No. 18. Pantry. Milk, pies, cake, bread, and cooked provisions, are kept in this place.
No. 19. Back Hall.
No. 20 was formerly occupied as a school-room and dancing academy for the Youngs.
No. 21. Wash-room.
No. 22. Kitchen.
No. 23. Dish-room.
No. 24. The Dining-room is about fifteen by forty feet. Two tables extend its whole length, allowing only a passage-way at each end. A third table extends two thirds of the length of the room. Also a side-table, and chairs of different sizes, to accommodate the various ages of the family group.
Each wife has her seat at the table, and her children sit with her. The wives who have children are seated at the heads of the tables in the order in which they came into the family,—they taking the preference over those who have no children. This is the case in every well-regulated Mormon family. Among Mormons, the title of mother includes
that of queen, and is consequently the highest distinction a woman can attain. If a woman has no children, she is miserable, and her position in society a very unpleasant one. She can only redeem herself by urging her husband to take more wives. Many women do this, and afterward labor incessantly for the new mistresses and their children.
Lucy Decker, the first "plurality" woman, presides at one of the long tables. At the head of the short table, Brigham always presides, when he takes his meals at the Harem. On his right sits Clara Decker, with her children, and on the left, Emeline, with hers. This order is strictly observed. This preference causes much unhappiness on the part of other wives less favored.