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Show 2- 6- TjiTT J. W OM it,- BY HELEN MAR WHITNEY. The site of Nauvoo from the river was considered one of the most beautiful on the Misstlw issippi, and appropriately named Nauvoo, beautiful. Previous to being settled by the Latter-da- y Saints it was called Commerce, or Upper and Lower Commerce, there having been two landings, which were quite a distance lower apart; the Prophet Joseph lived at the river. the from one, and our house was one mile When my father: left us to go on his second mission to England there had been but very few honses built, and there were none within a half mile of us. We were surrounded with tree and hazel and other underbrush. The whole country, was quite wild, and wolves being plentiful we were treated nightly to their serenades, commencing at sundown and continuing at intervals till morning. In the winter hunger made them very bold, but they were generally harmless. My first impression, concerning the place was anything but pleasing; the attending ray arrival there were probably; the reason the weather was excessively warm, and the bottom land being swampy, nearly every one who had come there was sick upon the bank of the i iver; my mother being in delicate health, father took her, with their youngest child, up by water, sending me and ruy eldest brother by land in charge of a hired woman and the driver; we were two days on the way, and the journey was quite pleasant; we put up at night with Father John Smith's family; Brother George A., their son, who was starting for England, es accompanied us to Commerce on horseback, and I must say that he, being' afflicted with ague, looked a more fit subject for a hospital thanJiedid like a missionary. Our parents expected to be there nearly as soon as we were, but,. remained in Quincy two or three days longer visiting among their friends; each day WxTiiam and J walked to the upper landing, which ,was two miles or more from the place where, we settled, and there being no houses between made the distance seem still greater, and having to return at night without them I felt homesick aud sick of the country. The contrast between that place and Quincy, where we had spent the spring and summer so pleasantly and everything seemed so delightful to me that it made the dreary looking place interesting; but the scene changed, as it were by magic, through the persevering industry of the Saints, and soon instead of a forest the country was dotted over with houses, and gardens ana flowers were under cultivatany-thing.b- ut ion,,-. Shortly after my father's departure for Europe, my little brother, upon whom we had we lay depended to bring us water to drink sjck with chills and fever, came in with his usual pail of water, and setting it upon the floorlaid, down by it and said: "I b'eve I's go-ito hav&agu too;" and sure enough the little fellow was shaking with it. There is an old saying that "misery loves company," and we certainly had no lack of it in Nauvoo. Every- - remedy that could be or of was tried; we even resort- heard thought ed to tricks and strategems, some of which were Judicrous in the extreme and afforded consicUrable fun and amusement. We sometimes tried selling or giving the ague to the ones who were willincr to risk their chances, and the purchaser sometimes had cause to repent his or her bargain; but like the doctor's pres n' . : . scriptions thej often failed. The following one had a striking effect upon me: when We began to feel the symptoms we were to start and run across the floor as if going on to the bed, but to go under instead, thus cheating the old gentf eiaan,who would go as usual on to the 1 AJN '8 J A r v ssjx x thought it more probable that they had been stolen by a.rafthan t&Ken- oy a rafenpma so made a searcn Dy navmg one oi me piauAa vi the floor taken up, and .sure enough there we rav resrular chill came on when I first, felt the every other evening, and but m. symptoms I started from the fireplace, head a dodging to go under the bed I gave my chills more of the frightful blow, and I felt no whether it was and fever for three weeks; but due to the blow on my head or my faith in the trick I could never quite decide. The skin of a rattlesnake, wrapped around the head was said to be an excellent remedy Sis-- , for the headache, : One of our neighbors, ter Bentley's father, killed an old one near our in house, and after dressing it they cut it fried and eaten by pieces, and I saw the meat her father and husband;' they invited me to for partake with them, but I had no hankering snake meat, though it was as nice looking as fish, but the thought of it and the sight of the me pic ees squirming in the frying pan made feel quite nervous; but when the fever was on and my head distracted with pain, I was perfectly willing to have it bound up with snake skins, or anything else that would give relief. None but those who hav9 passed through similar sufferings can realize our condition, as the days and weeks dragged on, and most of the Saints were destitute of the commonest comforts, and were wanting for beds and even covMisering, having been robbed in the State of souri, and the nights were very cold. We know how the ague weakens and reduces a person's, strength in two or three days, but there we had it for weeks and months at a time, and there was no alternative but to submit and make the best of it. Wrapped in our shawls or quilts we would, sit cramped and shaking to the very marrow, hovering over the fire, which only increased the shivering, but would not leave it as long as we could sit up, and when the fever came on the pain