The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-06
CRUSHING a MORMON MOVEMENT.
The Elder Went on HIS Way, and Her
Jeptha Marched Home.
From the Detroit Free Press.


Jeptha Marched Home.
From the Detroit Free Press.
A Mormon elder had been up among the
North Carolina mountains spreading his
doctrines, and among the poor and illiterate
he had made converts. A day was set when
these were TO assemble at a certain hamlet
and start on their westward Journey. met
them at bend in the road, and drew aside
20 let them pass Half mile further down
they stopped TO eat dinner from the baskets
which had been prepared. was watching
the last one out of sight when a tall gaunt
woman. who must have been fully 90 wears
old. but was still rugged and fun Of deter =
mination, came up from the other way.
Her dress was OF the plainest, and her head
Was covered with sunbonnet, while she
had on neither Shoes nor stockings She had
rife on her shoulder, and she came up so
quietly that was startled.
" Mawnin', stranger" she saluted "a she
cane 10 halt.
Good morning.
Her them dun passed this wayT'
"rbe peopie with the Mormon eldsrri
"Yss,n
Just passed ont OF sight. Are you one
of that pertyf
God Forbid" she replied as she grounded
her rifle. "What do you think9"
ABOUT MormonismW
"'Yssn
81 think thar elder ought to be driven out
OF the country. These poor, deluded people
have no idea what is 10 store for them"
"Fhas's what I've told EN-. I've talked
and talked, but they wouldn't harken. My
ole man Is do 8n thar with 'em."
WHAT Has he left you behindn
''Sartin. He couldn't sell the squat but
he got shet Of most else and left me back
thar. He's got the Mormon religun, the
powerfullest sort, aud he's gwine Co take
five or six wives out thar. I've been a wife
to him fur forty years and mo-
And what are you going to do about itg'
| asked.
Stranger, hitch yer boss and cum
alongm she answered, as her face grew very
hard and her eyes flashed.
/ walked beside her down the trail, out
we didn't exchange a word. l could hear
her breathing excltedly, and two or three
times she examined the rifle to see that it
was in perfect order. We passed the turn
at length and came full upon the party,
seat ed on the rocks with their luncheon be.
fore them. The Mormon elder sat In the
center of the group Twenty feet away
from him the woman halted, brought the
rifle up TO her shoulder, and, in low but
very menacing voice, said:
az want yous to 20! Down the traill If
yOus uOn' go 1 IL XIII yo, shores In Twin
woman"
The elder rose up, pale-faced and trem-
bling, and after a look to satisfy himself that
not one of the crowd was moving TO inter-
fere, he started of, AS he went the woman
called after him:
Keep waikiki! Shores there's a God in
heaven, I'll kill yo' if yo' ever show yo's face
back yere again"
With her rife TO her cheek she covered
him until ne passed the bend thirty rods
below Then she turned to the people.
every one Of whom seemed dumfounded,
and said:
Scatter hack home! Yous amt gwine
with himl Pick up yo'r traps and be
a-glttin' Or somebody'll del"
Her husband was one of the first to go,
| nnd the others hurried after him. When
they reached the spot where my horse was
tied they halted, and as we came up the
woman said:
THE elders dun gone fur good, and faint
no use to foller on. Scatter to yo's homes
and be glad that the Lawd has dun saved
yo' in the nick of time. Jeptha, march
March straight ahead pzo gwine TO be
right behind yo' all the wayl"
And SO she saved the day. The elder
never came back, and every convert re-
turned home to PICK up the old routine of
life and soon to return thanES that it
was SO,