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Show 364 WESTERN WILDS. man in polygamy, unless, like the Oriental, he regard his women as playthings or slaves, and look with lordly indifference upon them all. But there came a time when he must choose. He could no longer stand behind the door and grit his teeth when the troubles of polyg-amy pressed upon him. Brigham was now inaugurating schemes which would make every submissive Mormon a slave. He must es-cape with whatever he could take, or whoever would go with him, and trust the others to follow. Very secretly he made a few prepa-rations, Manson assisting as far as was safe. Assuredly there was need of caution. The Gentiles were in a condition of panic. The few soldiers at Camp Douglas were of no avail in the city. In one instance a guard had been sent to see that Miss Sarah Carmichael, the poetess, reached the stage coach in safety; but this was an ex-periment not to be repeated. The President of the United States was jiow devoting his mighty energies to thwarting the Republican party ; and in Utah every Federal official suspected of " radicalism " was removed, and a Mormon put in his place. Burton, the murderer of the Morrisites, held the best office in the Territory. One Federal judge was a Mormon elder. The Governor was expressly instructed " not to irritate the Mormons." Other officials were the subservient tools of Brigham Young. Among the army officers alone could the harassed Gentiles and apostates hope to find friends. At length the general commanding the department announced that an expedition would start for the Missouri River on a certain day. and whoever would might " travel under their protection through the Indian coun-try." The priesthood laughed at this wording, and sneered at the Gentile officer for thus insinuating that any one wanted to leave Utah. The night before the day set, there was not a sign of prepa-ration in the city. Daylight next morning showed a caravan of two hundred people camped about the garrison : men, women and chil-dren, miserably equipped indeed, but eager for the journey. Among them were Manson and the Briarlys. They had got away with little indeed, whatever the elder could convert into ready money, besides his one team and wagon. The rest of his property would go ac-cording to the apostolic law of " laying on of hands." But he had all his children, and two " wives." For the one some provision must be made in the States. For the present it was enough to get away. The snow yet lay deep in the passes, and the winter wind still howled over the high plains; but Manson confessed himself strangely |
