About this time, Feramorz Little, one of Young's nephews, married Julia Hampton, daughter of Mrs. H., and half sister to Vilate Cole. Mrs. Hampton lived at the Harem about eight years, and superintended the culinary department. Some misunderstanding having arisen between her and the Prophet, he again cast her off. It is said that she was unwilling to be sealed over the altar for eternity to Young, preferring her first husband in the eternal world. Her son, Nephi Hampton, provided a house for her at Ogden, a pleasant town forty miles north of Salt Lake, where she now resides.
Vilate is now about fourteen years of age, beautiful and accomplished. She and Brigham Heber, now about twenty years old, were engaged to be married, but his father disapproved the match, and laid a plan to defeat it. In the fall of 1863, Feramorz Little sent for Vilate to come down to the city, and proposed to have her board with him and attend school. His real object was to secure her for his fourth wife and at the same time prevent her marrying the son of the President. During all this time the girl frequently inquired, with much anxiety, about her father.
In 1863 Cole enlisted in the 2d Regiment of Infantry, Nevada Volunteers, and came to Salt Lake City expressly for the purpose of finding his daughter. After much inquiry he ascertained where his wife and child were living, and wrote a letter to Vilate. The mother received the letter, read it, and put it in the fire. Thus the matter rested, until Vilate came to the city. One day she said to her sister Julia, (Mrs. Little,) "Would it not be strange if my father was among the soldiers?" Said Julia, "He is. Didn't you know it? Nephi told me all about it." This gave her new courage, and thenceforth she made every effort to see her father. For some time she was closely watched, and Cole, who had found where she was, was denied admission to her;
but the girl's resolution remaining firm, Little, fearing she would leave him, finally permitted an interview. The happy meeting of the father with his only child, after an absence of eleven years, who shall describe? Cole still remains in Utah, devoted to his daughter, whom he visits frequently, and is not without hope of getting her away from her unfortunate associations. The task is a delicate and difficult one, and in his efforts to accomplish it, he has the sympathy of every father.
Mary Bigelow.—I can give no description of this woman. She was sealed to Young at "Winter Quarters," and came on with him to Utah. After a time she left the Harem, and what became of her is unknown to me.
Emeline Free, or the Light of the Harem.
——"O Nourmahal!
Thou loveliest, dearest of them all;
The one whose smile shone out alone
Amidst a world, the only one