The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-04-07


week with another, or less time if his
wives be many. IF he takes fancy to
remain longer than the allotted time woe
be to him, for all the other wives rise
up as one united injured woman, and
make it lively for him. You see, it may
not always be practicable for one wife to
make husband toe the mark, but a
dozen, more or less, find it no trouble
whatever.
81 was in Salt Lake City during the
whole Ann Eliza episode. I have since
heard her lecture, and was amused at the
way she distorted facts. She was a
thorough Mormon, ambitious and in
triguing for power. She wanted the
glory Of being. one of Brigham's wives,
supposing that as she was young and
prepossessing she could win his oft-won
heart and reign supreme over his vast
estates and many wives. She therefore
made him proposals strictly honorable,
1 am bound to say, since she divorced
her husband to do so-but, after having
been sealed to countless women, and
having led to the altar eighteen blush
ing brides, to we'd the fair Eliza did not
have for Brigham the charm of novelty.
Besides he was enamored Of Amelia, and
was wooing her.
"They have sort of confessional, in
| the sacred precincts of which they may
safely confde their desire to marry q
certain man, who is thereupon informed
of the wish by the pious go-between,
and the gentleman can hardly refuse.
OF ali men Brigham was bound to prac-
tlce what he preached, and, as Ann
Eliza would not take no for an answer
and "no" he did say to her I know for
q certainty became the nineteenth
wife. At this time all the remnants of
love the poor old man had to give were
lavished on Amelia, who had not wanted
him, but had been talked into the mat
ter by her relatives. He made Eliza's
honeymoon as brief as possible, and
hurried to Amelia. Eliza says in her
lecture that she was banished to a
wretched little place in the country, or
words to that effect. The truth is that,
like all the rest of his wives, she was
given choice of residence She Sc
lected a pretty, little, we]l-stocked farm
about four miles from Salt Lake
City. There's not lady in New York
but would be pleased to own such a
place. ..-
cam Eliza made great complaint
OF never having anything to wear but a
calico dress. I never saw her in any
but silk Of the best make and material.
In Utah, as elsewhere, ladies wear calico
when about their work. There are no
drones in the great Mormon hive. Eliza
struggled hard for the Office of queen
bee, but there is no such sinecure. She
was so nettled at Brigham's infrequent
and quite ceremonious calls that she
took dislike to her farm, and thought
that if she were to get within the city
limits she would get more chance at
him, so she leased and tortured him I'M
til he gave her house in town. It was
very comfortable, commodious dwell
ing, very roomy, and we'll adapted for a
boarding house.
"By this time the Gentiles had over
run the Mormon Businesses, and where
the American goes there the boarding
house follows. The nineteenth wife
could not become the power behind the
throne, so she resolved to open board
ing house. Brigham thought it beneath
the dignity of his wife. enthusiastically
speaking, to keep boarding house, but
she pestered him so he consented. He
had married her to get rid of her, and,
not succeeding, he thought the boarding
house would quiet her. She took in
some Gentiles who backed her in open
rebellion, wrote her lecture, and started
her lecturing. This was the inner life
OF Brigham and Eliza. Gould she have
stepped into Amelia's place, she would
have done as that very long headed lady
has done, and the world would never
have heard either her wrongs or her
lecture
I" AS a general thing women are wooed
IN Utah the same as elsewhere. At the
same time there is class of girls who
cast about and pick up husband for
themselves. When say husband I
mean husband, for they prefer to see
how a man treats his wife and the style
in which he supports her before thew
marry him. They don't care to exper.-
ment with a single man. They select a
man OF wealth, and by means of the con-
fessional of which I have spoken, OF
otherwise, it is made known to MIN that
he must marry certain girl. It is only
Just to the Mormon women at large to
say that this sort Of girl is in the minori.
ty. Polygamy compels her to remain
respectable in spite of herself, for no.
where is lapse from virtue more con.
demned than among the Mormons, and
the infidelity of a wife is punished by
the loss of caste and complete social
Punishment. A woman can only be
married to one man at time. Divorce
is within easy reach, but to the husband
de tacto and pro tenn. she must remain
true. A case occurred within my knowl-
edge which, though painful, had its
amusing side.
A man had wife. Both believed
polygamy was right, but when the hus-
band put it into practice and brought
home younger and handsomer bride,
the first wife found it hard to bear
| There are certain things very calling
about this Mormon custom. The first
wife is expected to treat the newcomer
as welcome guest, and if not in good
circumstances she must resign her Sleep
mg-apartment to her-there's no humil-