The Detroit times., 1915-05-04
SEEING AMERICA FIRST.
ev FRED c. KELLY
Copyright. 1915. By Fred C. KellyJ

From Diary:
One sees 50 many aged people among the Nor
mons In Salt Lake City that one wonders II
having several shifts OF wives may not be less
wearing on ones nerves than Is commonly sup
posed Mormons more than 80 years Of age,
and yet fairly heartg. are frequently TO be seen
I talked TO one quaint old chap who said be
was 80, and he told me he had once had col
lection OF four wives. He seemed good natnred
and made bold 10 ask him how he accounted
for living TO the age OF 30. nothvithst landing 50
many women folk TO antagonize him.
Well" declared be seriously women all have
their moods and always found that IL was a
good plan when one OF my wives was not in the
very best humor TO 20 and remain at the home
Of wife who was. In that way always kept
myself surrounded by atmosphere OF peace
and tranquility rather than trouble and dlscord
II Is, OF course. extremely wearing on two PEG
pie 20 have 10 live together constantly through
one anothers different moods. | don't say that
anybody can live longer with four wives. but I
myself always found IL very pleasant. II was
who was cheerful and In good spirits rather
than With one who was temporarily out OF sorts.
There were many more questions that wish
cd TO ask, but persons we're about and feared
they would regard the questions too intimate.
yesrned TO have the old man tell me what
he did about his washing in the ultrauxOrious
days when he was keeping four households. Did
ne have II done regularly al one place always
under the supervision Of the same wife, Or
did he change his clothes just wherever he hap
/ pened 10 be staying. and have 70 call there for
/ his clean underwear? Who did HIS dsrning7
! And II occurred 10 me that II would be worth
while getting the old mans point Of view as
10 the advantages OF four wives for one who
keeps late hours. n a husband went down town
OF an evening and failed 10 get home by mid
night. did each wife wait UP for him. Or did
each one simply assume that he had dropped
! In at the home OF one Of her associstes2 On the
face Of the thing. II looks az II man must have
had rich opportunity for allbis Still the life
may not have been Jolly after all Imagine
getting the grocery bills for your several estab-
| lshments. and finding greatly larger than
the others without any apparent reason for the
4 discrepancy. Doubtless there were pOIygarnists
who made themselves extremely disaEreeable IN
their more expensive households on the firSt
Il day of each month.
1 Polygamy among Mormons n nov barred b.
church and state and really seems 10 be dead
issue A one young Mormon expressed Il.
We OF the younger generation would more
tolerate polygamy now than people down south
would advocate a return TO a system OF slavery =
II wondered. too while In Salt Lake city II
those who practsed poygamy did not regret
having to confne their matrimonial selections
10 the Mormon Church. Beautiful women seem
ed TO be in the minority about the Mormon tab
ernacle the day was there. II occurred to ms
that II ] were trying TO make up brace or a
foursome of wives, | should prefer TO do my
shopping In New York City, let Us say. or Sar
Francisco, rather than In Utah.