The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-02-15
Bishop Mahrud's Fourth.

d
al entitled "Poygamy' running in the Sunday Salt
Lake Tribune, each Sunday issue containing chap
ter 1t was written for The Tribune by Don Car
los W. Musser, is copyrighted and is reproduced in
The Scimitar by permission:
And now dearly beloved, have reached point
in my story where it seems to me proper to intro
duce the fourth wife of Bishop Mahrud. The name
of this beautiful and altogether charming woman
was Emma Beckstead and she known to
the world for several years after becoming Mrs.
Alexander Mahrud ".
AS matter of fact Mrs Alexander Mahrud w.
was Mrs Alexander Mahrud VI for time only;
for eternity, she Mrs. Joseph Brigham John
son. She was permitted to become Mrs Alexander
Mahrud ". for time only, through the deep piety
and bigness of heart of the bishop who married her
in order to raise up posterity to the name, honor
and glory of his greatly lamented brother-in-law,
Joseph Brigham Johnson, who would have claimed
her for both time and eternity but for the accident
of death.
Elder Joseph Brigham johnson was very pronis-
ing son in Israel He was TALL deep chested, broad
shouldered, open faced and but twenty-five years
of age when he returned from his successful mission
to the Hawaiian Islands. He was the youngest
brother of Martha and Elizabeth Bishop Mahruds
first and second wves) and had before departing for
the mission field received Emma's promise that she
would wait for him and become his wife upon his
return. The wedding day had been named and the
preparations were made when the Lord called Broth
er Johnson home, leaving Emma Beckstead over
burdened with her shattered hopes and broken
heart
To Emma Beckstead, Joseph Brigham Johnson
was the personihcation of all that truly deslr-
able on earth. His was one of the sweetest spirits
of heaven chosen before the foundations of the earth
were laid, to assist in the redemption of this dark
and sinful planet. Emma loved him with all the
richness of her tender heart, and from the day he
whispered his first love to her and wrung from her
her promise to be his, her little world was one en-
tirely of sunshine and song The MARBLE of birds,
the babbe of brooks and the sigh of the winds III
the tree tops were all divinest melody to Emma
and everv living creature that came to her notice.
every object her eyes rested on, every sound that
came to her by day and night seemed in some nys-
terous way to speak of her lover and his love.
And now on the very eve of her marriage came
the cold hand of death to change her day of sun
shine to night of darkness. The idol of her heart
was called from her SIDE and with her heart broken
and her spirit crushed she turned to God for that
so1ace He alone is able to render. She had no
mother and so she stayed for time on the farm
with Martha and Elizabeth, where the bru1se OF her
heart received all the comfort and tender nursing
possible for one mortal to bestow on another AND
it was at this old farm house, which grew dearer
to her as the time passed on, that Emma Beckstead
saw much of Bishop Mahrud.
Affairs became too warm for the bishop in the
CITY. United States marshas exceedingly &C
tive and Rita's (Rita Bishop Mahruds third
wife, home was watched constantly. 1t therefore
seemed wisdom to spend more of his time on the
farm where there innumerabe hiding places,
and where he kept several good teams and light