Morning journal and courier., 1880-01-09
A Mormon Wedding Feast.
How a. W0man's Heart RebelIed Against the DOEmR of the Church.
 From the Sacramento Union

How n Woman's Heart RebelIed
 Against the DOEmR of the Church.
 [From the Sacramento Unionl
 Some months since MT. R. brought the beautiful Miss Finnell home to be our neigh bora plural Mrs. R. To my surprise was the recipient of an invitation to attend the supper given in celebration of this event. Mrs. R. (the first) received me kindly, for away down deep in her life this woman and have qualities in kinship. We sat down to supper at o'clock. Mir. R. and his first wife sat at opposite ends of the table, The new Mrs R. sat by Sister Julia" had the post of honor at the right of the bridegroom. This new kind of Benedict wore an almost sheepish air and was i'll at ease throughout. It dawned upon me at last that my presence on such an occasion was reproach to me. I was more than ashamed of my own stupidity in yielding to what appeared so plainly as most vulgar curiosity. In such mood it was of course difficult to be amiable, and as the best substitute for that amiability due from a guest at 8 marriage feast, I tried to bs witty. Suffice it to say, we succeeded in stinging each other like a nest of angry hornets and nothing but our good breeding prevented an open quarrel. We animals fed at that sup per with something of the snappishness at tributable to feasting wolves. That agonizlng supper over we stood around the bright fire in the cosy little sitting-room. MT. R. had planned to take his bride to the theatre, and so preparations in the way of gloves, cloaks
 and bonnets began. The late Miss Finnell
 was soon toileted for the opera in most fash ionable attire. Mrs. R.-my old friend stood half reclining against the piano. We
 had been silent for 8 moment, and. to relieve the embarrassment taking possession of us, said: Mrs. R., it almost makes one wish to
 be a bride again" Mrs. R. laughed accom- modatingly. Just then Mir. R. placed his arm gently around the slender waist of his new
 bride, folding her handsome opera-cloak close
 to her form and drew her towards him. She responded to this caress by tender upward
 glance of her beautiful eyes. Then I looked
 towards my friend. to find her face pallid as death, while look of agonizing endurance,
 mingled with devilish malignity, almost froze my blood. I had said aloud in actual surprise
 before turning towards her, ''As live he &C., tually loves this girI.'' Mrs. R's look met
 mine squarely. That face told me all No lies now, with ready lips at the bidding of fealty to religion. That agonized, refined, sensitive face proclaimed the system damned. woman's natural love rose grandly in the awful denunciation of these
 fierce eyes. great throb of pity filled my own woman's heart. I saw all the torture and the noble rage of selt-restraint. stepped towards her. as if to hold her in pity to my heart. My Mormon lady friend took me by the arm with almost rude force, and whispered
 warningly, 'Mrs. Castine, for Gods sake re- member where you are." I did remember, and, discomfited, returned to my place near the mantle. Amid this little furry the bridal party took their departure. We women were a silent party at first. Mrs. R. still stood
 leaning on the piano with her look bent on me almost resentfulIy. ''You don't think your- self called upon to pity me, Mrs. Castine?" she said. with an almost quarrelsome tone. II do pity you, Mrs. R and l have 8 right to.
 .'You think me jealousy of my new sister, then?'
 Mrs R., we are both proud women. We only need to look into our own hearts to learn what @ real woman must feel under the ordeal through which you are passing"
 1T am not jealous, Mrs. Castine. Not only not jealous, but happy in this new love of my husband. Our faith teaches us to love these sisters in marriage as our own hesh This marriage is not an arrangement of my hus- bands love as it would be in an unsanctifed Gentle, but remarriage to myself. In this marriage live over again my own espousal, my own bridal, and renew again the first sweets of married love-"
 We were all decidedly uncomfortable, and our two lady companions took their leave to- l gether. But my impulse of pity had not been l lost and without a word having been spoken between us after our friends retired she sank | into 8 chair and covering her face with her hands cried out in bitterness, "Ohl Mrs. Cas- tine, I am most wretched. Between mo and l any celestial lights or any glory or peace or consolation in this life or in the world to come | there stands that woman. Between me and
 all the light of my religion stands that wo- man. This girls face is hateful to me; that | my husband should love one for her mere beauty alone! My imagination cannot be held | back from all the soul-torturing, crucifying | things which follow in the train of this mar riage. The box at the theatre holds tonight | man and wife-not more. There are the | gentle pressure of hands, the glances of lov- l ing eyes, the blending of lines into one des tiny in this life. the first exquisite rapture of honeymoon, which cheats itself with the de-
 fusion that capital stock of love has been laid in sufficient to draw upon for life. Be- 1 yond these rise, in spite of all pretense of spirituality, the bridal bed, the cradle, the 1 child, in whose veins there can be the com
 manding ife-current of but one father and
 one mother. All these things one man can
 have only with one woman in marriage. No,
 Mrs. Castine; marriage to one woman un- marries man to all other women, or there is no marriage" There was no answer; of. fered none, but kissing her cold forehead 1 | left her alone with her desolate sorrow.