Year: 1879




Boston many years ago. In order
to intelligibly unravel the maze of
marvellous facts and novel episodes
which from this story 1t will be
necessary to revert to a period of
time some thirty-five years ago. 1t
was then that Brigham Young and
his associate missionaries of Nor
monism commenced to disseminate
throughout the various cities of
the Eastern States the astonishing
creed and code of morals which ad
vocated blood atonement, encour
aged pUlygamy and elevated assas-
sination to a principle of religious
faith and duty. At the time of
Brigham's sojourn in Boston, where
he succeeded In making numerous
converts TO his disgusting belief,
there lived in the city Augusta j.
Cobb, the wife of a prominent citi-
zen and lady of brilliant beauty
and unusual refinement, She, like
most of the other unfortunate indi-
viduals who became converts TO
Mormonism was, persuaded TO be-
lieye that the end of the world was
pear at hand and to accept 5he
mystic doctrine of the "aflinity Of
souls" Brigham, pleased with his
apt and lovely pupil in Mormon
piety, took great pleasure in coun-
selling her to aspire to a nobler and
a better husband than he TO whom
she was welded, and to select for
her future companion in the witch
ing walks of wedlock some learned
expounder of, the Mormon creed,
who would take pleasure in the pi


Gus occupation of "eXalting her in
the kingdom" Brigham's honeyed
words and Establishments made a
deep impress on the heart of the
hitherto pure wife and afectionate
mother, and needless of the happi-
ness of her fond husband and help
less little ones, the infatuated wo-
man rudely sundered the ties which
had united her family, and, accom-
panied by her youngest daughter,
followed Brigham to the Rocky
Mountains, the latter having left
Boston at the time of Joseph
Smiths death and become the
head of the Mormon Church. The
little daughter Of Mrs. Cobb gre"
up to womanhood under his roof
and in her disgust for the vices
and debasements of MormOnism
refused the infinitessimal fractions
of hearts of many much-married
Mormons, who wished her to orna.
ment a niche of their harems. Fin


ally, however, she became enamor-
ed of the manly graces of a mer
chant who was already the posses
sor of three wives, and consented
to complete the connubial quartette
Her brother, who had reached man
hood in Boston, came to Utah and
married a handsome Mormon girl
the daughter of John Van Cott
once resident of New York. Two
children blessed their union, after
which they separated, and Brigham,
who never lost an opportunity to
improve the personnel of his corps
of wives, took the charming and
voluptuous young mother for his
bride, thus wedding the wife of his
wife's son. eTuella, . the elder OF
the two children referred to above,
was the subsequent wife Of John
Young, and the young lady who
caused such sorrow and ruin in the
heart Of Libble, his other wife
Thus Brigham's son married in
Tuella the daughter of his father S
bride, the child Of his step brother,
Cobb, the granddaughter of his
step mother and his own niece
The senior Mrs. Cobb, of Boston,
for a time was the favorite in the
prophets harem. He was destitute
Of education himself, and hated the
advantage which gave il 10 others
over him, but he liked to have it
around him in his own family, and
he was proud TO call Mrs. Cobb
cone of my wives" when she was
presented to strangers. He show
ed her the best attention he was
capable of showing TO any person,
for a few years, but the perverted
thoughts that had been poured
20 her ears in Boston had taken
deep root, and she was again des-
tined to show to her teacher how
well she had profted by his in
structions. For him she had left
Mr.. Cobb in Boston, and for anoth


er she was ready to exchange him.
After the first flush of polygamic
marriage is over, and, perhaps dis
appointment has been shown on
one side or the other, ga new deal
is easily brought around. Mrs.
Cobb was dissatisfied with Brig
ham, and he in turn was ready to
give her up-she would be one less
TO support in his family, and he
was willing for some one else to
have her. The time came for The
new love of Mrs. Cobb-Young to
be declared. Brigham gave her
audience and was all attention,
anxious now to get rid Of her, but,
to his mortal chagrin and utter be
wilderment, she quietly poured
into his ears that "she wanted TO
be sealed to Jesus Christie he


come one of his wives TO eternity
She was not insane. She believed
the Mormon apostle who had
taught her in Boston that "she
could exalt herself by the choice Of
husband who stood high in the
kingdom, and that il made no diff
ference whether the choice OF her
ambition was living or dead" In
their fanatlcal preaching they had
taught that Christ was a polygam.
ist on earth, and "to the increase
of His kingdom there was no end
Mrs. Cobb seriously made that Sc
lection, but the very honesty of the
woman's logic staggered Brigham
and he wilted before the natura
deduction of his own false teaching
He could not venture that far. III
was too cowardly to meet the bias
phemy which his own tongue haC
! suggested, and he closed the con