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Show 66 " The Lord's will be done! " I muttered. "Land's sake, Dave, you've et the last bite of that cake a'ready," she r~marked. "~orne right out, ~.nd I'll set on things at once. They re done enough. " If Brother Chilcott hasn't come home from the meeting-- " I began. "Don't you worry, Dave. He ain't afraid of you," she reassured. " He sent word by Waller that he was going to eat with Brigham. H; knows I'll keep an eye on the others for him. They re all m1ghty cunous to see you ; so I asked them in to my table- Of'; condition they split the wood and cleaned up the d1shes. It'll be all right if you rer;'ember we don;,t allow any trifling with another mans W!ves, Dave. "Why, Amanda," I protested, "you surely can't think that I - -" . "Well it won't hurt none to put a flea m your ear. Polly ha~ had her day. But the other three might be a lot worse looking, 'specially Cora. So. you ;ust remember the seventh commandment. Wa1t a m1mt. This is your room over here. I've got it all ready for you. When Waller told me how bad your cloth~s was, I risked borrowing. some of Brother Ch1lcot~ s things for you. You m1ght fix up a b1t wh1le I m dishing out." Glad of the opportunity of ridding myself of my rags I hastened mto my chamber. It was a small, neat room provided with a walnut bureau and washstand and a china wash-set. I took tlme to bathe myself and trim my beard. Chilcott's clothes, wh1~h would have been roomy for me even when I was m full flesh, hung about my gaunt frame in ungainly bags. But they were clean and whole, and the fresh linen was very grateful. Amanda was waiting for me when I came out. To my surprise, she voiced her impatience in no more than a mild, "Thought you'd g<;me to sleep. Dave. Things'll be cooked to death lf we wa1t much longer." THE MORMON LION . While I was apologizing she led me into her stuffy httle dmmg-room. Most of the space was occupied by the elegant oval table and the crinolines of the four women who stood around it awaiting my entry. The doorway of the kitchen was crowded with a number of frowsy-headed gapin9 children. " Polly! " shrilled Amanda, ' I told you to keep your brats away from here." " Your two are behind them there with Cora's " meekly remonstrated the worn woman nearest the children. She closed the door as the youngsters fled before Amanda's displeasure. "Now, we're rid of them," commented Amanda, and she presented me with much pride : "Sisters, th1s lS my cousm, Brother David Ford. He was a lawyer of high standing among the Gentiles, and he's bound to be exalted m the Kingdom. Brother Bngham already has favoured him. Dave these are the Sisters Chilcott- Mrs. Polly, Mrs. Cora, Mrs. Helgy .(she:s Swede) , and Mrs. Ann Jane." Havmg m mmd my Gentile views of plural wifehood, I had expected these sharers of one husband to be somewhat shamefaced when introduced to a stranger from the outside world. Yet none showed a trace of embarrassment, though Helga, a big blowsy. young woman of s1xteen, was awkward in curtseYing to my bow, and little Ann Jane shyly avmded my gaze. Hers was one of the saddest faces I had ever seen. She already had been married to Ch1lcott for several months, and she was still under fourteen years of age. All my interest, however, at once centered upon the belle of the family, Mrs. Cora. She was the young woman whom I had seen gracefully swinging an axe at the woodpile. I recogmzed her at the first glance_. though she had changed her work dress for a fashwnable costume of silk and lace and had ornamented her glossy hair with a lace cap and an artificial rose. |
