The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-09
NO GREEN-EYED MONSTER IN
THIS MORMON LADYS HOME
Faith in the Gospel of Poygamy Did Not Prevent
Wife From Having Her Dark Hour But 1t Helped to
Dry the Tears of Mrs. Joseph Smith
by ZOE BECKLEY

Salt Lake City. August s-(Special
Back east l have little uncle who TOLD
me to be sure and write a story abou
the Mormons. The only difference be
tween the Mormons and other people,
said he SIS that the Mormons are bet
| ter behaved"
l thought of that as I motorbussed III
from the Salt Lake station through wide
| clean streets in the cutters of which pur
little brooks of mountain water. Circlint
the city are great hills and frosted noun
| tains 1t is an attractive town ant
eagerly did l scrutinise it for signs of the
people who builded it-those curiosity
| pricking people about whom more weirc
stuff has been written than would fill a
Carnegie library.
1 had not long to wait. Passing a de-
partment store with good looking frocks
in the window, 1 noted the name intend.
ing to investigate some of those ten-sev-
enty-fives lions Cooperative Mercan-
tile association was the efflorescent title
it bore! Mormons! Joy, oh, joy! Right
away l was seeing evidences of the saints
l sought And there, a little further ON,
rose a great, multi-steepled church, with
a low, black, queer looking, elliptical
"a
lovely park.
The Mormon Temple and Tabernaclel
Then large and very handsome pillared
granite building looking like Broadway
bank, only better than any l can think
of at the moment, labeled Church Of
fees" Here is where good Mormons pay
in their fittings, the 10 per cent they are
supposed to give out of what the Lord
and their own labor has blest them with.
Next comes the Lion House." where the
celebrated Amelia lived, in Brigham S
day. It Is thus named from the effigy
of lion (rather poorly effed, alasD over
the doorway. And a step further stands
the Bee Hive" with the state emblem, a
beehive, on its rood, home of Joseph F.
Smith, president of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints; his wife,
Julina. several of their children, son-in-
law and some grand babies
With an inward whoop I realized L was
at last in the stronghold Of the follow
ers of Brigham Young, the people who at
least had the rare virtue of living up to
their convictions, though their way led
through tears and sweat and blood and
persecution and ridicule. What they have
done at most I will give you in the words
of Julina Smith, as she patted my arm
with a motherly hand:
A RELIGION OF DEEDS
1--WE have given the world said she,
"a religion of deeds, not words. You see
our city. Our share in it is clearly and
honorahly conducted. Our homes, our
stores, our business enterprises. are car
ried on in accord with our articles of
faith. We have prospered because we
have been right in our faith and in our
everyday lives"
Julna Smith is 1.-The" wife of Joseph
Smith, present head of the Mormon
church. She is plain, simple hammered
woman of 60-odd, mother of II living chill
dren, seven girls and four sons, and there
are 40 grandchildren. AS if this were not
enough, Ma Smith has adopted little
girl, Marjorie, now years old, because
there was no one else to care for her,
and because it was easier for me, mother
of many to bring her up than for wom-
an to do it who had no children at all.
"I have had more children" added Mrs.
Smith proudly, than all the other wives
put together"
From which remark you will perceive
the simple sincerity with which this Nor
mon wife discussed situation which
holds for her no embarrassment what
ever. When MRS. Joseph Smith" is
spoken of, it is Juiina Smith who is re-
ferred to- 1t is no breach Of confidence
to saw there are three other Mrs. Joseph
Smiths and one of them is Julina Smiths
own sister! do not know whether they
are called Mrs Smith" or not. But each
has her own home and all are intimately
friendly together. =,
ct had a birthday a few weeks ago