Mower County transcript., 1907-03-06
CHAPTER XII.
Another Miracle and a Temptation III
the Wilderness.

Another Miracle and a Temptation In
the Wilderness.
The floor of the valley was an arid
waste, fiat and treeless, a far sweep
of gray and gold, of sage-brush
spangled with sunflowers, patched
here and there with glistening beds
OF salt and soda, or pools of the dead.
ly alkali. Here crawled the lizard and
the rattlesnake; and there was no
music to the desolation> save the petu.
liant chirp of the cricket. At the sides
an occasional stream tumbled out Of
the mountains to be all but drunk
away at once by the thirsty sands.
Along the banks Of these was the only
green to be found, sparse fringes Of
willow and wild rose. On the borders
of the valley, where the sleeps arose,
were little patches of purple and
dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a
few dwarfed cedars, and other scant
growths. At long intervals could be
found marsh of wire-grass, or few
acres of withered bunch-grass. But
these served only to emphasize the
prevailing desert tones.
The baked earth was so hard
that it broke their plows when they
tried to turn It.. Not until they had
spread water upon it from the river
they had named Jordan could the
plows be used. Such was the new
Canaan, the land held in reserve by
the Lord for His chosen people since.
the foundations of the world were laid
Dreary though it was, they were
elated. Had not Moses led them out
Of bondage up into this chamber of
the mountains against the day of
wrath that was to consume the Gentle
world? And would he not smite the
rocks for water? Would he not also
be a Joshua to sit in judgment and
divide to Israel his inheritance?
They waited not nor demurred. but
fell to work. Within week they had
explored the valley and It's canons.
made road to the timber eight miles
away, built q saw-pit, sawed lumber
for q skin, plowed, planted, and irri.
gated half q hundred acres of the.
parched soil, and begun the erection
Of many dwellings, some of logs, some
of adobes. Ground had also been
chosen and consecrated by Brigham,
whereon. in due time, they would build
up their temple to the God Of Jacob.
Meantime, they would continue to
gather out Of Babylon. During the late
summer and fall many wagons arrived
from the Missouri, SO that by the be.
ginning of winter their number was
nearly 1000 They lived rudely, 4
lucky few in the hdts they had built
more in tents and wagon-boxes. Nor
did they fail to thank Providence for
the mild winter vouchsafed to them
5d5,.,irg this IN protected period. ners
mitting them net only to survive. bit
to continue their labors OF logging,
home building, the making OF rough
furniture, and the repairing OF wagons
and tools.
When the early spring came they
were again quickly at the land with
their seeds. Over 5000 acres were
sown to needful produce. When this
began to sprout with every promise
Of q full harvest, their Joy was bound
less; for their stock Of fsbreadstuffs and.
provisions had fallen low during the
winter and could not last later than
harvest time, even with rigid economy
But early Ii June, IN the full flush
Lot this springtid of promise, It apa
peared that the Lord was minded C.
|schasten them For into their broad,
green fields came the ayenous. crick.
let's fl Wide. black streams III TIE:
m0nntain sides Over the Wing
lgrafn they spread the