"It's part of our faith to dance," continued Brother Jarrum. "Why
shouldn't we? Didn't David dance? Didn't Jephthah dance? Didn't the
prodigal son dance? You'll all dance on to the last if you come to us.
Such a thing as old legs is hardly known among us. As the favoured
climate makes the women's faces beautiful, so it keeps the limbs from
growing old. The ballroom is hung with green branches and flags; you
might think it was a scene of trees lit with lamps; and you'd never tire
of listening to the music, or of looking at the supper-table. If you
could only see the suppers given, in a picture to-night, it 'ud spoil
your sleep, and you'd not rest till you had started to partake of 'em.
Ducks and turkeys, and oysters, and fowls, and fish, and meats, and
custards, and pies, and potatoes, and greens, and jellies, and coffee,
and tea, and cake, and drinks, and so many more things that you'd be
tired only of hearing me say the names. There's abundance for all."
Some commotion amid Brother Jarrum's hearers, and a sound as of licking
of lips. That supper account was a great temptation. Had Brother Jarrum
started then, straight off for the Salt Lake, the probability is that
three-parts of the room would have formed a tail after him.
"What's the drinks?" inquired Jim Clark, the supper items imparting to
his inside a curious feeling of emptiness.
"There's no lack of drinks in the City of the Saints," returned Brother
Jarrum. "Whisky's plentiful. Have you heard of mint julep? That _is_
delicious. Mint is one of the few productions not common out there, and
we are learning to make the julep with sage instead. You should see the
plains of sage! It grows wild."
"And there's ducks, you say?" observed Susan Peckaby. "It's convenient
to have sage in plenty where there's ducks," added she to the assembly
in general. "What a land it must be!"
"A land that's not to be ekalled! A land flowing with milk and honey!"
rapturously echoed Brother Jarrum. "Ducks is in plenty, and sage grows
as thick as nettles do here; you can't go out to the open country but
you put your foot upon it. Nature's generally in accordance with
herself. What should she give all them bushes of wild sage for, unless
she gave ducks to match?"
A problem that appeared indisputable to the minds of Brother Jarrum's
listeners. They sincerely wished themselves in New Jerusalem.
"Through the streets runs a stream of sparkling water, clear as
crystal," continued Brother Jarrum. "You have only got to stoop down
with a can on a hot summer's day, and take a drink of it. It runs on
both sides the streets for convenience; folks step out of their houses,
and draw it up with no trouble. You have not got to toil half a mile to
a spring of fresh water there! You'd never forget the silver lake at the
base of Antelope Island, once you set eyes on it."
Several haggard eyes were lifted at this. "Do silver grow there, like
the sage?"
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