In The Days Of Brigham Young

IN THE DAYS OF BRIGHAM Y0UNG - PART I - CHAPTER MUCH has been said and written of the Mormons, of their life, habits, pernicious political activity, of the institution of plural marriage, and the cunning, unscrupulous methods by which they have fostered and kept alive that institution. Some that has been said and written is true much of it false and most of in inaccurate. This book is a true story of my life, not an attack on Mormonism, not a defense of it, simply an account of the romantic adventures and stirring incidents of my stormy career. I, Joseph Lorenzo, was born in Zion in the days when Brigham Young ruled it with an iron hand, by means of prayer and revelation when such methods seemed expedient, and by intrigue and murder when it seemed best to him. I am the eighteenth off spring of Henry Lorenzo, and the second child by his third plural wife. Being a polygamous child, reared in a polygamous household and taught the doctrines of the Mormon Church from the time when words first conveyed thought to my childish mind, and having taken an active part in the work of the church during my boyhood and early manhood, I feel that the reader will be justified in concluding that what is said here of Mormonism is accurate, and that I know whereof I speak. I was born on a farm which is now partly within the corporate limits of Salt Lake City, Utah. Our house was typical of the time, community, and manner of living, being a long, irregular, clumsily designed structure, surrounded by half grown Carolina poplars. The main part, which was built first, was of adobe brick. The several additions, which were tacked on later to meet with the stress of events, when the Lord of the household saw fitto bring home a new wife, or as the Mormons put it, add a new star to his crown. were of wood.-The old brick part was extremely plain, both in-, side and out. There was no veranda, sim. ply steps leading up to the three apartments into which the old brick structure was divi, ded. Each section was exactly the same, having three rooms below and two above. The windows were small, with little old fashioned panes of glass the only departure from rigid plainness being a little dormer window in the roof of each section. There was only one entrance in the front and one in the rear of each apartment, and no connection between them. The new additions were more pretentious, varying in size and accoutrements, according to the amount of influence the occupant exercised over the Lord of the household. The favorite wife, for instance, had by far the most luxurious suite, both as to size and conveniences. Nothing was spared, all the comforts and luxuries obtainable were in evidence. Of the character, disposition, and life of the people living in the various apartments of our house, more anon. We shall now turn to the humble little refuge occupied by mother, sister Ruth and me. My mother being the third star was permitted to shine rather obscurely in the third apartment of the old building, the one adjacent to the new additions. Our living room faced the road, and was furnished with three chairs of the ancient straightbacked variety, and a rag carpet, which was the fruit of my mothers industry. The paperless walls were adorned by two pictures, one of my maternal grandmothei, and one of Brigham Young. Here I received my education, religious and otherwise. My mother was not of polygamous birth, but thechild of a legitimate marriage consummated in England. When she was a child of ten my maternal grandmother, a widow keeping a country inn, was proselyted by a Mormon missionary and brought to the promised land...