Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-02-20
Escape of a Mormon Wife.

Escape of a Mormon Wife.
Two Or three years ago a Danisl
family, whose name Anglicised is
Smith, became acquainted on ship
board, while upon their way to til;
country. with a kind and demure man
whose ability to speak their language
made his company particularly CRATE
full. Representing himself to them as
an American citizen on his return
from general tour of Europe, the
welcome linguist was Hospitality at
tentivc to the whole voyaging house
hold, but bestowed his peculiar favor
upon pretty daughter. Flattered by
such politeness from q native of the
country in which her future home was
to be found, and he so evidently her
social superior, the girl was quick to
show her qualification and reciprocate
ingenuouSly. As a result, when the
emigrant vessel was drawing near our
shores the stranger asked Miss Smith
Of her parents iii marriage, and was
not refused paternal assent. Indeed
the family thought themselves highly
fortunate in such an alliance, even
though aware that the bride elect must
90 from them to her husbands home
'.in the Northwest" while their own
destination was Carson Valley, Ne
vada.
Upon the arrival in New York the
wedding was solemnized accordingly,
and after an atfectionate lcave-takino
the married pair took the Erie Rail
road for the West, while the Smiths
resumed ocean travel by the California
steamer. At Mottsville, in Carson
Valley, the emigrant family subse
quently established a new homestead
for themselves, and there in due time
received letter from the daughter
She wrote from Sanpete, in Utah, to
the effect that, while not unhappy, she
was somewhat surprised by certain
ways Of the American people, and
rather puzzled to learn from her hus-
band that he was Il Mormon mission
ary. What a Mormon was she
knew not, but supposed it meant some
kind Of religious character. When
she had learned some English she
shouldmquire more about it. Her pa
rents and brother, being no more quail,
fed in the language Of the country
than herself, were not able to ascertain
anything definite on the subject from
their neighbors, ard remained in bliss
full ignorance Of the Of the young
wites real situation until about three
months ago. Then (says the Carson
Regitc,) the fair exile Of Utah wrote
them a most pititnl account Of the
snare into which she had been drawn
through her innocence and ignorance.
Her husband had compelled her to be
remarked or sealed" to him, in ac
cordance with Mormon rites. and then
introduced her to two other wives of
his whom he had left behind him in
his "missionary" trip to Europe.
Comprehending at last that she had
been deIuded into life of polygamy,
the hapless young foreigner despaired
of relief, and mournfully decided to
keep her parents and brother unwlt-
ting OF her predicament. Her reason
for complaining to them at last and
begging for rescue, was the unkind
conduct of her husband and her own
ever increasing horror Of Mormonism !;
and, in making her confession, she i'm
plored her brother particularly to de-
wise some scheme for her deliverance.
The young man in question, 4 fine,
bright youth, just past his majority,
was reused to fierce fraternal indigna-
ton by his sisters wrongs, and
promptly resolved to effect a rescue at
all hazards.
Repairing at once to Utah, he ap-
peared at the residence Of his brother
in-law in Sanpete as the most innocent
of family visitors. and seemed so en-
tirely satisfied with the domestic situa
ton there that not a suspicion Of his
chivalrous design was aroused in any
breast Indeed, with an assumption
of admiration for Mormonism promis-
ing early personal conversion thereto,
ne expressed strong desire to attend
the great Mormon Conference then in
session at Salt Lake City, if only his
sister might accompany him thither
To this proposition his brother-in law
not only assented, but directed that
all three of his wives should go with
the young man to the convocation of
the saints, where he himself proposed
to rejoin them in a few days. Smith
could have enjoyed himself with rath-
er less feminine society than was here
imposed upon his gal)antry, but ac-
cepted the imposition with apparent
pleasure nevertheless. The party pro
ceeded to Salt Lake City in carriage,
whence the brother induced two of the
ladies to alight at hotel while he and
his sister took a brief ride of curiosity
around the town. Then, leaving the
unsuspecting "other wives" to vain ex-
pectation of their return, brother and
sister drove turiously out OF the city
and along the railroad to Ogden,
where, leaving the carriage, they took