The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-10-07
A YANKEE SCHOOL TEACH
ES IN UTAH.


Lchigh is q littlo town n few milos
south of Salt Lake City. l reached it
lats-one cold Friday afternoon in De-
cember. and when l alghtcd at tho
station asked q small boy who was
standing near if he would direct mo to
tho hotel.
Hotel! There amt no hotel in this
town"
"Whero do people go who want to
stop in Lehigh over night?"
They go to the Bishops house over
rho Bishops house! A Mormon
Bishop, and a Yankee school teacher
sent out rs missionary from the Epis-
cOpal church! But thero was no help
for it. rs / must have sholter for the
night SO l crossed tho road and
knocked boldly at the door 1t was
opened by tho Bishops wife, tall,
thin, caroworn woman, who eyed mo
sharply.
"Can l stay hero all nightp" asked; !;
81 have just como to Lchigh on tho
train"
"Who bo youp"
told her my name, and added that
had lived part of my life in Louisiana,
that portion of our country being less
obnoxious to these people than tho
Eastern States.
'.Bo you a Gcntile?" she inquired,
after another sharp look at me.
IL am not jew. that's certain"
said laughingly, $50 suppose must
be Gcntile."
"The Bishop don't low Gcntilcs in
this towL. They ncvor set foot here.
But you can come in if you want to-"
was surprised at the end OF her sem
tencc, which bora no resemblance to
the beginning, and gladly accepted tho
rather equvocal invitation.
Tho room which 1 entered was small
and poor, used for parlor. dining-room
and general sitting-room. In tho apart
ment beyond heard the click of sew
ing-machinc and the sound of girls
voices.
"What dye como to Lehigh4orp"
Mrs. Evans inquired, still cycling mo
with immense curiosity.
al came here to opon u school,"
said.
"a SCHOOL, What sort OF SCHOOL,"
"a school for all the boys and girls
that want to come. Haven't you
daughters that you would like to
scndp"
She ignored tho last question and
faced mo with her arms akimbo.
What be you going to charger"
Nothing"
Nothing! That's n queer way to
keep school. Guess you'll get tired
of it soon enough"
A long pause followed. during whic!.
sho seemed to be studying mo and
growing more and more porplcxed.
At last she shot at me this question:
BE You PresbytorianP"
"a Methody2"
mo"
Sho turned around abruptly and
flung open the door Of the noXt room.
whore / had heard tho sewing machine.
Girls, como out here. -Hcros
woman, an she's young an she's goin'
to keep school, an you can all 60,
an she amt PrcsDy tcrian or
Mcthodyr'
1t is impossible to express tho vigor
OF her tones as sho announced these
separate facts, each one seeming equal
ly surprising to her.
Tho girls crowded around mo-such
anumber Of them!
'Aro all thcso your daughterS?" l
inquired, though l folt that itcould
not DO possible.
"Oh, no. They arc Matildas, and
James. and Lorcny and Martha
AIMS"
'And who Is Matilda. and Jane, and
LoreDy and Martha Amp"
"The Bishops families" andshe set
her teeth hard and turned away from
mo-.
found aftcrward that no fist wife
OF n Mormon ever speaks OF tho other
women who arc "scalcd" to hr hus-
band as his wives" They are always
families.
Inoticed small organ in the back
room. standing opposite to the sowing
machine.
do you play2" asked.
They all shook thcir heads rather
sadly. l learned that tho organ was
to them great and awful mystery. Ii
had never been opened since it was
brought into tho house some months be-
fore, taken by tho Bishop In part pay
mont of dcbt. There was q man at
the railroad station, they toldme. who
could play an organ. Evidently they
felt the greatest admiration for the
man at the station.
In packing my trunk that horning. /
had accidentally loft out litle sing
Ing. book, and NJ tho last miulto tucked
II into my satchol. I wa4 thankful
that had Ii within reach. tsat down
10 tho organ and played aBd sang to
them. As won't on from ofo piece to
another, thoy grew m&o opon-
inouthed aud wider-eyed.
.'How many tunes do yd1 knowpn
QUO OF them asked at last