Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-05-15
.TREAN:
THE MORMON'S. DAUGHTER.

ing rayh o. sorrow, s';c looked. in 'ceG, SUI
perb Elchard lifted his hat with thrill
Of pride and reverence, she looked so clear
and fair. In . moment she had donned her
hat and vail, and they rode away toward the
mountains.
1--WE will have an hour to ourselves now,
darling" said Elchard, as they rode north
ward through the town. She gave him o
grateful look. Presently they passed the
Prophets residence, a large, square house
with a double porch encircling two OF its
broad sides, and crowned with q stone bee
hive. On its left another long building,
surrounded by a high stone wall, was joined
to it. This was the Prophets harem, into
which he could pass from the main build
ing ut his pleasure. Over the door lay
carved lion sneering at the world with
stony muzzle, much as the master sneered
with stony heart, while across the street
fine residence for his favorite wife was
coming to completion, and just beyond the
Prophets dwelling great gate, surmount-
ed by an iron eagle, entered the grounds.
Trean looked at it all with shudder To
her it was polluted spot, the home Of
tyranny and shame; here, from this house,
had come the power which had crushed her
whole life into obscurity, had brought death
to those who gave her life, and her sister
years Of misery. With chill she turned
away, and lifted q piteous look to Ell
chards face. 1t had o bitter expression
mingled with disgust for all the coarse dis
play of tyranous emblems about the place
"Will it always remain so-the sin and its
power to injure othersp' she asked.
'No, darling, it will fall" he answered.
The system which has made these valleys
simply pens for slaves must crumble and
pass away when the sea Of civilization
flows over it.
''Oh," she cried. with feeling, ~ wish it
might hasten! When think Of all the poor,
struggling, blind souls we shall leave here
among these mountains it makes my heart
ache. Can't we help them some way when
we are freem
az hope we may" said Elchard, gravely.
~ at least shall give time and strength and
money to it."
''Oh, thank you so muchr' said the girl,
gratefully, as If she We're speaking for her
whole people. ~ am sure you can do q
great DEAL" and she looked at him with
loving eyes.
In few moments they came to the edge
Of the town, and, following road that
passed up considerable height and wound
away into the Wasatch range, in little
time they came out upon the side of Ensign
Peak, then turning their horses heads up
ward they rode around its green dome and
presently stood upon its summit.
All, what nearness to Heaven! How
lifted were they into sweet loneliness and
silence! When Elchard helped his betrothsd
to the ground he held her a moment in sheer
rapture of heart. They were so for above
the earth, so closed round with balmy soil
tude, with the evening tinted sky so near.
above, and the vast ring Of swimming
tances so beautiful below, their spirits leaped
together in ecstasy.
He tool, her hand in his and they walked
across the summit and looked down. Below
them the whole city spread out like o vast,
gray fan, worked with emerald tracery ofin-
Vulnerable tree-tops, and shot with the silver
Of quivering streams. Above it all rose the
white work OF the great Temple and the
huge nan-shaped roof Of the Tabernacle.
Beyond it the river Jordan, pouring through
the purple mountains thirty miles to the
south, came down through the vast basin,
cutting it in twain like highway of pearl.
Close upon the left the earth dropped down
ward into q great canyon, which, with its
bottom lined with greenery, seemed to shake
q creek Of clear snow-Water whitening and
jingling downward into the mill-races Of the
city. Beyond the canyon the mountains
rose again and swept on round in u mighty
curve, notched and peaked, and decked with
glinting ribbons Of snow, until the Jordan
cut it far in the south. Then the range rose
again and swept on in grand mountain
wall far around to the west, huge, many
colored, domed, and TRANSPORTED in the
sunset.
To the right, as if the earth were holding
up vast shield of polished steel in u hand
whose ,hnger-ends were peaks protruding
above the cleaning rim, lay Great Salt Lake.
Like Dead Sea, indeed, it slept Among its
grand surroundings, still, passive, and I'M
ruf1led by sail. In its midst were mount
ain islands, dead blue and seeming to lie
motionless upon the motionless water.
Away in the north were villages, dim with
distance, and O train like a tiny worm creep
ing from west to east on the great Trans
continental Line, and beyond that, mount
aims filmy as in dying dream. Directly
beyond the city, and to north and south, lay
o thousand farms. checkered by ten thou.
sand fields Of green and gold, dotted with
scores Of orchards, and fecked with mimic
lakes and streams.
It was picture to make the heart swell,
and they stood for time in wrapt silence,
gazing with luminous eyes and faces aglow
| with happiness. Would earth ever give a
better hour, or even suoh another2 We're il
mot almost enough if now time ceased for
! therl since they had tasted its bestl
After awhile they sat down upon pro-
jecting shelf Of stone, over which the dry
gray moss Of the mountain top lay in q mat,
| and watched the sun melt out Of the world.
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