The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-07-28
Among the Mormons.
A PoLYsANoUs HOUSEHOLD ANo rHE NOR
MON BABY.

= PoLNGAMOCs HOUSEHOLD ANa rHE NOR
MON BABY
Utah Cor o. the New York Times.
. After riding miles through white sand
: and sage brush, or lava rock and scuria.
they are delightful 10 contemplate al 4
: distance, and more so when landinr
from the dreadful vehicle to sin down
Of you cam under the yine-clad porch
feel the refreshing breeze, and listen to
the pleasant sound OF running water
which You feel just like rolling into.
All Mormon towns are necessarily lo-
Gated where water can be- turned Oh
purpose as it flows from the mountain
ranges behind them, and Is turned
through the town and diverted To the
purpose ot irrigatiug gardens add fields
with water. They make an oasis I'm the
desert, and wherever 10 cau be found
there some hardy pioneer has settled
and tills the soil and raise, hi, stock
The extension of the Southern Utah
Railroad has done much to bring remote
parts of the Territoritory into notice.
Hitherto Southern Utah has been AL
most unknown To the tourist. a few
hardy miners only having found their
way to the distant Mormon settlements
on muleback on prospecting tours.
+ Utah is unquestionablv rich in minerals
! Its gold silver, coal and salt mines give
great wealth 70 the country, which the
railroads are rapidly developing. There
is n bright outlook for Utah, now that
prejudice is giving way and Mormon aud
/ Gentle fraternize, which they do 20
much greater extent than heretofore
business intercourse and mutual interest
is doing much To level the barriers be-
fore existing. In my travels through
the Territory on this and a previous
occasion | found no complaint where
ever | stopped | was welcome my
wants were supplied for self and beast
at very moderate charges, and no such
rapacity exhibited as is often met with
nearer home, and no such disposition
manifested to take advantage of circum-
stances. A good bed of clean straw
and often a hair mattress, good. whole
some food, nice fresh vegetables, and "a
cheerful, hearty welcome made the ston
refreshingly agreeable. All the Nor
mon Elders, and even the poorest and
most humble that have met. have been
civil, hospitable and accommodating.
At Cedar City, the next town of impur-
lance to this, the head man, Bishop
Lund, is proverbial for the warm vel
come extended to all Gentiles. The
Bishop is character in his way
one of the handwriting, frugal
sort. He has accumulated "A consider
able property, lives in roomy. we'll
built house, surrounded with his four
acres of fruit and shade trees, with his
four wives, and with the stray dollars
he picks up by entertaining travellers
the Bishop manages 10 enjoy life very
comfortably. lie always greets one
with heartiness and exerts himself To
make his guests comfortable There Is
not hing i'll the house too good To he set
before you. His last and Youngest
wife makes capital slapjacks, ms can be
proved hy your correspondent, who
gave them an unprejudiced hearing.
What strikes the stranger most partic-
ularly Is the air of peace and quietness
prevailing in all Mormon households.
There is a cheerfulness that we do not
understand, and serenity most aston.
ishing, when we consider that there are
several women under one roof and all
aspirants for one mans affections.
Show me parallel instance elsewhere.
There must he something worth invest
igation in religion that can make
women amiable and charitable toward
each other-ours utterly fails to do it.
1t is worth while to acquire the secret.
Then let ministers OF the gospel preach
it and those who call thomselve- Chris
tan women practice il. The world at
large will I've all the better for it.
There is one institution that is both
a wonder and an amusement-that is IA
Mormon baby. At the house Ia private
one) where ! am stopping there is Il
little round fat fellow Of 9 or 10
months, whom ! have vet 10 hear
cry, He rolls around the floor, some
times down the steps, and takes care Of
himself He is no trouble 10 ANYBODY,
but a source Of great amusement. This
morning he crawled to the top step and
rolled down, apparently unhurt, never
whimpered, and commenced stuffiug
himself with leaves A pet tame chick
EN- came along rand stopped and eyed him
ouriously. The little chap returned the
stare, and was evidently studying Ia his
mind what kind of a bird /, could be.
The chicken thought thc fat little
fingers edible. and made sharp
peck at them. The little fellow looked
Ill at me with an inquiring look, AS
much as to say, "What does he take
me for? z" The chicken hoped up ia
his lap, and its little fingers closed
around its leg, the chicken futtered,
upset baby, threw a cloud Of dust in his
eyes, struck him in the face with its
wings, and finally escaped, leaving the
young gentleman sprawling in the dirt;
instead of squalling he laughed, evident
ly considering it jolly spree Babies
compose liberal portion Of the product
Of Utah, but they all seem equally good
natGTad. won't say how many hours
per day ] spend playing with little Jack,
as we call him. We are great friends,
and | shall be sorry to leave him. He
has my best wishes and earnest hope of
a safe deliveranee from all the ills of
collie, measles. etc, that Juvenile flesh
IS heir to. Jack is a great boy-long
may he wave.