Here was the child of one of the greatest fanatics that Mormonism has ever known, one of the wildest advocates of the “Celestial Order of Marriage,” perfectly loathing the system; and yet, poor girl, believing it firmly, and believing too that she could not obtain salvation unless she entered into it. How I pitied and loved that poor girl!—and yet what strength or consolation could I offer her, being myself as painfully situated as she was? Our mutual sorrow united us still more painfully in loving companionship. I had rarely met among the Mormon girls with one so thoughtful and observing, so kind and gentle. She had not been with me many weeks before she had entwined herself so completely round my heart that I was lonely when she stayed away, and I tried to keep her with me altogether. I tried in every way to make her feel at home when at my house; and noticing her delicate health, and thinking that she did not always get those little things to tempt her appetite which an invalid should always have, I found out many trifles which I believed would please her, and always tried to get them for her. She seemed to think much of these little attentions, and I have always believed that she loved me very dearly.
Some of my neighbours began to whisper pretty plainly to me that Brother Brigham had an object in view in asking me to interest myself in Carrie’s welfare. They told me they believed that my husband, if he had not already been counselled to marry her, would be before long. Knowing, as I did, Carrie’s aversion to Polygamy, these suggestions did not trouble me very much; but I begged my informants not to speak of the matter in my young friend’s presence, as it would only disturb and annoy her. I was the more anxious on this point as her health had by that time began very perceptibly to improve, and sometimes she seemed to be almost joyous and light-hearted. Sometimes she would sew, and sometimes she read or played with the children, of whom she was very fond, and I always allowed her to do just as she pleased.
One day my talkative friend called to see me. She had not been near the house for several months, and I think, at her last visit, she must have taken offence at my telling her that I thought she had not acted wisely in procuring wives for her husband. She had, however, now an object in coming which I soon discovered.
She was shown in, and as soon as she was fairly seated, I observed that, while talking to me, she was inquisitively scrutinizing Carrie’s face, as if trying to discover her character or read her thoughts. Suddenly—she did everything impulsively—she interrupted the conversation, saying: “Sister Stenhouse, I want to speak to you privately.” I asked her to come with me into the next room, and she did so, but before I had time to close the door, she exclaimed: “Allow me to congratulate you; you have done very wisely!”
“Congratulate me upon what?” I asked.
“Upon the excellent choice you have made for your husband,” she replied; “I knew very well you would ponder over my good counsel and seek another wife for Brother Stenhouse, and I am certain that my example and my faith and prayers have helped you, for I have asked the Lord to strengthen you to do just what you are doing.”
“Doing!” I said, “what am I doing? I really don’t understand what you mean.”
“Oh, nonsense!” she exclaimed; “but I understand, if you don’t. You wish to keep it a secret, I suppose, until the happy event takes place. And you are quite right in that, for there are so many busybodies here, and they do interfere so much in their neighbours’ affairs that it isn’t pleasant. But of course you needn’t fear me—I shouldn’t think of breathing one single word of the matter, unless you wished me to do so.”
“I am really at a loss to know what you mean,” I said, very much annoyed with her.
“Oh,” she said, “if you think that I am interfering, I will not say another word, for I should very much dislike to be considered meddlesome. But you know, my dear Sister Stenhouse, the great interest I have always felt concerning you; from the very first when I knew you in England I always prophesied great things of you, but I was a little afraid when I saw your opposition to Polygamy, and I cannot tell how happy I felt when I heard yesterday that you had found a wife—and a good wife too—for your husband.”