The Globe-republican., 1894-06-08


over the territory f Utah.
Its invisibility, and the mystery
which was attached to it, made this
organization doubly terrible. It APP
peared to be omniscient and omnipo-
tent, and yet was neither seen nor
heard. The man who held out against
the church vanished away, and none
knew whittier he had gone or what had
befallen him. His wife and children
awaited him at home, but no father
ever returned to tell them how he had
Jared at the hands of his secret judges.
A rash word or hasty act was fol-
lowed by humiliation, and yet none
knew what the nature might be of this
terrible power which was suspended
over them. No wonder that men went
about in fear and trembling, and that
even in the heart of the wilderness
they dared not whisper the doubts
which oppressed them.
At first this vague and terrible power
was exercised only upon the recalci-
trants, who, having embraced the
Mormon faith, wished afterward to
pervert or to abandon it. Soon, how
ever, it took wider range. The sup
ply of adult women was running short,
and polygamy, without female popu-
lation on which to draw, was barren
doctrine indeed. Strange rumors be-
gan to be banded about-rumors Of
murdered immigrants and rifled camps
in regions where Indians had never
been seen Fresh women appeared in
the harems of the elders-women who
pinned and wept, and bore upon their
faces the traces of unextinguishable
horror. Belated wanderers upon the
mountains spoke of gangs of armed
men. masked, stealthy, and noiseless,
who fitted by them in the darkness.
These tales and rumors took substance
and shape, and were corroborated and
re-corroborated until they resolved
themselves into a definite name. To
this day, in the lonely ranches of the
west, the name of the DANTE Band, or
the Avenging Angels. is a sinister and
ill-omened one.
Fuller knowledge of the organiza-
ton VIII . produced such terrible re-
suits served to increase rather than to
lessen the horror which it inspired in
the minds of men. None knew who
belonged to this ruthless socic-!'. The
names of the participators in the deeds
of blood and violence. done under the
name of religion, were kept profound
" secret. The very friend to whom
you communicated your misgivings as
to the prophet and his mission might
be one of those who would come forth
at night with fire and sword to exact
terrible reparation. Hence. every man
feared his neighbor, and none spoke
of the things which were nearest his
heart.
One fine morning, John Terrier was
about to set out to his wheat-fields,
when he heard the click of the latch,
and. looking through the window. saw
stout, sandy-haired. middle-aged
man coming up the pathway. His
heart leaped to his mouth. for this was
none other than the great Brigham
Young himself. Full of trepidation-
for he knew that such a visit BODIED
him little good-Ferrier ran to the
door to greet the Mormon chief. The
latter, however, received his salutation
coldly, and followed him with stern
face into the sitting-room.
Brother Ferrier.' he said, taking a
seat, and cycling the farmer keenly
from under his light-colored eyelashes.
1.-The true believers have been good
friends to you. We picked you up
when you were starving in the desert.
we shared our food with you, led you
safe to the chosen valley, gave You a
goodly share of land, and allowed you
to wax rich under our protection. Is
not this SOP"
lit is So" answered John Ferrier.
I'm return for all this we asked but
one condition; that was that you
should embrace the true faith. and
conform in every way to its usages.
This you promised to do; and this. IT
common report says truly. You have
neglected"
And how have neglected it,"
asked Ferrier, throwing out his hands
in expostulation. ''Have l not given
to the common fund? Have not at
tended at the temple? Have not
Where are your wives?" asked
Young, looking round him. Call
them in. that may greet them"
1T is true that have not married."
Terrier answered. But women were
few, and there were many who had
better claims than l. was not lone
~ man; had my daughter to attend
to my wants"
1T is of that daughter that l would
speak to you." said the leader of the
Mormons. ''She has grown to be the
flower of Utah and has found favor in
the eyes of many who are high in the
land"
John Terrier groaned internally.
There are stories of her which I
would fain Observation-Disclosures that she
is sealed to some Gentle. This must be
the gossip of idle tongues. What is
the thirteenth rule in the code of the
sainted Joseph Smith? Let every maid
en- of the true faith marry one of the
elect; for if she wed a Gentle she COM
mits Srievous SIM This being so it is
Al