davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06

II again under similar circumstances
" necessary aud be proud Of the fact
lhat 1 could be Of assistance TO a man
as good as my father.
III is not so many years ago that
mere was an amusing incident in our
household over the so-called adobe eX-
porlence Of my life. one Of my little
daughters was attending a city school.
she made a remark one day that
caused u playmate 10 get angry and
say something about there being no
need for you 10 be stuck up just be-
cause you live I'm a big. fine house;
your mother isn't much any way. she
used to make adobes' The child was
shocked greatly and came homa In
tears ana wanted 10 know If il was
true. | told her that IL was. and that
she needn't De- ashamed Of II, on the
contrary she might be proud Of il as
not every girl had a mother who could
do that sort Of thing After that she
looked az the matter differently.
MUDDY MISSION ABANDONED.
we stayed on the Muddy mission
until It was abandoned by the Saints,
who were advised to leave. This was
on account OF the government survey
Hl'Nl"1iAA the Idti lnal n part OF the
la0c was I'm Nevada whore the taxes
at that time were so high that the pe0-
PIE simply could not AFFORD 10 pay them.
AS We could sell nothing we left our
tousrs standing ana our nnr crops un-
harvested Though the people were not
called 10 so tu Long valley. they were
advised to settle that place So there
they went. Here my father lived In the
United order until g.. too was ADAM
doned. About this time / returned 10
Nrphi and some time later married Mr..
a. W. Mcclure, my old sweetheart.
About three years after my marriage |
TOOK my little babe and started to Long
valley to pay visit to my parents
Who were now Twins there ! started
with q Brother Stewart and his daugh-
ter Ella and wrote my father
to meet me at place called Williams
ltanch. When We reached there my
father had not yet arrived. Thinking
he would soon come / remained and the
Stewards went on 20 Kanab The next
morning my father did not come and
! knew he had not got my letter Re-
membering that a man named Hoyt,
with whom | was acquainted. had a
saw mill somewhere In the mountains
not far away ! determined to go there
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06
I Photo bv Savage.

being eaten and discussed we all
tripped up stairs In a hurry and, would
you believe IT, we tried on the ladies'
hats. Didn't we enjoy il? Well, the
person who thinks we didn't was never
a girl, that is all | can say. But there
was more than one object In putting
those hats on. If our city. friends
could have seen us on the Sunday fol-
lowing they would have understood it
they would have been struck by the
marvellous similarity Of the millinery
OF some Of the Nephi girls. and that
Of the visiting ladies' who had come
all the way from Salt Lake, where the
fashions came from during those days.
MUDDY MISSION CALL.
During the afternoon We all attend
ed the meeting. the girls in white hay-
ing reserved seats In front, The ser
mons were insl rational and grand.
They made US very happy unth well
on toward the close. Of the meeting
when President Young announced that
he had a few names to read-names Of
men who had been selected 10 60 with
their families ana settle the Muddy
That almost stopped our beating
hearts. Many Of our people had been
previously called 10 settle the Dixie
country But the Nuddy--that was SO
much farther-so much more difficult.
Then ! heard the name Of Samuel
Clerldge my father After that
knew nothing for a moment and when
! recovered myself again ! was weep
ing bitterly. Tears We're spelling my
new white dress but ! sobhed on just
the same. said The companion who
was at my side Wha; are you feeling
50 badly about My father has been
called. too, but YOU see that am
not crying because I know he won't go
That 81 just the difference. My faith.
er is called aud | know that he WILL
GO; and that nothing can prevent him
from going. He never fails 10 dosany-
thing when called upon ANA badly as
feel about 10 ! would BE- ashamed II
he didn't go. But ] viii have no oc.
casion TO be- ashamed for I tell you my
father WILL GO and the words Of his
sobbing daughter became subsequent
facts
Everything possible. 4 seemed hap. !
pened 20 prevent as from getting on
Just as father was nearly ready TO |
start one of his horses was poisoned |
lie had To buy another animal a week |
later one of his mules was Ch0kcd 20 |
death IN the barn Some ~ our friends |
said. Brother CnrIdge this shows tina. |
you are not To go' Does IT, said |
father II shows me That the adver.
saiy Is trying TO prevent me from 20.
ing but ] am going all the same II !
have "a walk every foot Of the way
As We had Just moved into n large |
new house and were very comfortably |
situated not few of cur friends en-. |
dtayored 20 persuade father TO retain |
his home and farm to go south awhile |
and then come back. But father lookel |
al matters In a different light He said |
he had not been collcd upon that kind !
Of mission. and that he would sell |
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06

