Then the evening comes, and the whole party go to the old Salt Lake Theatre, where Mr. Ollie's dress-coat makes a great sensation, such costume not being usual in the Mormon temple of Thespis; this gentleman's entrance being greeted by a very audible buzz from the female portion of the audience.
Here they see the arm-chair that is placed conspicuously in the orchestra, for the use of the President of the Mormon Church; likewise, a third of the dress circle, which is his family's private box. This portion of the auditorium is pretty well occupied by some of his wives and his numerous progeny, as well as a number of the daughters and plural help-mates of other leaders and prophets of Zion, who drop in upon them and pass the compliments of the season and talk of the crops and Bishop Jenkins's last wife.
The performance on the stage is composed of a couple of light comedies, very passably given by a Mormon stock company, several of them being members of President Young's family, one or two of whom have since emigrated to the Gentile stage and secured recognition upon the boards of New York and San Francisco.
But this visit to the theatre is not altogether an evening of delight to Erma; to her astonishment, Mr. Livingston has suddenly changed from the complacent, passive suitor of former times, to as impetuous a lover as such a man can make, and his attentions embarrass her. This Romeo business has partly been brought about by Mr. Ollie's jealousy and partly by the remarks of his diplomatic mother.
This lady has had an interview with her son, caused chiefly by Miss Travenion's adventures in Ogden, and has given her offspring the following advice: "If you do not settle your marriage with Erma during this trip, she will probably marry somebody else."
"Impossible! She is as good as engaged to me," cries out Ollie, hotly.
"Engaged! Why? Because her father and your father came to some understanding when you were children?"
"Because Mr. Travenion has settled a million dollars on his daughter! Why did he put that big sum apart for her sole use and benefit? He wishes his daughter to take the position that I can give her in New York."
"Because he has settled a million dollars on her," answers his mother, "she is all the more difficult to win. It is a marvel to me that she, the belle of New York last season and of Newport this summer, has kept herself apart from entangling alliances with other men. Two months ago, if she had loved that young Polo Blazer, you would have lost her then."
"You don't mean to say she loves that Vigilante—that mining fellow?" says Oliver, turning pale at his mother's suggestion.