and suffering were so intense that the Brother patient generally became delirious. of the condition the Saints, esJoseph, seeing pecially those on the bank of the river, where the water was unfit for drinking purposes and they were dying like sheep, his sympathies were so wrought upon that he told them to Af SCENES IN NAUVOO. -- tW timft - . make tea and drink it, or, anything that they thought would do .them good; and he often made tea and administered it with his own hands. That was the commencement of their using tea and coffee; previous to this the Saints had been strict in keeping thetfWord of Wisdom. . Soon after my father left us Brother Charles C. Rich, who' purchased five acres of land adjoining ours, and Brother. Qharles Hubbard, with their wives, befriended my. mother, and her children, and wera truly brothers and sisters. Brothers Winchester, Benson Uncle Joseph Young and many more brethren, with their families, soon became our neighbors, and were equally kind to us. During the first winter my mother invited them to hold meetings on the Sabbath day at her house, it being one-- of the most convenient in the neighborhood, though it had but one lower room and that was shared with Sister Pratt. The brethren and sisters enjoyed many glorious seasons together, and under the influence of the Holy Spirit they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer for so pure riches, and they ft. could say with truth, "My yoke is easy and mv burthen is light;" even the children partook of that influence, and were glad when the Sabbath day came round. The following amusing incident happened the winter that Bister Pratt was Hying with us. One Saturday evening she left a plate of large sweet cakes, or buns, upon her table by the eupboard when she retired, and in the morn ing the plate being found empty caused quite an excitement; we thought maybe they had been taken to pa or some of his brethren, who might be in want, as in Elijah's case; but Sister Pratt, being more practical than religious, i discovered the buns stowed away one upon the other, as neatly as if done by human hands. The next fall, Sister Pratt having been provided with a house, Sisters Laura and Abigail Pitkin came to live with us, ana remained until their house was built. They were among the Saints who were diiven from Jackson Co., Missouri, and passed through all the trials in Far West, and were driven out ofJ.liat State into Illinois. They supported themselves by working at the tailor's trade. Were natives of New England, and like many of the Saints they had sacrificed wealth and worldly honors for the pure Gospel of Christ. They had been carefully trained ana eaueaiea in an inai was necessary to make them good and useful citizens When they obeyed the Gospel they had a supply of linen of their own spinning and weaving, for bedding, wearing apparel, etc;, sufficient to last them their lifetime; some of it was of the finest texture that could be woven in the loom. When Aunt Laura, as we called her, died she had a few articles., left, which were sent by her request to her. brother's children living north of this city. They were living in Quincy when my father started upon his mission, and being prostrated with chills and fever he staid most of the time while there at their house, and they bestowed every possible kindness upon him and his brethren. They were always doing good and trying to stimulate others to faithfulness and good works; were refined, gentle and, affable to every one, as well aa daunfless and unflinching in the cause of truth- - They were also among the aged and infirm' who were driven by brute force across the Mississippi river into Iowa. Sister Abigail had been an invalid for years, and she sank under ail her accumulated sufferings, and was buried on the west side of the Mississippi. I remember the kind teachings and exhortations which' I received from them in the midst of our trials and privations, they appeared cheerful even in, their afflictions,, and would talk upon the bright side; they taught me the principles of patience and forbearance virtues which,. I was rather, deficient in and also to exercise faith in God. Their sympathies were often exercised in my behalf being blessed with an elder brother whose happiness seemed never so complete as when tormenting his only sister, patience and forbearance were frequently put to the test; but if he thought any one else was trying, to impose upon her, he was ready to fight. Although father had left us so sick and in poor 'circutasiances, we had seldom been under the.necessity of calBng upon the Bishop; the second year we were in need of some assistance winter was on us and I being shoeless, Aunt Laura asked me if I had not better go to the Lord and make Him acquainted with our condition, and she felt sure that He would move upon the heart of Bishop Vinson Knight, and I would get some new shoes. I heeded her counsel, and in. .a few days accompanied my mother and William to see the Bishop, who was living in Upper tiommerce, where the storehouse of the Lord was kept. We touna him remarkably kind, and our wants were all supplied; he was sometimes rather gruff in his manners, being harassed by his many cafes and had considerable te try his patience. In a few vears frfttTi tbflf HrriAw tA vu v fb ii ta v My sisters became members of our family; and Aunt Laura, who came.' with us to this y alley, me of this circumstance, particularly if she saw me troubled in temporal matters, she would ask if I had lost my faith in prayer. .. .... .. . -- . -- f often-reminde- d - . . The biography of Sister Amanda Smith will be concluded in otir nxt. |