Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-06-28


ment a wild wish 10 seize wife and child and
fly far from the cruel fate that threatened
them all possessed him, but only for mo-
ment.
al cannot fly from God :" this was his
next thought, and the deity Of the Mormon
faith - remorseess cruel, unrelenting
seemed to his excited imagination to stand
in the way with drawn sword, barring all
escape and driving him forward to the des-
tiny he dreaded.
"Philip, what is the matter? You are
surely ill.,
Il was the sweet voice of his wife that fell
on his ear, but the words smote him like
blow. How could he bear her tenderness,
her wifely solicitude, when he was about TO
strike her TO the hearth With a mighty ef-
fort he controlled face and voice, and an
swered calmly. She must not suspect any
thing yet. Let her have another happy
hour-the last she would ever know on earth
The minutes of reprieve which the wretched
man had allowed himself flew rapidly.
Supper was placed on the table, and he
went through the form of eating and drink.
ing. The baby was rocked to sleep and
tucked in his downy nest for the night.
His wife came and seated herself on his
knee, asking again If he were i'll. For a
minute he strained her TO his heart cover.
ing her face with passionate kisses then
putting her away from him and pointing to
chair, he said, in strange, hoarse voice
Sit down, Jessie. have something to
tell you"
She obeyed, with an amazed look on her
sweet face, and as plainly unconscious of
the blow that awaited her as the lamb of
the uplifted knife. Twice her husband es.
sayed to speak, but his voice failed him.
At last, summoning all his strength, he
began:
"Jessie, President Young sent for me TO-
day to tell me that he had already borne
too long with my disobedience to counsel,
and that / must now take another wife or
be cut off from the church, and-he has
given me one week in which to decide"
Jessies cheek blanched, and for moment
she could not reply; but composing herself
directly she spoke bravely
"lf we are cut off from the church they
cannot harm us. We can go to Camp
Douglass, as others have done, and we will
be safe there; though of course" glancing
around the pleasant room, "we shall lose the
the house, and | suppose the store too; but
we shall be free, and we shall have each
other and our child"
As she finished speaking her eyes kindled
and the color came back to her face. How
sweet liberty would be after all these year:
of bondage Her husband perceived hei
thought. He saw, too, that she had not ever
glanced at the alternative. How should he
go onp What could he say to make hel
share his own dread of bringing down the
vengeance of heaven upon them all by con
tinuous disobedience to divine law2
"Jessie, you do not understand me-" he
said desperately. al am not afraid of then
that can only kill the body, but l fear hin
who is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell"
"Philip, you do not mean-you canno
mean that" Speech failed, and the un
happy wife, upon whom possibility whict
she had never before contemplated dawnec
at last, could only clasp her hands in the
appeal.
against God. President Young says ou
children have been taken because we hav,
been disobedient, and if we continue 10 re
bel our baby will be laid beside the othe
before another MONTH"
| "And you believe that 7"
"God speaks to us by the voice of hi
| prophet | must believe. If doubt one
word ! must give up ALL
"Give up all then. Oh, Philip, this reli
gion is false-as false as it is cruel. 1t yield,
nothing but discord, and misery, and wick
edness. Look at the families where they
say they have obeyed the will of God The
wife, if she is not changed into fury, is dy
ing of broken heart the other women pas
their lives in the midst of strife and jeal
ousy that kills all the good in them. AnC
then the children / had far rather burr
my baby tomorrow than have him grow uI
like them.
"Jessie, wife, hear me. If God command
a thing, we must not question his wisdom
We must look beyond the present for results
He knows that it will cost me more than lif'
to obey him in this thing, and he would no
require such sacrifice of me if no goot
could come of it,"
| "Philipl" She rose to her feet and stood
before him. Answer me plainly and at once
DO you believe that God requires you to TAX
another wife 2"
"Jessie, have little pity on me. Tha
is the question | am trying to decide.
have been trying all day. | dared not COM
home | could not face you; and | fee
now as though | were going mad"
The stern look faded from her face ant
the fire from her eyes softened. She wa
again the tender loyal wife.
Forgive me, love-" she said, laying he
hand on his bowed head. al did not meal
to make the trial harder for you"
1t is needless to dwell upon the struggle
which did not end with the night, but LASTED
throughout the week. The result was wha
might have been foreseen. Fanaticism tri
umphed over nature, love- over everything
that had hitherto saved their home from
proclamation, and when the time arrived TO
making his decision known to the prophet
Philip said, al will obey
Jessie did what hundreds of wives il
Utah have done-submitted to the newt
able-and after the first day said nothing
to influence her husbands decision. Sh,
had lived too long in the midst Of sucl
scenes not to know what the end would be
and she read her death-warrant in Philip
face before single word was spoken to re
veal the choice he had made.-From Mrs