Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-01-03
Weeping widows.


The widows of Brigham Young are do
ing as well as could be expected. perhaps
but that is not very well. 1t is custOmar!
in civilized nations for the widow to go tt
the grave of the departed one at the hou
of sunset and. shedding few tears an'
arranging the inevitable flowers. to &c
away with her handkerchief to her eyes
The widows of Mr.. Young adopted this
beautiful custom as one woman. and. Ow
ing to absence of the police and lack O.
the regulations impcrativcly necessary IN
the premises. there arose much confusion
The first to visit the grave. oddly enough
was the last that was welded TO the cXces-
sive husband. She had hardly settled her
self and begun to ooze when there appear
ell on the melancholy scene two Others.
each armed with a waterin@-pot.
..What do you want here:" she said to
the intr,ders in a low voice. much OBJ
structed by tears. rs not my grief sacrcd
from the Intrusion of the hollow world:
Depart and leave me with my dead
The invaders had been weeping likewise
but tie surprise they experienced drove
back the unbidden tear. well. here s
impudence- they said. one to another.
"Your dead. indeed. How long. pray.
had YOU been married to our dear hus-
band -
1.-Two happy. happy years. said the
kneeling widow, sobbing violently. 'And
he was always good to me. My heart is
breaking. | wish you would go away"
Ibid you ever hear the like of this z"
said the intriders one to another. ''Only
two years; and our dear husband was
welded to us nearly quarter of century.
And vet this upstart would drive us away
from this sacred spot - this apprentice
would say that we. who passed the larger
part of our lives with the sweet one who
has passed away, have naught which men,
DRY is bound to respect"
..He was more mine than yours. said
the hollow voice of a woman a little dis
lance off. '.lIe was more mine than any
other persons in this world. | tell you.
Thirty years ago we plighted our troth.
and there was uninterrupted happiness be-
tween us up to the hour of his death. l
put the last plaster on that noble breast.
and it was this hand that gave him the last
spoonful of paregoric. Stand aside and let
me weep on his grave
..Not so fast - exclaimed lady of much
age and fairness. who had just appeared.
barring the onward movement Of the last
speaker with her trembling hand. IF
there is any question as TO right here, let
my white hairs speak for Inc. Bear in
mind. you sinful things, the old remark
that age should be permitted to 60 before
beauty. lie was my husband in his youth
and cannot forego my rights, now that
he has gone. Let me weep first upon his
grave. even if you forbid me the sacred
privilege Of remaining there for continu-
Gus gush.''
''That fat thing" exclaimed still older
and very thin lady, pushing her way TO the
front. That odious person? Never!
never! My dear husband always hated
her. lie has told me SO repeatedly"
81 pray that this disgusting argument
may cease - said a firm but fine voice.
my dear husband would not like it. 1t is
not respectful. Whatever other affections
my dear husband may have had. it is well
known that was his f;ivorite. AS such he
told me all his secrets. Many is the time
he has said to me. in tie cOnfiding inno-
ccnce of his noble nature. Amelia. would
that they were all gone but you Surely.
no lady will have the harlihOOd to detilc
his grave with her tears after this. Neither
age nor youth. as such. can have "A place at
my dear husbands tomb. Stand back, all
Of you! know my rights
We draw a veil over the scene. that fol- |
lowed. Suffice it to say that tears, water
ing-pots. bits of hair and shrieks were
painfully conspicuous. The sacred spot
was protaned with actions which would
shame the contending armies of the East, |
and peace was restored only through the
vigorous intercession Of several of the
brethren OF the Church. A compromise
was effected after few days, but thus far
even that does not work satisfactorily. |
The grave was divided into nineteen imag-
mary sections. each distinguished by a
white post little distance off. marked re-
spectively, mo. 1,""No. 2" etc. These
sections were sold 10 the widows at auc-
ton, the receipts to be given to the church.
OF course the richest widow got the best
section. and so on. down through the list.
and it may well be imagined that the best
feelings Of the human heart are thereby
trited with, though ii is impossible to see
how it is to he avoided. The mourning
goes o. a! sunset. but it is not re-, ular and
easy, and ;he prophecies are often violat-
ell.
..Get of my dress" lays No. 3, poking
her elbow apitefilly into the side Of No.
.'Stop stopping you tears over on my
section - eNclaims 10. 7 IL No. 10.
Cant you cry without m.'sslng my
new six all Over:' asks No. u OF NO. ii.
.sDo1't make SO much noise with your
beastly so5bing. Ii sounds like a horse at |,
ne watering-truugh"' yiciously says an
oher number.
&c Dod heavens, You've smashed my
bonnet y shrieks another. cutting Eer grief
in tw in the milCle.
sc as good right here as you!" is
the return. Its as much my corpse rs it
il yours. any day.
And so the weeping and mourning 20
on. and the solemn sunset is regarded all
over Utah as the signal tor smothered
thunder, while a great clash of arms is
continually apprehended. and may come
any day. No wonder the head of the
Church recently raised his hands in de-
spair and said, with Il great shldder:
.There will be no peace ill these unhap-
by widows are married again. and pending
that event, even would thar they were