roughing it-第15章

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through　there　now　any　faster　than　we　did　then　in　the　stage…coach；　I　envy
the　passengers　the　exhilaration　of　it。　　We　fairly　seemed　to　pick　up　our
wheels　and　flyand　the　mail　matter　was　lifted　up　free　from　everything
and　held　in　solution！　　I　am　not　given　to　exaggeration；　and　when　I　say　a
thing　I　mean　it。

However；　time　presses。　　At　four　in　the　afternoon　we　arrived　on　the　summit
of　Big　Mountain；　fifteen　miles　from　Salt　Lake　City；　when　all　the　world
was　glorified　with　the　setting　sun；　and　the　most　stupendous　panorama　of
mountain　peaks　yet　encountered　burst　on　our　sight。　　We　looked　out　upon
this　sublime　spectacle　from　under　the　arch　of　a　brilliant　rainbow！　　Even
the　overland　stage…driver　stopped　his　horses　and　gazed！

Half　an　hour　or　an　hour　later；　we　changed　horses；　and　took　supper　with　a
Mormon　〃Destroying　Angel。〃

〃Destroying　Angels；〃　as　I　understand　it；　are　Latter…Day　Saints　who　are
set　apart　by　the　Church　to　conduct　permanent　disappearances　of　obnoxious
citizens。　　I　had　heard　a　deal　about　these　Mormon　Destroying　Angels　and
the　dark　and　bloody　deeds　they　had　done；　and　when　I　entered　this　one's
house　I　had　my　shudder　all　ready。　　But　alas　for　all　our　romances；　he　was
nothing　but　a　loud；　profane；　offensive；　old　blackguard！　　He　was　murderous
enough；　possibly；　to　fill　the　bill　of　a　Destroyer；　but　would　you　have　any
kind　of　an　Angel　devoid　of　dignity？　　Could　you　abide　an　Angel　in　an
unclean　shirt　and　no　suspenders？　　Could　you　respect　an　Angel　with　a
horse…laugh　and　a　swagger　like　a　buccaneer？

There　were　other　blackguards　presentcomrades　of　this　one。　　And　there
was　one　person　that　looked　like　a　gentlemanHeber　C。　Kimball's　son；　tall
and　well　made；　and　thirty　years　old；　perhaps。　　A　lot　of　slatternly　women
flitted　hither　and　thither　in　a　hurry；　with　coffee…pots；　plates　of　bread；
and　other　appurtenances　to　supper；　and　these　were　said　to　be　the　wives　of
the　Angelor　some　of　them；　at　least。　　And　of　course　they　were；　for　if
they　had　been　hired　〃help〃　they　would　not　have　let　an　angel　from　above
storm　and　swear　at　them　as　he　did；　let　alone　one　from　the　place　this　one
hailed　from。

This　was　our　first　experience　of　the　western　〃peculiar　institution；〃　and
it　was　not　very　prepossessing。　　We　did　not　tarry　long　to　observe　it；　but
hurried　on　to　the　home　of　the　Latter…Day　Saints；　the　stronghold　of　the
prophets；　the　capital　of　the　only　absolute　monarch　in　AmericaGreat　Salt
Lake　City。　　As　the　night　closed　in　we　took　sanctuary　in　the　Salt　Lake
House　and　unpacked　our　baggage。




CHAPTER　XIII。

We　had　a　fine　supper；　of　the　freshest　meats　and　fowls　and　vegetablesa
great　variety　and　as　great　abundance。　　We　walked　about　the　streets　some；
afterward；　and　glanced　in　at　shops　and　stores；　and　there　was　fascination
in　surreptitiously　staring　at　every　creature　we　took　to　be　a　Mormon。
This　was　fairy…land　to　us；　to　all　intents　and　purposesa　land　of
enchantment；　and　goblins；　and　awful　mystery。　　We　felt　a　curiosity　to　ask
every　child　how　many　mothers　it　had；　and　if　it　could　tell　them　apart；　and
we　experienced　a　thrill　every　time　a　dwelling…house　door　opened　and　shut
as　we　passed；　disclosing　a　glimpse　of　human　heads　and　backs　and
shouldersfor　we　so　longed　to　have　a　good　satisfying　look　at　a　Mormon
family　in　all　its　comprehensive　ampleness；　disposed　in　the　customary
concentric　rings　of　its　home　circle。

