The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-04-05

marks will remain while the mountains
remain. All around, high up on the
hilltop, you pick up sea. washed pebbles, |
petrified sea fish of q forgotten age, |
stones with sea-moss and sea.shells en-
cased in them. and endless evidence that
the ships of Solomon might have sailed
these mountain.tops, seeking the land Of
Ophir.
And yet here was pitiful man, in the
heart of all this mystery, in the presence
of ever-patient and industrious Nature
rs she tried to fashion home for him
glorious and beautiful, cutting his fel-
low.men's throat before he had yet fairly
sat down TO the possession of it all.
Was there not sorrow enough here1
Why, these Mormons had been riding,
racing, dashing about for days and days
to find single victim TO murder. And
no " they had found their victim. She
must die. She was already in some
sense dead.
DOtDo Ouo uhu becu tno puuu Vi tue
giant shoot high and straight and per-
pendicular in the mir as the Danltes rode
down from the hill. They answered
with the same emphatic and silent sign.
What did it meauH AS they approached
the camp, he also approached. He came
with n heavy, massive, and deliberate
tread, as IL no owned the earth. He
took possession of the place. They en-
tered the camp together. The men
looked at the giant for their orders. He
motioned them to dismouDt. They did
so. and stood q little apart, holding
their hungry and tired horses by long
rawhide tethers as they bent their sleek
necks to the ground, ratified their steel
bits In their teeth, and ate of the green
and abundant grass as If It never had
been or should be stained with blood.
know you are clutching your hand
here with ferocity toward the one party.
and shame and pity for the other. You
would have fought, died then and there,
or destroyed these destroying angels,
would youf
Not SO. Braver men never were
known than the pioneers of these days.
But there somehow fell a fascination on
all and always, from these swift and ST.
lent fanatics-the fascination of the SER
pent when It looks in birds eyes-that
paralyized the worn and weary pilgrims
in these early days. And you search the
chronicles In vain for one single act of
successful defence. Not one of thou
sand murders met with any real resist
Ruce,
Some believed that this new religion
would cover the earth. Men who ab-
horred II had seen its audacity and pow
er so suddenly aud wonderfully develop
ed here IN these mountains Of Mexico,
that no wonder they were appalled, and
silent before its executioners. 1t had its
belieyers, too, in every camp. No one
dared complain to his neighbor, not even
TO bis own brother, or build up plans of
escape, punishment, or revenge. A man
did not trust his own wife. There was
but one course to take-bear all in 81
lence.
Our party had already unyoked their
oxen; and the lsrge-eyed, patient cattle,
glad to be let loose once more, we're
mouthing the sweetest grass along the
green banks of the willow lined stream.
The weary men gradually sank down ON
the grass in groupsi the children eluug
TO their mothers' skirts In silent awe
No one spoke TO the terrified girl. The
large, hollow-eyed leader looked at her
moments their eyes met She knew
him then. He was her husband. She
was an apostAte wife, aud had been so
Judged by Dan. The story of the terri.
ble fate OF an apostate wife was familiar
even TO the children who looked on in
silent terror.
He frohe her blood with cold stare.
and then made q motion with his large
left hand. in which he still held book.
to the men with the horses. They took
otf their brides from their hungry horses
and hung them over the pommels OF
their Spanish saddles. Then they loos.
eued the sinches OF their saddles leisure
ly, and coming forward they gathered
about the elder. They sat down, still
holding to their tetbers. Then the elder
or missionary began TO talk calmly OF
the beauties Of the book Of Mormon. and
to read and to preach. He beckoned all
TO draw near. and all drew near. obedient
aud breathless. With a gesture be bade
the pale aud terrified girl sit close be-
fore him In the gathering circle. and she
did so; her great sad eyes lifted to his
eyes as the eyes Of bird might lift help
lessly to the fascinating eyes Of the ser
pent that is to destroy her.
fro BE coSrrSUxD.