American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-11-05
CHATTER XVII.

Mormon country.
CHAPTER XVII.
IN WHICH PAssEPARroUr FOLLOWS, WITH
SPEED or TWENTY MILES AN HOUR, A CoURs
or MORMON HISTORY.
During the night of the 9TH to the 6tl
of December the train went for fit
miles to the southeast, then it ran up
wards about as far northerly, approach
| ing the Great Salt Lake.
Passepartout. about nine O'clock il
the mora M, went on the platform t,
[, take the air. The weather was cold
the sky gray. but it had stopped snow
ing The disc of the sun. enlarged b,
the mist, looked like an enormous piece
of gold, and Passcpartout was busy cal
culating its value in pounds sterling
when his attention was taken from thi.
useful work by the appearance of a yer,
strange parsonage.
This parsonage, who took the traiI
at Elko Station, was tall, very brown,
had black moustachc. black stockings
a black silk hat, black waistcoat, black
pantalOons, white cravat and black
dog-skin gloves. He might have been
taken for a Clergyman. He went from
one end of the train to the other. and
on the door of each car fastened with
waters y written notice.
Passcpartout approached and read on
one of these notices that Elder William
Hitch, taking advantage his presence
on train No. As, would, from eleven to
twelve o'clock, deliver an address on
Mormonism in car No. 1l7-inviting to
hear him all DESTROYS of being instruct
ed concerning the mysteries of the relig-
ion of the Latter Day Saints"
Certainly, will 60" said Passe.
partout to himself, who knew nothing
of Mormon but its custom Of polyg-
amy, the base of Mormon society
The news spread rapidly through the
train, which carried about one hundred
passengers. Of this number, thirty ut
most, attracted by the notice of the
meeting, occupied at eleven O'Clock the
seats in car No. III. Passepartout was
prominent in the front rank of the
faithful. Neither his master nor Fix
thought it worth while to take the
trouble.
At the appointed hour Elder William
Hitch rose, and in quite an irritai ed
voice. as if he had been contradicted in
advance, he cried:
II tell you that Joe Smith is Il mar
tyr, that his brother Hiram is Il martyr,
and that the persecution by the United
States Government of the prophets will
also make a martyr OF Brigham Young.
Who dares to maintain the contrary"
No one vcntured to contradict the
whose excitement con-
trasted with his naturally calm physiog-
nomy. But, without doubt, his anger
was explained by the fact that Mormon
SIN was now subjected to severe trials.
The United States Government had,
not without difficulty, just reduced
.hese independent fanatics. II had
made Itself master of Utah, and had
subjected it to the laws of the Union,
lfter imprison ng Brigham Young. ac-
FUSED of rebellion and polygamy. Since
hat period, the disciples of the prophet
'cdoubled their efforts, and, whilst not
coming TO acts, resisted in words the
demands of Congress
We see that Elder William Hitch was
rying to proselyte even on the trains.
And then he related. emphasizing his
narrative by his loud voice and the vio-
ence of his gestures, the history of
from Bible times: "How
n Israel. a Mormon prophet of the
ribe of Joseph published the annals of
he new religion and bequeathed them
o his SON Moron; how, MANY centuries |
ater, a translation of this precious
'ook, written in Egyptian characters,
vas made by Joseph Smith. Dr., Il
armer in the State of Vermont, who |
evealed himself as mystical prophet |
q 1925; how, finally, celestial mes |
enger appeared to him in an illumi- |
ated forest and gave him the annals of |
he Lord"
At this moment, some of his hearers,
ot much interested in the retrospect |
re narrative of the missionary, left the |
ar: but William Hitch, continuing, |
elated show Smith, Jr., with his
ather, his two brothers, and few dis
iples. founded the religion of the Lat
er Day Saints religion which,
dopted not only in America, but in
'ngland. in Scandinavia, and in Ger
lany, counts among its faithful, arti-
ans and also q number of people en-
aged in the liberal professions; how a
Olony was founded in Ohio; how q
ample was built at cost of two hum
red thousand dollars, and a city built
t Kirkland; how Smith became an en-
,rprising banker and received from a
mple mummy Snowman a papyrus
,roll containing a narrative written
y Abraham and other celebrated
gvptians."
This narrative becoming little long,
he ranks of his hearers thinned out
i'll more, and the audience only con-
sted of twenty persons.
But the Elder, undisturbed by this
ssertion, related the details of show
pc Smith became bankrupt in 1887;
ow his ruined stockholders gave him a
'at of tar and feathers; how he APP
Jared again, more honorable and more
,nored than ever, a few years after.
Independence, in Missouri, at the
lad of a fiourishing community, which
'unted not less than three thousand
sciples; and that then, pursued by the
tired of the Gentilcs, he had to fly to
q far West"
Ten hearers were still there, and
nong them the honest Passepartout,
no listened with all his ears Thus he
armed chow. after long prosecutions.
NTH reappeared in Illinois, and in
39 founded, on the banks of the Mis-
'sippi. Nauvoo the beautiful, whose
'pulation rose to twenty-five thousand
uls; how Smith became the Mayor,
lief Justice and General-in- Chief; how I
1913 he announced himself as candi-
tie for the Presidency of the United '
atcs; and how, finally, he was drawn '
to an ambuscade at Carthage, thrown
TO prison, and assassinated by band I
masked men," /
At this moment Passepartout was the
ly hearer in the car, and the Elder, look I
= him in the face. fascinating him by |
) words, recalled to his mind that, two '
ars after the assassination of Smith, l
, successor, the inspired prophet, I
igham Young, leaving Nauvoo. es- I
olished himself on the banks of Salt C
Ike. and that there in that splendid Q
rritory, in the midst of that fertile t
untry on the road which the emil c