By　and　by　the　Acting　Governor　of　the　Territory　introduced　us　to　other
〃Gentiles；〃　and　we　spent　a　sociable　hour　with　them。　　〃Gentiles〃　are
people　who　are　not　Mormons。　　Our　fellow…passenger；　Bemis；　took　care　of
himself；　during　this　part　of　the　evening；　and　did　not　make　an
overpowering　success　of　it；　either；　for　he　came　into　our　room　in　the
hotel　about　eleven　o'clock；　full　of　cheerfulness；　and　talking　loosely；
disjointedly　and　indiscriminately；　and　every　now　and　then　tugging　out　a
ragged　word　by　the　roots　that　had　more　hiccups　than　syllables　in　it。
This；　together　with　his　hanging　his　coat　on　the　floor　on　one　side　of　a
chair；　and　his　vest　on　the　floor　on　the　other　side；　and　piling　his　pants
on　the　floor　just　in　front　of　the　same　chair；　and　then　comtemplating　the
general　result　with　superstitious　awe；　and　finally　pronouncing　it　〃too
many　for　him〃　and　going　to　bed　with　his　boots　on；　led　us　to　fear　that
something　he　had　eaten　had　not　agreed　with　him。

But　we　knew　afterward　that　it　was　something　he　had　been　drinking。　　It　was
the　exclusively　Mormon　refresher；　〃valley　tan。〃

Valley　tan　（or；　at　least；　one　form　of　valley　tan）　is　a　kind　of　whisky；
or　first　cousin　to　it；　is　of　Mormon　invention　and　manufactured　only　in
Utah。　　Tradition　says　it　is　made　of　（imported）　fire　and　brimstone。　　If　I
remember　rightly　no　public　drinking　saloons　were　allowed　in　the　kingdom
by　Brigham　Young；　and　no　private　drinking　permitted　among　the　faithful；
except　they　confined　themselves　to　〃valley　tan。〃

Next　day　we　strolled　about　everywhere　through　the　broad；　straight；　level
streets；　and　enjoyed　the　pleasant　strangeness　of　a　city　of　fifteen
thousand　inhabitants　with　no　loafers　perceptible　in　it；　and　no　visible
drunkards　or　noisy　people；　a　limpid　stream　rippling　and　dancing　through
every　street　in　place　of　a　filthy　gutter；　block　after　block　of　trim
dwellings；　built　of　〃frame〃　and　sunburned　bricka　great　thriving　orchard
and　garden　behind　every　one　of　them；　apparentlybranches　from　the　street
stream　winding　and　sparkling　among　the　garden　beds　and　fruit　treesand　a
grand　general　air　of　neatness；　repair；　thrift　and　comfort；　around　and
about　and　over　the　whole。　　And　everywhere　were　workshops；　factories；　and
all　manner　of　industries；　and　intent　faces　and　busy　hands　were　to　be　seen
wherever　one　looked；　and　in　one's　ears　was　the　ceaseless　clink　of
hammers；　the　buzz　of　trade　and　the　contented　hum　of　drums　and　fly…wheels。

The　armorial　crest　of　my　own　State　consisted　of　two　dissolute　bears
holding　up　the　head　of　a　dead　and　gone　cask　between　them　and　making　the
pertinent　remark；　〃UNITED；　WE　STAND（hic！）DIVIDED；　WE　FALL。〃　　It　was
always　too　figurative　for　the　author　of　this　book。　　But　the　Mormon　crest
was　easy。　　And　it　was　simple；　unostentatious；　and　fitted　like　a　glove。
It　was　a　representation　of　a　GOLDEN　BEEHIVE；　with　the　bees　all　at　work！

The　city　lies　in　the　edge　of　a　level　plain　as　broad　as　the　State　of
Connecticut；　and　crouches　close　down　to　the　ground　under　a　curving　wall
of　mighty　mountains　whose　heads　are　hidden　in　the　clouds；　and　whose
shoulders　bear　relics　of　the　snows　of　winter　all　the　summer　long。

Seen　from　one　of　these　dizzy　heights；　twelve　or　fifteen　miles　off；　Great
Salt　Lake　City　is　toned　down　and　diminished　till　it　is　suggestive　of　a
child's　toy…village　reposing　under　the　majestic　protection　of　the　Chinese
wall。

On　some　of　those　mountains；　to　the　southwest；　it　had　been　raining　every
day　for　two　weeks；　but　not　a　drop　had　fallen　in　the　city。　　And　on　hot
days　in　late　spring　and　early　autumn　the　citizens　could　quit　fanning　and
growling　and　go　out　and　cool　off　by　looking　at　the　luxury　of　a　glorious
snow…storm　going　on　in　the　mountains。　　They　could　enjoy　it　at　a　distance；
at　those　seasons；　every　day；　though　no　snow　would　fall　in　their　streets；
or　anywhere　near　them。

Salt　Lake　City　was　healthyan　extremely　healthy　city。

They　declared　there　was　only　one　physician　in　the　place　and　he　was
arrested　every　week　regularly　and　held　to　answer　under　the　vagrant　act
for　having　〃no　visible　means　of　support。〃　　They　always　give　you　a　good
substantial　article　of　truth　in　Salt　Lake；　and　good　measure　and　good
weight；　too。　＇Very　often；　if　you　wished　to　weigh　one　of　their　airiest
little　commonplace　statements　you　would　want　the　hay　scales。＇