- NE WEEK ago today there
!: !: !. !: Il. !" !. !: !: !. !:
Y were assembled In this city
the officers OF the Young Mems
and Young Ladies' Mutual I'M
pr0yement associations, the oc-
w. caslon being the regular con-
w ference of those organizations,
The young ladies were the
guests Of Mrs Alfred w. Me-
Cune, whose hospitality, like that Of
her husbands Is as boundless as their
ncqualntanceship among the people
who have known them from childhood.
These young ladies' most of them, the
daughters Of parents who have strug-
gled hard to build comfortable homes
for themselves, We're, like all persons
who are welcomed to the McCune man
sion, greatly pleased with the evidences
of art and luxury to be seen on every
hand Naturally their expressions Of
pleasure and appreciation were commu-
nicated to their hostess. who with be-
coming modesty and pride told them
that II was not always thus; that there
was a time when her home was not only
much less pretentious than It now is,
but when It was about as humble as It
could be and yet be dignihed with the
title Of home
Mrs McCune admitted the substance
OF this In an address at the Tabernacle
on Sunday and told feelngly yet
proudly Of the part she had played in
the creation Of home in the Muddy
mission in southeastern Nevada, then
Utah, when she was girl in her teens.
And when she exclaimed with thrill Of
conscious pride as the recollection Of it
all flashed through her mind, 81 car
ried every adobe and every bucket Of
mortar that went into It's walls" the
thought was suggested TO representa-
tive of the Deseret News who listened
to her words, that there was material
for o good Saturday story And so
there was as the reader will agree when
he finishes a perusal Of the lines which
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06
From An cAdobe Hut TO cNanAon OF B1lck and Stone

ed. 1t was largely what other families
Of the day had TO meet and contend
with. Suffice II to say that toll ana
hardship had prominent place In our
experiences The opportunities for ed
ucatiOn were indeed limited when
compared with the time In which we
now live. How we thirsted for knowl-
edge for good booksl But 1t was a
question Of existence first and learning
afterwald. However, this does not
mean that we did not get any education
at an in those days, for that statement
would not be true We got Il but we
got II largely from the school Of hard
knocks. But we were happy perfectly
so, and as proud Of our station and Of
the parts we played, as a people could
be- The fact that everybody was poor
didn't rob them Of all the enioyments
of life. We proved in those days that
II is not necessary 10 be rich TO be hap
ply. or course wealth Is a good thing
for what you can do with Il, but II isn't
all there Is I'm this world. There Is
much beside--somothing higher some
thing better. and that we had In liberal
measure-all Of us-in the days OF
which / speak
GlltLHOOD RECOLLECTlONS,
81 recall most wildly some Of the in
cidents Of my girlhood Whatever had
happened Of any importance In my life
had happened at Nephi Up to the
time ! was - years Of age there was
no place on earth that was so precious
to me as dear Old Nephl. 1t was not
large not wonderful. but we had our
occasions there. as we called them just
as much so az any big city Of the land.
And what is more, we got out Of them,
every ounce Of pleasue they would yield.
one of these occasions was the periodi-
cal visits Of President Brigham Young
and the large company he always
brought with him His coming was
ever preceded by extensive preparations
for the comfort Of himself and the rest
Of the city folk. II was labor OF love
that young and old engaged in alike.
our Sunday schools and other organiza-
lions used TO 60 out with bands Of music
and banners and flowers to meet and
greet him and escort him into the town
During one Of these trips just as the
procession had stopped within the city
and as the president and his associates
had allghted from the carriage, he
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06

