The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-05-30
MISS OWENS HONEYMOON.
CHICAGO Tribune 10


In our last issue we commented upon |
the recent conviction of John Miles, the |
of pOlygamy, chiefly upon the
testimony of Miss Owen, his latest ac
QUESTION. Since the article was written
we have received the testimony itself,
which gives quite a detailed exhibition
Of Mormon weddings, as well as a very
graphic picture of the lively and breezy
Miss Owen, who made Mr. Miles house
hold very interesting, as will be seen.
1t appears from her testimony that
she knew Miles in England before he
was Mormon, and was engaged to him
He became a convert in 1870, and sailed
for Australia with some of his brethren.
She lost all track of him and did not
hear from him again until three years
afterward, when he returned to England
as q Mormon missionary. He renewed
her acquaintance and also the engage
ment, notifying her that he had two 9th
er finances in Utah, Emily and Julia
Spencer, but promising her that she
should be the first wife. She wanted to
be married then and there, but Miles de-
clared it wouldn't be valid, as they must
be married in the endowment house
They then "sailed the ocean blue" and
in due course of time arrived in Utah.
Just before the ceremony Miles gave a
reception to his three brides, and an
nounced to Miss Owen that he had ar
ranged for wives in this order: Emily
Spencer was No. /, Miss Owen was No.
2, and Julia Spencer was No. 3. Miss
Owen objected to this succession She
claimed the right to be No. l, Miles had
promised her in England she should be.
She consulted with the magnates of the
church and they sat down on her. Then
and there she made up her mind that if
she could not be No. 1, Emily Spencer,
the real No. /, should have avery lively
time of it, and she commenced opera
lions at the reception to which we have
alluded Miles carried out his program
me and introduced the three candidates
for marriage, Emily as No. 1, Owen as
No. 2, and Julia as No. 8, never noticing
that there was blood in the eye of No. 2,
and that she was bracing up for scene
not laid down in the programme. Dur
ing the evening some of the younger and
more frisky MOrmOns wanted to have a
dance, and asked Miles to request a third
of his wife to preside at the piano.
Miles singled out Emily Spencer, and
she took her place upon the stool.
Meanwhile gay young Mormon, who
evidently had mischief in him, asked
Owen to play. This gave her the covet-
ed opportunity. Spencer had just CON-
menced the introduction to a waltz, and
the eager MOrmol.s were waiting for the
tempo, when Owen went up to the piano
and asked No. l to step down and out.
No. paid no heed to the request, and
No. repeated it little more emphatic
ally. No. 1 kept on with the waltz
without condescending TO notice
her. Owen drew off in approved
style, struck out from the shoulder, and
Spencer went off the stool. There was as
much CONSERVATION in the giddy throng
as when the "cannon's roar" was heard,
amid the "beauty and chivalry of Bel
GUMS Capital" Owen commenced
where Spencer left off and finished the
tune, but the dance was not success. 1t
grieves us to state that Spencer was a
timorous lady and went off into a corner
and cried. Miles rallied to her defense
in good order, and commenced to expos
tulate with Owen, who Immediately
struck another belligerent attitude. Miles
stayed not upon ther order of his going,
but lit out, evidently aware that shell
hath no fury like a woman scorned. !"
Then there was calm after the storm,
and things went along smoothly enough
until it was time for refrcehment. As
the reception was given to the three la
dies, it was in order for No. to sit at the
head of the table. When the company
had gathered in the refreshment-roOm
Owen made brief address to the crowd.
She was aware that as a matter of ETH
quette Emily Spencer would sit at the
head of the table, but she felt It necessa-
ry to make slight infringement upon
the conventional rorms. She according
ly would take the head seat, and if Emf
ly Spencer or any other Emily, or John
Miles or any other John, desired to re-
move her from it, she hoped they would
feel free to undertake the little job with
out further delay. Emily, who was al
ready satified with the affair at the piano,
made no protest, and John Miles, who
had fled, was not there. The rest of the
company offered no objection, and so the
motion was carried unanimously. 1t
was Owens night, and for one evening,
at least, she was No. /.
Some three weeks afterwards the mar
rage ceremonies occurred. Emily Spen-
Ger was first married Owen consented
to be No. 2, and was married and Julia
would have come in as No. 3 had it not
been for Miles sudden engagement to
go to the penitentiary. AS our lady
readers may be interested to know the
details of the toilette of Mormon bride
we give Owens own account of Emily
Spencer's costume. She saws: az saw
/
when Miles was there. She had on a
robe, cap, apron and mOccasins, the regu.
lar endowment dress. The robe was two
yards wide, gathered ON the shoulder and
waist. There is also a sash. The apron
consists of nine ig-leaves of green silk
The moccasins were of linen. This rega
| liza is worn by the bride at the SEALING
ceremony. After the marriage, Miles
took special delight in haunting Owen
with the fact that she was a No. g He
kept it up with great assiduity. Owen
bided her time and it soon came Miles
was arrested for pOlygamy, and it was
Owens testimony that has sent him to
the penitentiary. Poetic justice would
have condemned the perfidious Miles tC
continue living with his three wives
In comparison with the possibilities
possessed by Owen for making his home
lively and interesting, the penitentiary
| would seem like Paradise.