The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-05-13
The Beauties of Polgyamy.

The following was related by the wife
OF a noted United States explorer to q
Gentle lady Of this city, who will vouch
for its genuineness: while travelling in
Southern Utah, we came to small set
Element where we were detained c day
or two by inclement weather. We
found shelter in the humble, but neat
and hospital home of monogamist
saint, whose family hated polyganly, and
through whose influence we were per-
p,ittcd glance at some of the beastli
ness that characterizes the peculiar in
stitution. Only short distance from
the dwelling of my friendly entertain
ers there stood miserable adobe hut, I
could not conscientiously call it house,
where lived saint with three wives,
all of whom had families. My hostess
made some neighborly errand an excuse
for paying them a visit and permitted
me 10 accompany her, but before going
she made me acquainted with the rela-
tionship existing between the three
women who were living with and had
borne children to the same man.
The first and second women were
sisters, the latter had been widow
with one child ~hen she married her
sisters husband. When this child had
grown to be about lG years old her
stepfather had also married her, but
after few months she left and was
sealed to another man as plural wife,
by whom she had two children. Then
he died and she returned to her first
husband, bringing her children with
her, the eldest OF whom at the time l
am speaking Of, was n girl about Is
years old, and my informant stated
for fact, that the old wretch had
thoughts Of marrying her too.
When we entered the hut the scene
that met our eyes totally beggars de-
scription. Imagine one low, smoky,
filthy room serving as living room and
sleeping apartment for three women and
their offspring, some of the latter almost
grown up, the majority of the latter be-
ing little children. L could never have
dreamed of such dirt, squalor and rags
existing in Christian country. l had
seen nothing equal to it even among the
Digger Indians, in fact the latter were
quite civilized in comparison. But the
worst Of my story is yet to come.
The young girl of whom my hostess
had spoken as a probable bride Of her
grandfather, was sitting in corner
sobbing and crying Upon inquiriny the
cause of her distress we We're told quite
frankly that her grandfather had given
her severe castigation for speaking dis
respectfully of polygamy, and declaring
that she would never become the wife
of her mothers and grandmother's hus-
band. When we left 1 could not
restrain my Indignation and l said,
"what lovely religion this is to make
such beasts out Of human creatures
at is not religion, but the lack of it,
that makes them beasts" quietly re-
joined my hostess, 'and you will find
many cases as bad as this enc if you
travel far in Utah
But the sequel is still more horrible.
About year afterward we had occasion
to pass through that particular settle
ment again, and for day we were the
guests of our former hostess. She told
me that the young girl was really
sealed to her grandfather, being literally
forced into it by her own mother and
grandmother, under circumstances so
revolving that delicacy forbids me from
repeating them even to one Of my own
sex. Even in that poly gamic community
the excitement was so great that talk
was had of lynching the degraded trio,
the man and the two elder women,
but the feeling soon passed over and was
eventually forgotten or only remembered
as an episode of this peculiar religion
From the Salt Lake Anti Polvgamy
Standard.