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Show 537 earned by women or children in the family was given to my father. He would divide i t among the families according to the number of children, allowing for any special needs. Those years had been the most sumptuous - both materially and spiritually - of my l i f e . In addition to grocery money, each mother received a l i t t l e extra . t o budget toward housewares or clothing. Some spent t h e i r s on extravagances such as oranges or candy, while others saved for curtains for refurbishing, or a new coat. Some bought second-hand furnitureAwhile others bought brand-new t h i n g s . Within the l i m i t s of her budget, each mother had some free agency, the only outstanding rule being aginst going into debt. But when we were driven from Utah and scattered across the West, our United Order had collapsed and troubles - financial and s p i r i t u a l - set in. Mothers who worked full-time resented sustaining those who stayed home and had LaVona babies. Aunt A had l e f t my father; my brothers had rebelled; also others*refused to contribute t h e i r earnings to the family good. Despite my f a t h e r ' s p r o s c r i p t i o n of the United Order, the family had never again returned to the harmony of those white house years. My mother chattered about people in the group - some that I knew, some that I d i d n ' t - as I set out the food. She talked on and on in a frenzied way t h a t seemed entirely out of character. Upon looking more closely, I noticed lines around her eyes and mouth that hadn't been there before the summer began. I was reminded of Saul and of the new wives as I gazed into the c r a t e r s of her hazel eyes. Suddenly I |