Thus we travelled. camping at night
and cooking our meals over the fire TO
the accompaniment Of song and laugh
ter We were about two weeks reach
ing st. George. The Indians were
causing a great deal OF trouble and un-
easiness at this time. 1t was cOnSid-
cred unsafe TO travel except in large
companies. Just previous to our ar
rival a number of people had been
killed and teams and provisions had
been stolen The trip from ST, George
To the Muddy, with loaded teams, re-
quired three weeks We waited for
one week for another company TO come
along In order that We might not have
to travel alone, But none came and
on the advice OF Apostle Erastus Snow
we resumed our journey unaccuppa-
MED. Those who have traversed that
awful route will recall the loneliness OF
the scene. the high mountains on either
side. the dismal echo Of the wagons
from wall 10 wall, which suggested
yelling Indians 10 ears straining TO
catch the red mans war whoop. At
night when We camped, each took turn
in standing guard. We were under the
necessity OF proceeding on a sort Of
measured march, sometimes covering
great distance each day, and others,
many miles less, in order that we could
camp az night where there was water
for ourselves and animals.
WAR PAINTED INDIANS.
zone day ] was riding IN the wagon
with my brother sam, we We're ahead
OF the others. Several times that day,
had made him stop his team because
thought | heard Indians. Each time
IL proved TO be the shrill note OF some
Wild bird IL was now sunset; We could
see In the distance our camping place.
My brother and | were laughing when
suddenly 1 heard a human outcry.
sam, said. stop the team! l heard
the yell Of an Indian.
Eyes, little girl. he said doubtingly.
YOU have been hearing yells like that
an day. clutched his ann and com
Dol Anded. "Sam. Stop Stopl | not on
d heard an Indian yell but have just
seen an Indian Jump from the point of
mat rock and then jump back sam
stopped this time. In an instant the
Indian was on his feet again In full
view and was le8plng from rock to
rock quickly followed by two others
VI his race We waited until father
and the Harmon family came Up. BY
the time they reached us there were
ten Indian warriors, an decked out In
their war paint In full sight We all
stopped and the conference that We
held was a mighty solemn one. /
shall never forget the words OF my
father, or the beautiful expression on
hts face when he said.
Don't be afraid, my children We
are In the hands of the Lord. He has
called us on this mission. I have done
everything In my power to fulfill Il thus
FAR. and. therefore. our Father will see
US through. We VIII go right on;
don't let the Indians think We A.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06

hold, It was fathers outfit that got
stuck in the sand this tmel And he
laughngly retorted that IL was quite
clear now who was responsible for the
wagon going down and that II was not
the driver who was TO blame, But II
was no laughing matter for the wagon
commenced sinking at a rapid rate. An
three teams wore hltched to IL but they
failed 10 move Il an inch. Poor Sister
Harmon was compelled In mount q
horse and ride out She he'd never been
ON horse before and ] must confess
that ! have seen more graceful riders
Although she was In tears and the sit
uation tragic, the place resouuded with
irresistible laughter
ct was a cold bleak morning ana the
wind blew iicrcely. bat the three men
rolled up their pantaluons and waded
into the stream aud carried every sack
OF flour from the wagon TO the bank
liy the time everything was out the
wagon had sunk SO deeply into the sand
that all the teams combined could not
move IT, To cap the climax the tongue
broke When the wagon was finally
drawn onto the bank poor father was
SO cold that DE took a severe chill Hot
''lIINs ana Eupu nursing however soon
restored him. but II took the remainder
OF the day 10 mend the tongue.
on THE MUDDY AT LAST.
"The next day We We're TO arrive al
out destiuation-St Joseph We got ~
early In the morning and commenced
to ascend Virgin HILL This hin Is over
a mile long, ana near the top ie huge
rock that Is almost perpendicuar AZ.
ter having brought the wagons 10 this
point by hitchng the three teams %
the outfits IN succession blocking the
wheels at frequent intervals while the
horses rested our difficulties increased.
As It was not possible for the horses 10
climb this steep rock they We're un-
htched and led up a winding narrow
TRAN TO the top OF the rock The horses
were then hitched 10 a long heavy log
chain, which was dropped down and at
tached 90 the wagons one gt a time.
Then the horses pulled them up. This
very steep road was also very narrow;
on either side was a precpice the wag-
ons had to be kept in straight line or
they would be dashed over the sides.
The wind was blowing hurricane The
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06

