A Child of the Sea; and Life Among the MormonsWilliams, Elizabeth Whitney
History
A Child of the Sea; and Life Among the Mormons
Williams, Elizabeth Whitney
Beaver Island (Mich.); Latter Day Saints -- Michigan; Strang, James Jesse, 1813-1856
Just about the time all this happened to me Nellie's deaf and dumb
husband had come to the island on a steamboat. He had not come with the
rest of us, and since we came he had fallen heir to considerable money
and had come to claim Nellie and the children. They had gone to
housekeeping in a little log cabin built in a secluded spot on the edge
of the heavy woods. The little home was not yet finished. Nellie by her
dumb language made me understand John had come and brought letters from
the old home. She made me promise I would wait until she came back with
John and the letters. In a short time they came. When he saw me it was
terrible to look upon his silent rage. He foamed at the mouth and stuck
his knife into the earth, but he could make no sound. He passed his hand
over my hair. It was white as snow. It was auburn in color when I left
my home. I did rouse up a little when I watched the tears roll down his
cheeks. Nellie put a dress on me and a shawl. My bare feet were cut and
swollen. They both helped me to walk; I was too weak to walk alone. At
the last John carried me in his arms to his home. Nellie made me
understand that I had been over three weeks in the woods and by the
king's orders no one had dared openly to hunt for me or give me aid in
any way, claiming that was the way to subdue an unruly spirit. It was
told me that he who once had been my loved husband never made an effort
to find me, not even my own father and mother. Strang called all this
"Divine Revelation." Oh he was more cruel than the grave to me.
From the time I entered John's home my three dumb friends never left me.
It was a hard struggle for life with me. I saw no one and none ever came
to see us. The dear children kept me alive with their sweet, childish
prattle. At that time Strang's rule was absolute. None would have dared
to give me aid. Many were living a double life, seemingly good Mormons,
but only waiting for an opportunity to get away. Strang had enemies that
would strike hard when the time came. Not long after I went to Nellie's
he that I once called husband, watched and shot my faithful dog Tiger.
Then I was roused. All the demons in me came to the surface. I could not
keep quiet any longer. I got well as fast as possible and caused the
King and Mr. H---- all the trouble I could.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account