Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-03

we didn't tackle the next man, tell you.
Bit as we went along, our courage came
hack. and the girls said | must ask the next
man we met if he was a Mormon. saw
man coming, and l never felt so afraid or a
man before in my life. He was not very
accommodating man, so when he was
almost I'D to us l stood in front of the girls,
and he kind of smiled on us. l said:
81 beg YOUR pardon. sir, but we are party
of younp ladies from San Francisco, and we
want to see a Mormon. Are you Nor
mon?'
He did not seem offended, like the other
man. but said to US:
II am Latter-day Saint, and always like
to answer the questions of those who are
seeking to know the gospel. SO you young
ladies are from California, are you? L used
to know California in the days of '49, as l
went around the Cape with Sam Brannon in
the ship Brooklyn" What might your
name be, Missw
| told him, and then he asked the names
of all the girls. He told us more than we
wanted to know. He offered to show us
around the city. We declined with thanks.
He said he had plenty of time, and that he
was always glad to serve stranger. He was
cladder than we were. He gave us the whole
history OF his church from the days of Kirt-
land and Nauvoo to the present, and he also
gave US the fdgets. guess he would have
talked us to death if some other man had
not come along and spoken to him, and he
asked US to excuse him q minute, We eX-
cused him with more pleasure than We made
his acquaintance. He was what we used to
call ''holy terror at school.
After this we went and hired carriage at
livery stable just west of our hotel, and
drove around the city. never heard such
awful things as the man who drove as told
about. And it was every word true, for the
man said he knew it. He showed rs lots of
houses where polygamists live. we passed
four houses which were Just alike, and the
man told us they all belonged to one man;
and that he had a wife in each house, and
that each wife had eleven children. And
this was a small family, too. We asked him
if the women ever quarrelled. de sad 1t
was not quarrelling but regular fighting.
"'They ave lawful times, they doz. Hive
seen 'em fight and pull air, and wen they
gets too bad, the husband, e puts 'em down
the cellar and don't give EN- hanything to
heat for ole week. Then if they still be's
rebellious, the teachers they comes around
and hadmonishes the wives to be guide and
hobedient: and generally hare. o! they ave
lawful times i'll Zion, | tell you"
When the man had finished this, we asked
him if there had ever been any murders
committed here.
Ave there been hany murders, Miss?
Wbv, I'll Just tell you Fat | saw with my
/ L
and I 'elped kill 'em, Miss. Don't be fright
ened, | won't arm you, cause I've lad
change of art since them, hand now | know
it's wrong. l could tell you of 'undreds of
murders Miss, but | daresn't, as they'd
know 90 told on 'em. But the Government
they ave got troops ERE now, and we loyal
Hamericans be MT SO afraid now. Here be's
your 'otel, Miss. l 'opes wen you comes
back to Salt Lake you'll ire me to show you
round. [ knows lots yet, Miss, as | 'aven't
told you. Goodbye and Apply time to
| you"
After this we girls did not want to see any
i thing more of Salt Lake, and now we are
satisfied that the old man who took so much
! interest in us. was one Of those bad men
/ that our driver had told us about, and We
were mighty lucky to escape HIM. Just
! think what narrow escape We had.
We are having good time, but | want to
leave this hor1id city after what / know, for
it amt safe for anyone to live here without
/ soldiers to protect one. We leave for Den
yer tomorrow morning. and Will write you
from there. | shall stay at the Windsor,
and so you may send your letters to me
there until the middle of the month. Good
bye. Give my love to your mother and
sisters, and kiss the baby for me. How was
the ball had to miss? | was awful sorry
could not be there. Are you the champion
! at lawn tennis?
With worlds of love and affection, your
own true friend. ETHEL ST. JOHN.
p. ST. have not forgotten the dress and
lace, and viii get them in New York and
bring them in my trunk. Goodbye.