Twelve Mormon Homes : Twelve Mormon homes visited in succession on a journey through Utah to Arizona.

Twelve Mormon Homes, page 009

We had a brave long grace before meat. I noticed that before uttering it President Young's eye had wandered over the table, and seen every cover lifted, even the glass top of the butter-dish. The stoppers were taken from the decanters of home-made wine. (I once saw, at a Mormon dinner-party in the city, the corks drawn from the champagne-bottles, which effervesced an accompaniment to the speaker ! ) I don't know why the covers were taken off; it would have made an epicure wish the grace-a full-fledged prayer-shorter, with such savory viands cooling. What had we for dinner? What had we not! Turkey and beef, fresh salmon-trout from the lake, wild duck, chicken-pie, apple-fritters, wild-plum-, cranberry-, and currant-jellies, a pro- fusion of vegetables ; and then mince-pies (drawn from the oven after the grace was said ! ), smoking plum-puddings for us, and wholesome plain ones for the children (who preferred the urtwholesome! ) ; pears, peaches, apples, and grapes, pitchers of cream and scarcely less creamy milk, cakes, preserves, and tarts numberless, and tea and coffee. All were served and pressed upon us by our active hostess, for whom a seat was reserved at President Young's right hand-to which she was invited about once in five minutes, replying, "Immediately, Brother Young," "Directly, Sister Lucy," as she flew off, to reappear with some fresh daintv. Such a busy woman ! That she looked well to the ways of her household, no one could doubt who heard her prompt, cheery replies to the queries addressed her from time to time by Presi- dent Young and her husband (he was also a guest, if a man can be a guest under his wife's roof ! ) respecting the welfare of the 9