News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-06-22

II he stayed away any longer, so at last
with thei courage of desperation he
turned his face homeward, resolved to
| speak out at once and come to decis-
ion before another sun rose. "Poor
Jessie Was it for this I won your
heart ?" he said 10 himself as he came
in sight of his own house.
His wife was at the door, holding up
the baby to welcome him. Both faces
were bright with smiles, and one was
as unconscious as the other of coming
evil. How can 1 ever tell her ?" he
thought, and for moment wild wish
to selze wife and child and fly far from
the cruel fate that threatened them ell
possessed him, but only for moment.
''I cannot fly from God;" this was his
NOR faith-remorseless, cruel, unrelent-
ing-seemed to his excited imagination
to stand in the way with q drawn sword,
barring all escape and driving him for
ward to the destiny he dreaded.
''Philip, what is the matter ? You are
surely ILL.,"
1t was the sweet voice of his wife that
fell on his ear, but the words smote him
like blow. Tow could he bear her
tenderness, her wifely solicitude, when
he was about to strike her to the heart?
With mighty effort he controlled face
and voice, and answered her calmly. She
must not suspect anything 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
drinking. Then 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
was Ill. For minute he strained her
to his heart, covering her face with pas
sionate kisses; then putting her away
from him and pointing to chair, he
said, in strange, hoarse voice -
''Sit down, Jessie, I have something
to tell you"
She obeyed, with an amazed look on
her sweet face, and yet as plainly un-
conscious of the blow that awaited her
as the lamb of the uplifted knife. Twice
her husband essayed to speak, but his
voice failed him. At last, summoning
all his strength, he began
De1efJank e. 49,,
to day to tell me that he had already
borne too long with nay disobedience to
counsel, and that 1 must now take an
other wife, or be cut off from the church,
and-he has given me one week in
which to decide"
Jessie's cheek bIanched, and for a
moment she could not reply but COM
posing herself directly, she spoke
bravely:
'iIf we are cut off from the church /
they cannot ham Us. We can go to
Camp Douglas, as others have done,
and we will be safe there; though, of
course" glancing around the pleasant
room, 1--WE shall lose 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 years of bondagel Her hus-
band perceived her thought. He saw,
too, that she had not even glanced at
the alternative. How should he Don?
What could he say to make her share
his own dread of bringing down the !
vengeance of heaven upon them all by
continued disobedience to divine law
"Jessie, you do not understand me"
he said desperately. 8" / am not afraid
of them that can only kill the body, but
I fear Him who is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell"
"Pbilip, you do not mean-you
cannot mean that" Speech failed,
and the unhappy wife, upon whom a
possibi ity which she had never before
contemplated dawned at last, could only
clasp her hands in mute appeal.
81 mean that fear we may be fight
ing against God. President Young says |
our children have been taken because
we have been disobedient, and if we |
continue to rebel our baby will be laid |
beside the other before another month.
"And you believe thatf"
"God speaks to US by tho voice of his
prophet. I must believe. If l doubt
one word 1 must give up ALL
"Give up all then. Oh, Philip, this
1t yields nothing but discord, and
and wickedness. Look at the |
families where they say they have
obeyed the law of God The wife, if |
she is not changed into fury, is dying of
a broken heart the other women pass
their lives in the midst of strife and |
jealousy that kills ali the good in them |
And the children L had far rather bury
my baby tomorrow than have him
grow up like them"
"Jessie, my wife, hear me. If God
commands thing, we must not ques-
ton his wisdom. We must look beyond
the present for results. He knows that
it will cost me more than life to obey
him in this thing and he would not re-
quire such sacrifice Of me if no good
could come of it"
"Philipr' She rose to her feet and
stood before him. "Answer me plainly,
and at once. Do you believe that God
requires you to take another wife ?"
''Jessie, have little pity on me.
That is the question ] am trying to de-
eide. I have been trying all day. I
dared not come home. l could not face
you; and 1 feel now as though were
going mad"
The stern look faded from her face,
and the fire in her eyes softened. She
was again the tender, loyal wife.
"Forgive me, love" she said, laying
her hand on his bowed head. 81 did
not mean to make the trial harder for
you"
It is needless to dwell upon the
struggle, which did not end with the
night, but lasted throughout the week.
The result was what might have been
foreseen. Fanaticism triumphed over
nature, love-over everything that had
saved their home from PROCLAMATION, and
when the time arrived for making his