IN THE OLD WEST 317 



the promised land ! ' Do you believe it ? I know 

 it. 



" They wants to know whar we're going. 

 Whar the church goes — thar we goes. Yes, to 

 hell, and pull the devil off his throne — that's 

 what well do. Do you believe it? I know it. 



" Thar's milk and honey in that land as we're 

 goin' to, and the lost tribes of Israel is thar, and 

 will jine us. They say as we'll starve on the road, 

 bekase thar's no game and no water; but thar's 

 manna up in heaven, and it'll rain on us, and 

 thar's prophets among us can make the water 

 * come.' Can't they, brother Dowdle ? " 



" WeU, they can." 



" And now, what have the Gtentiles and the 

 VhJlhtines to say against us Mormons .? They 



says we're thieves, and steal hogs ; yes, d 



'em! they say w.e has as many wives as we like. 

 So we have. I've twenty — forty, myself, and 

 mean to have as many more as I can get. But 

 it's to pass unfortunate females into heaven that 

 I has 'em — yes, to prevent 'em going to roaring 

 flames and damnation that I does it. 



" Brother Dowdle," he continued, in a hoarse, 

 low voice, " I've ' give out,' and think we'd better 

 begin the exercises grettful to the Lord." 



Brother Dowdle rose, and, after saying that 

 **he didn't feel like saying much," begged to re- 

 mind all hands that dancing was " solemn like, to 

 be done with proper devotion, and not with laugh- 



