting
with one of the Church, he recommen-
ded both ladies to make the consumma-
ton subject of prayer. They lifted
up their hearts together that it might
be revealed to Nehi what goods gifts he
was neglecting, but Nehi hardened his
heart, and refused to extend his table
cloth.
lie was yet ignorant of the new help
mate intended for him, but on the sug-
gestion of Mrs. Gibbons that he was
not glorif ying his manhood and his fam
lily, he said that a pair was enough, and
that he did not wish to marry. Under
these circumstances, little extreme di-
plomacy was adjudged necessary, and
Mrs. Gibbons, to compel marriage, de
clared that her household work was too
onerous and finally affected to be seri-
ously i'll. Nehi Gibbons, unable to re-
sist this description Of appeal, obeyed
the desire Of his wife, Mary Ann, but
the woman he married was not Susan!
He was too blind to guess the person
intended, and he married an entirely
different woman.
Grave complications ensued upon this
precipltate action OF Nehl Gibbons
The peace OF his family was disturbed,
and none the less because, after the usu.
al period, the second Mrs. Gibbons had
a baby.
Mary Ann redoubling her efforts, met
with no other success than that Mr.
Gibbons took third wife, and this time
also it failed to be Susan
The third effort was more directly
made, and with less diplomacy, Mrs.
Gibbons the first suggesting expressly
that her choice was her bosom friend !;
and the power Of candor was never so
we'll attested as on this occasion, for Mr..
Gibbons answered:
clad ] thought Susan would accepted
me, my dear Mary Ann, l should have
made her my wife before l proposed to
you
Thus piety and patience were crowned,
friendship was rewarded, and Susan
and Mary Ann being lovely IN life, in
wedlock were not divided.