Evening star., 1931-06-21

Young's 25th wife is far from being the worst
fate imaginable. Sc she stays-and the play
ends
So much for the play. Now it is necessary
to point out how the playwright has taken
liberties with historical facts As a matter OF
fact there early Mormon settler named
Folsom-William H. Folsom, who helped de-
sign the famous Salt Lake Tabernacle. And,
as it happens, one Amelia Folsom was Brigham
Young's last wife, although the famous Mormon
leader at no time had as many as 20, the
number with which he is credited in Herr SellS
fanciful drama
In the closing years of his life, Brigham
Young built a separate residence in which he
planned to entertain. strangers Yho came TO
see him. as well as his many friends and Official
callers; and it was understood that Amelia was
to preside over this house. However, the bulld-
ing was unfinished at Youngs death, and
neither he nor any member of his family ever
occupied it.
However it should be emphasized that the
events described in the play are pure fiction.
Herr Sell used Amelia Folsom's name. but in
all other respects the Amelia of the play Is a
fictitious character, pure and simple.
Costumes worn IN the play are believed to be
fairly good copies of the costumes worn in
Utah in the days just before the Civil War.
On the stage the women wear sort OF
bloomer arrangement quaint and old-fashioned
in appearance; and it is known that in the SOS
of the last century an attempt was made TO
introduce a stabilized costume for Mormon
women-an affair of bloomers and skirts COM
bined, which soon went out Of style for the
simple reasons that Mormon women had too
strong feminine fondneSs for pretty clothing
to carry it on very long.
A good insight into the actual home Life or
the Young family is given in a book, "The Life
Story of Brigham Young" recently printed In
England and written by Susa Young Gates, one
of Brigham -Young's daughters. She remarks,
Rol1iy Of1 11opr chi in 10
1.-THE Lion House was the loved home OF as
healthy and happy family of mothers and
children as ever dwelt beneath roof. On
this I speak with knowledge in this intimate
revelation of Brigham Young's home life, for
was the first child born beneath its unique
roof"
A GLIMPSE of the evening routine in the
n Lion House is given as follows:
"The custom Of evening prayer-time in the
Lion House was as fixed as the stars. About
Z O'Clock the rhythmic sound of the prayer
bell was heard as fathers hand lifted it in
regular Ight-Stroke counts and the flying feet
of children, the quiet coming of his lady wives
for they were ladies'" every one of them)
filled the halls with clatter and soon every
chair was taken while the patriarch and his
goodly family sat beside the center-table and
waited till the last child came in.
"a hymn or two was joyouSly sung, for we
were happy lot of singers of gratitude and
alteration; OF appeal for each loved one and
for all the world for the work of the Lord in
the various priestly functionings and for pro-
lection from evil and accident Then the FAM
lily arose after the generous responses of Amen
while the younger children hurried off to bed,
perhaps, and the older ones hurried to study
or to prepare for theater or ball If it was
Winter or holiday time, or for quiet reading and
chatting in the various sitting rooms of the
several mothers"
And she adds:
'We were all as happy. mothers and children,
as we could have been anywhere under anyN
other circumstances"
io sasq sat ao 53o1s bsuit-ili Al o.-