for in her wanderings she was sometimes more jocular than ever at any other time. And at such times I would joke with her. It was at such a time she was complaining of her brain feeling ‘muddled,' &c. I said, ‘I have sometimes thought that if a hole were bored into your head, and some manure put into it, it might be an improvement, but never mind, you are getting better now.' I am confident she perfectly understood me and knew it was in jest, but has since argued herself into the belief that I meant to insult her, or pretends to so believe to throw blame upon me and excuse her own conduct.

if I heard anything unusual, not to get up or look out. They had been out a long time. It seemed two hours to me, and I was very tired, and anxious for someone to come in. Just then a band of music came along and stopped to play in front of our house. So I raised one corner of the blind and looked out of the window. Joseph … immediately came in with a rope, which he doubled four or five times, and struck me five or six times across my back notwithstanding I begged of him not to strike me and said I was sorry that I had disobeyed him.

you would have said, Now Joseph, you know I am weak, and I would like to spend a little time here, but whatever you say do, that is right, and that will do! Was it so? No ‘Vira you knew better than I did what was right, you did not ask my counsel, I took the liberty to counsel as I thought it was my right, you were offended, my advice was not welcome, you did not offer to be one, & united with me, regarded coming home as untimely and at last consented in anger, after it had been put off to the latest moment.

You insinuate that I have other and private reasons for desireing to remain here which heavens knows my heart I have not, and it is unkind of you to imagine so base and cruel a thing of me, and to upbrade me for circumstances and afflictions which I am powerless to avoide. Oh! If I should accuse you in the same manner, what would you say? and how would you feel, to think I had no more confidence in you.

You want me to talk plainly to you. What shall I say to you? that I am true to my husband? Yes, in all truth and sincerely, I say it. That I am not fasinated with the Illurements of the world? No I am not. You may think otherwise but I care nothing about the worldly minded foolish people, here or anywhere else unless they are good and that is not often the case tho there are some good kind hearted people. The people here are very free hearted and good to the poor, make presants to friends and acquaintances, and seem very liberal, more so than at home. … I would like to be comfortable, and see my friends so and live to improve the minde and body. One should not be neglected more than the other. I believe in improvement. So do you, so does the world. So far I like it, for I like everything good.

Now I want you to cheere up, as much as possible. Take good care of yourself and grow young, not old, for if you frightened yourself by looking in the glass, I fear you'll frighten me. I want you to look well, and feel well when I come. Go out and get livened up a little, it will do you good. I fear you stay at home so much and do so much writing [at work] you get blue and brood over all [your] trouble. You must not write steadily. It is hurtful and if a little hurts me a good deal must injure you. If I were you [I] wouldent do it for any body. If you make yourself old and ugly, morose and cross, I will not love you so look out, I give you warning.

You lead the life of a hermit, "see nobody, care for no body, go no whare." You do yourself injustice. When friends invite you out why don't you go? I do not want you to stay at home in lonlyness, because I am not there. When I am there if not able to go out, then I will want you to bear me company and we'll have good times "you bet."

You do your Parents injustice when you say "you are a fool" for they were intelectual both of them, and you are a "chip of the old block," and have no need to be ashamed of yourself.

I know whats the matter, and what you want, and what will do you good, and me too. If you had come for me and we could travel togather I would have felt better and you to, a change of scenery and lively company is what you want with a contented, happy, minde.

I hope you may feel better when I come home, and if you don't I'll get Martha Ann to help me whip you, she used to be pretty strong, and if you are sick, we can manage you I guess, so look out, for a flogging and all sorts of tricks, and don't think you know a "heap" when you don't know anything. If you get the "big head" what will I do with you? I cant immagine unless—by–the–by, I shower your head in cold watter. Maby you'd like it, and then again maby you wouldn't.

Now drive away those dreary thoughts.

Levira will not from thee part.
Levira will not break thy heart,
My Joseph dear, my Joseph dear.

generally allowing her to have her own way, as she always felt that I had no right to dictate. And she never once, to the best of my recollection, cheerfully obeyed my counsel. More especially since my return from England, but particularly after her Aunt Derinda visited her from California. Our troubles date from that visit, as our letters will show.

a d---n whore. A little stain'd illegitimate whore and a liar, and if he ever caught a man in my room again there would be blood shed if he had to swing for it. He threw my chair back against the stove, and opened the front door so that passers-by could hear, and said, madam, if you want a divorce I'll give you one. When I said, very well, I'll take it, this evening. So he left the house.

I was now almost choked with anger and humiliation, and could not contain my rage. I was therefore not responsible for what I said or did. Still, I remember everything distinctly. I do believe that if I had been armed I would have done violence to him, and I told him so. I told her plainly her conduct was "whorish and illegitimate." I did not call her a whore. I asked her if she was not ashamed of herself, and if she thought such conduct was becoming a married woman. And furthermore, whatever she thought of it, I considered it unbecoming and disgraceful, and so long as she was my wife, I would not allow it. And if ever I caught a stranger and a gentile in her bedroom again under such circumstances, there would be blood shed if I swung for it.

To this every feeling in me revolted. Nevertheless, after considering the matter, I wrote a studied apology to Mr. Harris, as non-compromising as I could word it, regretting that I had lost my temper and had spoken so harshly to my wife in the presence of a stranger.

I will simply say, you are welcome to your conviction, and your conscience /will/ never accuse you of having told the truth! … I am astounded at the brazen impudence manifested in two lines of your note, that in relation to ‘your cow cherry'!! Contemplating the deliberate affrontery intended, the unparalleled impertinence of such ideas, I do not wonder that you claim blankets and anything else that is not yours!! But words are futile. You are to be pitied, and I forgive you.

My first wife * * * was intimately acquainted from her childhood with the young lady who became my second wife, and it was with their [sic] full knowledge and consent that I entered into plural marriage, my first wife being present as a witness when I took my second wife, and freely gave her consent thereto. Our associations as a family were pleasant and harmonious. It was not until long after the second marriage that my first wife was drawn from us, not on account of domestic troubles, but for other causes. In eight years of wedded life we had no children. She constantly complained of ill health and was as constantly under a doctor's care. She concluded to go to California for her health and before going procured a separation. This all occurred previous to 1868.

Next page
Previous page
Articles
Home