ond told the people at the ranch II they
would assist me TO get there that he
would help me on 10 the home Of my
parents. When we got TO the mill We
found Mrs. Hoyt ana three little chill
dren an alone The men were a mile
or two away cutting timber She ex.
planned to me that the Bishop had sent
word for all OF the women folks
TO move into town, as the Indians were
threatening to 20 on an outbreak. Some
white men, IL appeared had killed an
Indian ana they had sworn that they
would XIII ten white men for revenge
Mrs Hoyt told me that they were all
ready 10 start for town on the follow
ing morning and that } could go with
them
ANOTHER INDIAN EPISODE.
"She had two bake-kettles on the
Goals IN which two nice loayes OF bread
were baking, We sat chatting without
a thought Of danger, | was just telling
her the Ncphi news when the children
ran IN crying out that a band OF In
dians was coming right into the house.
The sayages were mounted ON horses
and We're Respondent in their war paint
and feathers. They were Of the Ma
yajO tribe, the very band that was
making the trouble Well. the moment
was q trying one on We Two defense
less women with our little ones but
there was nothing for us 90 do but face
the situation. | offered up brief and
feWeni prayer TO our Heavenly Father
90 preserve as from a fate that might
be worse than death. The Indians
came in. something over dozen fierce
warriors thought. as they stood
looking az us and talking. that they
were considering what they should DO
with u.s. An al once | thought OF the
bread baking on the fire and said az |
turned 90 Mrs Hoyt. Let us take these
two loayps of hot bread ana break them
up and divide them among the Indians
She asseutcl. ana we elhOwed our way
through the crowd and took the breud
from the kettles and proceeded TO
break it We then asked our unweI-
come visitors n they liked moldsses on
their bread and they gruntej approval
Meanwhile they watched our move
ments very closely and munched their
toothsome meal with great gusto. We
then gave them some water o. drink
and presently they mounted their hurs-
as and took their departure. saying as
they left. Whyno squaws, whynu
sluaws meaning that we were good
women. And then we thanked our
Heavenly Father FOR His goodness In
preventing us from being harmed by
the sdyages. When thc men came
home TO supper that night and UNDER
stood the danger through which We
HAD passed. there was no complaint on
account OF there being no bread In the
house. and that they had to fare on
muSh and milk. The next day | met
my parents. Ny coming was a conf
plete surprise 90 them and we had a
most enjoyable time together.
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
These are only a few OF the thrilling
experiences In the lie Of Mrs. McCune.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06

tell Of the ups and downs Of her life.
which, after all have been counterpart
ed In many respects by hundreds Of
other Mormon" women who have
hravely assisted their fathers and hus-
bands In the work Of retaining the
sterile wastes OF the great west. To the
News man who visited her during
the week, Mrs, McCune gave these
facts
HER EARLY LIFE.
my father, Samuel Claridge. and my
mother Joined the Church IN England in
1852 At that time they had two chill
dren. was one Of them. a babe only
nine months old On embracing the
Gospel our parents emigra4i to Utah
and settled at Nephi, wherEtwo more
childrepf ere born to them. It is hard
ly necefAry for me to tell you in de-
tail, / think, OF what oup family endur-
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06
HOW MRS. McCUNE
STUDIED HARD WOOD

