“To sew their mouths up with a needle and thread, and let ’em be sewed up for ever.  They are jealous of us; that’s what it is.  Some of their wives, too, have left ’em to espouse our saints, at which they naggar greatly.  The outrageousest things that enemies’ tongues can be laid to, they say.  Don’t you ever believe ’em; it flounders me to think as anybody can.  Whoever wants to see my credentials, they are at their beck and call.  Call to-morrow morning—­in my room upstairs—­call any other morning, and my certificates is open to be looked at, with spectacles or without ’em, signed in full, at the Great Salt Lake City, territory of Utah, by our prophet, Mr. Brigham Young, and two of his councillors, testifying that I am Elder Silas Jarrum, and that my mission over here is to preach the light to them as are at present asleep in darkness, and bring ’em to the community of the Latter Day Saints. I’m no impostor, I’m not; and I tell you that the false reports come from them unbelieving Gentiles.  Instead of minding their own affairs, they pass their days nagging at the saints.”

“Why don’t they turn saints theirselves?” cried a voice sensibly.

“Because Satan stops ’em.  You have heard of him, you know.  He’s busy everywhere, as you’ve been taught by your parsons.  I put my head inside of your church door, last Sunday night, while the sermon was going on, and I heard your parson tell you as Satan was the foundation of all the ill that was in you.  He was right there; though I’m no friend to parsons in general.  Satan is the head and tail of bad things, and he fills up the Gentiles with proud notions, and blinds their eyes against us.  No wonder!  If every soul in the world turned Latter Day Saint, and come over to us at New Jerusalem, where ’ud Satan’s work be?  We are striving to get you out of the clutches of Satan, my friends, and you must strive for yourselves also.  Where’s the use of us elders coming among you to preach and convert, unless you meet us half-way?  Where’s the good of keeping up that ‘Perpetual Emigration Fund Company,’ if you don’t reap its benefit and make a start to emigrate?  These things is being done for you, not for us.  The Latter Day Saints have got nothing mean nor selfish about ’em.  They are the richest people in the world—­in generosity and good works.”

“Is servants allowed to dress in veils, out there?” demanded Mary Green, during a pause of Brother Jarrum’s, afforded to the audience that they might sufficiently revolve the disinterested generosity of the Latter Day Saint community.

“Veils!  Veils, and feathers, too, if they are so minded,” was Brother Jarrum’s answer; and it fell like a soothing sound on Mary Green’s vain ear.  “It’s not many servants, though, that you’d find in New Jerusalem.”

“Ain’t servants let go out to New Jerusalem?” quickly returned Mary Green.  She was a servant herself, just now out of place, given to spend all her wages upon finery, and coming to grief perpetually with her mistresses upon the score.