I told the first
wife my story and asked her how she attained her happiness. 'Happiness,'
she replied, 'I don't know the meaning of the word, I have never seen
a happy hour since that woman came into my house and never shall until
I drop into my grave.' The second wife said, 'for the sake of peace,
I have given up every right both as woman and wife. If it were not for
my child, I would have thrown myself into the river long ago.' Then I
went to two of Brigham's wives who were held up as examples. The first
to whom I spoke said, 'I have shed tears enough since I have been in
polygamy to drown myself twice over;' the other said, 'the plains from
the Mississippi River to Salt Lake are strewed with the bones of women
who were not strong enough to bear the burdens of polygamy, and the
cemetery here is full of them; but every one of these women will wear
a martyr's crown.'" Women who give their consent to the death knell of
happiness do it on the ground that their reward will be greater in
Heaven, and that the few years in this world is as nothing in view of
eternity.
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