Another serious wittlclsm You
admire the hard wood In our new
home As you say Il Is here IN
great variety while the carving
Is ar,lstioaily done, You also ask
what ] know about hard Wool
and it ] ever studied It. con
Tess that / have had some cs
perience with H. How much? o.
well, quite little, though I don't
mind telling you that ~ hagd
wood studied was not q
octly the kind that you see hers.
one year when | was a girl ny
father suffered from an injury 10
his back. II was about wood
hauling time. II made Il difficult
for him 10 load 1t alone, so /
went TO the canyon with him.
The wood we got was oak and
maple. helped him load 1t. /
helped him unload It. You know
oak and maple both belong to the
hard wood class. Nov you will
understand whore | got my ex-t
parience with hard woods. /
don't blame you for laughing. for
| often laugh over It myself. but
laughing is a good thing at the
proper time and place And who
shall say that this is not the pro-
per place?
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06

everything he owned and take the pro-
cecds and help build up onother waste
place IN Zion.
ON THE WAY,
INV mother and sister remained In
Ncrhi the drst yem. but my brother
sam and myself went with father and
mis- second wife 10 help make the new
home. We packed our wagons with a
v..~'- .i-' to.-0r ~
another family. named Harmon started
ON our journey into The desert Wllds
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-06

OLo ".UO.Y hssION" HOME.
To Dese.e, N's artist Mrs Nc
Cune dcgunotl in detail the humble
al ode that she helped her father La IA
on the Muddy when she was a girl.
From that description the artist drew
the picture from which this half-tone
was made. II will take but glance TO
convince the reader how mighty is the
difference between that rude habiia-
ton, long since reduced by the Gle
ments. TO a pile Of mud ana the splen-
did edlhce Of brick and stone, that the
McCune family now occupies.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-29
into GREAT BEYOND
ROBERT SIMMONS, MURDERER. Is
READY TO JOURNEY.
DEATH CELL AWAITS VICTIM
But CONDEMNED MAN SAYS HE Is
PREPARED TO GO.

Has Made His Peace with His Maker
and Is UnninchingIy Waiting for
the Fatal Hour to Arrive-WiII he
His Last Day on Earth, Yet He is
UnmOved-Wiu Ask That the Exc
cution Take Place ms Soon After
10 O'clock as POssible-SIayer OF
George Harris Displays Remark
able Amount of Nerve and Says
He Will Walk to His Doom with
UnfaItering Step.
Thoroughly unconcerned and ready
to step upon the fatal trap-door
Robert Simmons. who will forfeit his
life in the county Jail to-morroy morn
ing for the murder of George Harris.
declares that he is prepared to die.
This will be the condemned mans
last day on earth unless Governor Ter
re1l interferes, and this is by no means
likely Yet Simmons is seemingly hap
by and chats pleasantly with his fell
low prisoners. These other unfortunites
appear to be more concerned than the
man who will play the chief role in
the legal tragedy that will be enacted
between the hours of 10 a. m. and 4
p. m. Friday.
The murderer of Harris realizes,
and has for some time, that he has no
chance of escaping the death penalty
and is even now ready to have the
rope placed around his neck. He says
he has repented and is willing to pay
the penalty of his sin. Despite the
demeanor of the murderer a gloom has
begun to spread itself over the jail
and the prisoners are not as cheerful
as usual. They want to sing and talk,
but as the hour of death draws near
they become soberer in their actions
and speech
All arrangements have been made
for the execution and Simmons will be
hanged shortly after 10 o'clock. He
has the privilege of naming the time
of his execution, between 10 and 4
o'clock, but prefers to die as early as
the law permits. While Simmons
says he has no fear OF weakening, the
strain as the time for his execution
approaches, is severe in the extreme
and it is his desire to go to his death
as soon as possible.
The officers at the Jail say that the
nerve the prisoner is displaying is
wonderful, and if he holds himself to-
gether as well as he has up to now,
the hanging will be devoid of the US
ual interest. These men who are IA
miliar with the moods of criminals
doubt that Simmons will retain all of
his pluck while he is being bound and
while the death warrant is being read
They do not doubt that he will go to
his death fearlessly, but it has been
their experience that the adjusting of
the black-cap and the tieing of the
fatal knot are things that will in a
measure weaken the strongest of men.
Still it is believed that the negro will
hold up under the strain and will
march to the death cell with as firm
a tread as any of those who have
gone by the same route.