The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-06-23
A woMAN's TALE.
The Sad Experience Of a Mormon
Wife as Related by a Gentle

Mormon marriages.: Some months
since Mr.. r. brought the beautiful
Miss Finnell home to be our neigh
bor-a plural hrs. R. To my sur
prise l was the recipient of an inyi-
tation to attend the supper given in
celebration of this event. Mrs. X.
(the first) received me kindly, for
away down deep in her life this
woman and have qualities in kin
ship. We sat down to supper at q
O'Clock. Mr.. r. and his first wife
sat at opposite ends of the table,
The new Mrs. K. sat by "Sister
Julia" l had the post of honor at
the right OF the bridegroom. This
new kind of Benedict wore an al
most sheepish air and was i'll at
ease throughout. 1t dawned upon
mo at last that my presence on such
an occasion was reproach to me.
| was more than ashamed of my
own stupidity in yielding to what
appeared so plainly as a most vul-
gar curiosity. In such q mood 1T
was of course difficult to be amia-
BILE, and as the best substitute for
that amiability due from guest st
a marriage feast, / tried to be witty.
Suffice it to say we succeeded in
stinging each other like nest of
hornets, and nothing but our good
breeding prevented an open quarrel.
We animals fed at that supper with
something. of the snappishness at
tributed to feasting wolves. That
agonizing supper over, we stood
around the bright fire in the coy
little sitting room. Mr.. r. had
planned to take his bride to the
theater, and so preparations IN the
way of gloves, cloaks and bonnets
began. The late Miss Finnell was
soon toileted for the opera in most
fashionable attire. Mrs. R-my
friend-stood half reclining agains:
the piano. We had been silent for
a moment, and, to relieve the en-
barrassment taking possession OF
US, said: "Mrs. r., it almost
makes one wish TO be a bride
again." Mrs. r. laughed accommo
datingly. just then Mr.. r. placed
his arm gently around the slender
waist of his new bride, folding hel
handsome opera cloak close to hel
form, and drew her toward him
She responded to this earess by ;
tender upward glance of her beau
tiful eyes. Then l looked towarC
my friend, to find her face pallid a
death, while look of agonizing en-
! durance, mingled with devilish ma
lignity, almost froze my blood.
had said aloud in actual surpris
before turning to her, GAS live, b
actually loves this girl" Mrs. r.
| look met mine squarely. The fac
told me all. No lies, now, wit
ready lips, at the bidding of tealt.
to religion. That agonized, refined
sensitive face proclaimed the sys
tenn damned. A woman's natura
love rose grandly in the awful dc
nunciation of those fierce eyes. !
great throb of pity filed my ow
woman's heart. 1 saw all TIE tor
ture and the noble rage of self-re
straint. L stepped toward her. as
to hold her in pity to my hear
My Mormon lady friend took me b
the arm with almost rude force, an
whispered warninglv, "Mr. Castint
tor Gods sake remember. wher
YOU are" l did remember, and
discomfitted, returned to my plac
near the mantel. Amid this hurr.
the bridal party took their depart
ure. We women were a silent part
lat first. Mrs. r. stood leanin
against the piano with her loo
bent on me almost resentfully
"You don't think yourself calle'
upon to pity me, Mrs. Castine2
she said, with an almost quarrel
f some tone.
81 do pity you, Mrs. r., and
have right to-"
You think me jealous of my neV
sister, then?' n
"Mrs. R., we are both proud wo
men. We only need to look int
, our own hearts to learn what res
, woman must feel under the Ordea
, through which you are passing.
81 am not jealous, Mrs. Castine
Not only am l not jealous, bu
happy in this new love of my hus
band. Our faith teaches US t
, love these sisters in marriage a
r our own flesh. This marriage
not an estraDgement of my hu:
| bands love, as it would be in q
} unsanctified GENTLE, but remal
rage to myself. Ia this NAL
: riage l live over again my own e:
, pousal, my own bridal, and rene
again the first sweets of marie
5 love-"
+ We are all decidedly uncomfoi
t table, and cur two lady compar
: ions took their leave togethe
!. But my impulse of pity had nc
D been lost, and without a word ha'
! Ing been spoken between US aftC
!, our friends had retired, she san
into 81 chair and covering her fac
| with her hands, cried out in bite
y ness: "Ohl Mrs. Castine, a
I most wretched. Between me an
i any celestial lights, or any glory {
D peace or consolation in this life {
d in the world to come there stan
= that woman. This girls face
e hateful to me; that my husbaH
u should love one for her mere beaut
l alone! My imagination cannot |
d held back from all the soul-tortu
II ing, crucifying things which folio
b in the train of this marriage. II
# box at the theater holds tonight
d man, wife-not more. There a
II the gentle pressure of hands, Il
e glanees of loving eyes, the blen
IS Ing of lines into one destiny il to
5, life, the first exquisite rapture
81 honeymoon, which cheats intsC
$ with the delusion that capt.
Sc stock OF love has been laid in SUI
% cient to draw upon for life. Beyor
n these rise, in spite OF all preten
t of spirituality, the bridal bed, q
Df cradle, the child, in whose vel
i there can be the commingling li
D current OF but one father and b
is one mother. All these things d
-y man can have only with any wont
le lfn marriage. No, Mrs. Castinc,