John Stevens' Courtship: A Story of the Echo Canyon WarGates, Susa Young
General
John Stevens' Courtship: A Story of the Echo Canyon War
Gates, Susa Young
Latter Day Saints -- Fiction; Utah Expedition (1857-1858) -- Fiction
Dian turned the ring round and round on her finger and said nothing in
reply to Ellen's chatter. She was not a bit interested in John Stevens,
nor was she prepared to open her own thoughts for the keen eyes of her
loving friend. There are some things that are too hazy in a girl's mind
for analysis; and Dian was content to listen while she idly dreamed
of Charlie Rose and what he would do about the ring, when he really
fell in love with a girl. And what would John Stevens think about her
wearing Charlie's ring? But the hours dragged along, night came, and
the weary travelers camped wherever water and wood could be found. Next
morning's sun found most of the mighty host once more on the dusty
highway, faces to the South, and with uplifted hearts to a Providence
that had never forgotten Zion.
"To your tents, O Israel!"
Israel was on the march! The high road of Destiny might be dusty with
blinding prejudice, and hot with men's hate and scorn. But Israel was
just a band of loyal men and women who trusted God and feared no man.
And so they went forth, this modern Israel, singing hymns while the
issues of life and death wove themselves into intricate patterns on the
web and woof of the mysterious future!
The evening shades of the second day found our friends halted on the
Provo river bottoms, a part of that temporary encampment which made the
small city a veritable summer pioneer metropolis.
The long, tiresome journey was at last completed, and the Winthrops
and Tylers could find no better place in all Provo than a low adobe
hut, which was then used as a bear den by the family who had built
themselves a new house further up the street. Mr. Bruin was taken
summarily out of his quarters, the boys and children spent several
hours cleaning out the hut, while the women cooked their frugal supper
over the campfire, and then all retired at a late hour, weary with the
long two days' travel.
XV.
I'M A MORMON DYED IN THE WOOL.
Meanwhile, the men on the frontier in Weber Canyon were uneasy and as
full of vague forebodings of the future as were the women and children
left in the safer shelter of the lower valleys. To be sure, the army
had been kept out of the Valley for the whole winter; and spring had
come, and they were still outside the confines of the Territory.
On the morning of May 28th, Colonel Lot Smith was ordered to the
headquarters of the Utah militia. He was closeted with the General for
an hour. When he emerged, he went at once to the tent of John Stevens.
"Captain Stevens, get Corporal Rose and a squad of six men and meet me
outside of the lines in half an hour; you have an important duty ahead."
The order was instantly obeyed, and soon the little squad was riding
out towards Camp Scott.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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