The following day, one Mr. Warner came to him, and told him that a widow by the name of Wells, who was living in Macedon, wanted some labor done in a well, for which she would pay the money, and that she was anxious to have him (Joseph) do this labor for her. As this afforded us an opportunity to pay the cabinet maker for the chest, Joseph went immediately to the house of Mrs. Wells, and commenced work.
The next day after he left home, one of the neighbors asked Mr. Smith many questions concerning the plates. I will here observe, that no one ever heard anything from us respecting them, except a confidential friend, whom my husband had spoken to about them some two or three years previous. It appeared that Satan had now stirred up the hearts of those who had gotten a hint of the matter from our friend, to search into it, and make every possible move towards thwarting the purposes of the Almighty.
My husband soon learned that ten or twelve men were clubbed together, with one Willard Chase, a Methodist class-leader, at their head; and what was still more ridiculous, they had sent sixty or seventy miles for a certain conjuror, to come and divine the place where the plates were secreted.
We supposed that Joseph had taken the plates, and hid them somewhere, and we were apprehensive that our enemies might discover their place of deposit. Accordingly, the next morning, after hearing of their plans, my husband concluded to go among the neighbors to see what he could learn with regard to the plans of the adverse party. The first house he came to he found the conjuror and Willard Chase, together with the rest of the clan. Making an errand, he went in and sat down near the door, leaving it a little ajar, in order to overhear their conversation. They stood in the yard near the door, and were devising plans to find "Joe Smith's gold Bible," as they expressed themselves. The conjuror seemed much animated, although he had traveled sixty miles the day and night previous.
Presently, the woman of the house, becoming uneasy at the exposures they were making, stepped through a back door into the yard, and called to her husband, in a suppressed tone, but loud enough to be heard distinctly by Mr. Smith, "Sam, Sam, you are cutting your own throat." At this the conjuror bawled out at the top of his voice, "I am not afraid of anybody—we will have them plates in spite of Joe Smith or all the devils in hell."
When the woman came in again, Mr. Smith laid aside the newspaper he had been holding in his hand and remarked, "I believe I have not time to finish reading the paper now." He then left the house, and returned home.
Mr. Smith, on returning home, asked Emma if she knew whether Joseph had taken the plates from their place of deposit, or if she was able to tell where they were. She said she could not tell where they were, or whether they were removed from their place. My husband then related what he had both seen and heard.
Upon this, Emma said that she did not know what to do, but she supposed if Joseph was to get the Record, he would get it, and that they would not be able to prevent him.
"Yes," replied Mr. Smith, "he will, if he is watchful and obedient; but remember, that for a small thing, Esau lost his birthright and his blessing. It may be so with Joseph."
"Well," said Emma, "if I had a horse, I would go and see him."