We　desired　to　visit　the　famous　inland　sea；　the　American　〃Dead　Sea；〃　the
great　Salt　Lakeseventeen　miles；　horseback；　from　the　cityfor　we　had
dreamed　about　it；　and　thought　about　it；　and　talked　about　it；　and　yearned
to　see　it；　all　the　first　part　of　our　trip；　but　now　when　it　was　only　arm's
length　away　it　had　suddenly　lost　nearly　every　bit　of　its　interest。　　And
so　we　put　it　off；　in　a　sort　of　general　way；　till　next　dayand　that　was
the　last　we　ever　thought　of　it。　　We　dined　with　some　hospitable　Gentiles；
and　visited　the　foundation　of　the　prodigious　temple；　and　talked　long　with
that　shrewd　Connecticut　Yankee；　Heber　C。　Kimball　（since　deceased）；　a
saint　of　high　degree　and　a　mighty　man　of　commerce。

We　saw　the　〃Tithing…House；〃　and　the　〃Lion　House；〃　and　I　do　not　know　or
remember　how　many　more　church　and　government　buildings　of　various　kinds
and　curious　names。　　We　flitted　hither　and　thither　and　enjoyed　every　hour；
and　picked　up　a　great　deal　of　useful　information　and　entertaining
nonsense；　and　went　to　bed　at　night　satisfied。

The　second　day；　we　made　the　acquaintance　of　Mr。　Street　（since　deceased）
and　put　on　white　shirts　and　went　and　paid　a　state　visit　to　the　king。
He　seemed　a　quiet；　kindly；　easy…mannered；　dignified；　self…possessed　old
gentleman　of　fifty…five　or　sixty；　and　had　a　gentle　craft　in　his　eye　that
probably　belonged　there。　　He　was　very　simply　dressed　and　was　just　taking
off　a　straw　hat　as　we　entered。　　He　talked　about　Utah；　and　the　Indians；
and　Nevada；　and　general　American　matters　and　questions；　with　our
secretary　and　certain　government　officials　who　came　with　us。　　But　he
never　paid　any　attention　to　me；　notwithstanding　I　made　several　attempts
to　〃draw　him　out〃　on　federal　politics　and　his　high　handed　attitude　toward
Congress。　　I　thought　some　of　the　things　I　said　were　rather　fine。　　But　he
merely　looked　around　at　me；　at　distant　intervals；　something　as　I　have
seen　a　benignant　old　cat　look　around　to　see　which　kitten　was　meddling
with　her　tail。

By　and　by　I　subsided　into　an　indignant　silence；　and　so　sat　until　the　end；
hot　and　flushed；　and　execrating　him　in　my　heart　for　an　ignorant　savage。
But　he　was　calm。　　His　conversation　with　those　gentlemen　flowed　on　as
sweetly　and　peacefully　and　musically　as　any　summer　brook。　　When　the
audience　was　ended　and　we　were　retiring　from　the　presence；　he　put　his
hand　on　my　head；　beamed　down　on　me　in　an　admiring　way　and　said　to　my
brother：

〃Ahyour　child；　I　presume？　　Boy；　or　girl？〃




CHAPTER　XIV。

Mr。　Street　was　very　busy　with　his　telegraphic　mattersand　considering
that　he　had　eight　or　nine　hundred　miles　of　rugged；　snowy；　uninhabited
mountains；　and　waterless；　treeless；　melancholy　deserts　to　traverse　with
his　wire；　it　was　natural　and　needful　that　he　should　be　as　busy　as
possible。　　He　could　not　go　comfortably　along　and　cut　his　poles　by　the
road…side；　either；　but　they　had　to　be　hauled　by　ox　teams　across　those
exhausting　desertsand　it　was　two　days'　journey　from　water　to　water；　in
one　or　two　of　them。　　Mr。　Street's　contract　was　a　vast　work；　every　way　one
looked　at　it；　and　yet　to　comprehend　what　the　vague　words　〃eight　hundred
miles　of　rugged　mountains　and　dismal　deserts〃　mean；　one　must　go　over　the
ground　in　personpen　and　ink　descriptions　cannot　convey　the　dreary
reality　to　the　reader。　　And　after　all；　Mr。　S。's　mightiest　difficulty
turned　out　to　be　one　which　he　had　never　taken　into　the　account　at　all。
Unto　Mormons　he　had　sub…let　the　hardest　and　heaviest　half　of　his　great
undertaking；　and　all　of　a　sudden　they　concluded　that　they　were　going　to
make　little　or　nothing；　and　so　they　tranquilly　threw　their　poles
overb