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diff --git a/34769-h/34769-h.htm b/34769-h/34769-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e631e72 --- /dev/null +++ b/34769-h/34769-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6263 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Child of the Sea; and Life Among the Mormons, by Elizabeth Whitney Williams. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +h3 {font-size: 120%;} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + text-indent: 1em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: silver; + text-indent: 1em; +} /* page numbers */ + +.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 80%;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i3 {display: block; margin-left: 3em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + +/* Custom */ +.right {text-align: right;} +.olde {font-family: "Old English Text MT", serif; font-size: 110%;} + +.tn { background-color: #EEE; color: inherit; font-size: 80%; margin: 2em 10% 1em 10%; padding: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 1em; font-family: sans-serif; border: thin solid black; } + +.correct {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted red;} + +li {margin-bottom: .5em;} + +.noin {text-indent: 0em;} +.hang {padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; margin: 0em; text-align: left;} + + + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Child of the Sea; and Life Among the +Mormons, by Elizabeth Whitney Williams + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Child of the Sea; and Life Among the Mormons + +Author: Elizabeth Whitney Williams + +Release Date: December 28, 2010 [EBook #34769] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHILD OF THE SEA *** + + + + +Produced by Heiko Evermann, Patrick Hopkins and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from scans of public domain works at the +University of Michigan\'s Making of America collection.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tn"> + +<h3>Transcriber's Note</h3> + +<ul> + +<li> The position of some illustrations has been changed to facilitate +reading flow.</li> + +<li> The frontispiece featuring a picture of Elizabeth Whitney Williams +(noted in the table of illustrations at the beginning of the text) is +missing from the original scanned book.</li> + +<li> In general, geographical references, spelling, hyphenation, and +capitalization have been retained as in the original publication.</li> + +<li> Minor typographical errors—usually periods, commas and hyphens—have +been corrected without note.</li> + +<li> Significant typographical errors have been corrected and are marked with +dotted underlines. Place your mouse over the highlighted word and the original text will +<ins class="correct" title="Like this!">appear</ins>. A full list of these same corrections +is also available in the <a href="#TC">Transcriber's Corrections</a> section at the end of +the book.</li> +</ul> +</div> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 369px;"> +<img src="images/001.jpg" width="369" height="650" alt="A Child of the Sea" title="" id="coverpage" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="noin" style="font-size: 110%;"><i>This edition of "A Child of the Sea" is being printed under the +auspices of the Beaver Island Historical Society, to give our friends +some of the history and legend of the Island. The story begins in the +early 1800's, discussing particularly the occupancy by the Mormons, over +a century ago, and continuing through the resettlement of the Island by +the Irish, whose descendants still live there.</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div style="border: 1px solid black; width: 35em; padding: 3em; margin: auto;"> +<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: auto; padding: 3em;"> +<h1 style="text-align: left;">A CHILD<br /> +OF THE<br /> +SEA; AND<br /> +LIFE AMONG<br /> +THE MORMONS</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2><span class="smcap">Elizabeth Whitney Williams</span>.</h2> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 233px;"> +<img src="images/009.png" width="233" height="79" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div style="border-top: 5px double black; border-bottom: 5px double black; width: 20em; margin: auto;"> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Copyrighted 1905.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Elizabeth Whitney Williams.</span></p> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p class="olde">Having lived all my life beside the water, with my brothers and many +dear friends sailing on the lakes, and with the loss of many of my +people by drowning, connected with the many years of my life as a Light +Keeper, I affectionately dedicate this little book, with fragments of my +life history, to the sailor men in whose welfare I have always felt a +deep interest.</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="olde">Elizabeth Whitney Williams.</span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="Introductory" id="Introductory"></a><span class="olde">Introductory.</span></h2> + + +<p>At the earnest request of many friends I have written this book with +some incidents of my early life before coming to Beaver Island.</p> + +<p>What I have written about the Mormons are my own personal experiences +and what I knew about them by living constantly near them for four years +of my life; our leaving the island and settling at Charlevoix for safety +then our being driven from there. After the fight then my life in +Traverse City and finally returning to Beaver Island again. After the +Mormons were expelled my twenty-seven years' residence at that time with +the four first years gives thirty-one years of Beaver Island life with +as much knowledge of Mormon life as any one outside of their teachings +could possibly have. In this little history I have only touched lightly +upon the reality, writing what my memory contained that might be +interesting, telling the stories as near as possible as they were told +to me by the people themselves that had lived and suffered by the Mormon +doctrine; some things my parents told me when I was too young to +remember, during the first part of my residence on "Beaver Island."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="Biography" id="Biography"></a><span class="olde">Biography.</span></h2> + + +<p>My father, Walter Whitney, was born in Genesee County, New York State. +At the breaking out of the Blackhawk and Florida war, enlisted, served +his time, was honorably discharged, came to Fort Brady, Sault Ste. +Marie, from there to Mackinac Island, there married my mother, who was a +widow with three sons, myself being the only child born of that +marriage.</p> + +<p>My mother was born on Mackinac Island of British parents, left an orphan +young, was adopted by Captain Michael Dousman and wife, residing in +their family almost thirty years. She married Mr. Lewis Gebeau of +Montreal, Canada. Four sons were born Mr. Gebeau and one son dying. My +mother married Walter Whitney, my father, residing part of the time at +Mackinac Island, going to Grand Haven with the ferrys returning again to +Mackinac Island until my father took the contract to build the Newton +Brothers' vessel "Eliza Caroline," on the little island St. Helena, then +our winter in Manistique, then our coming to Beaver Island. I was born +at Mackinac Island. My mother lived to the grand age of one hundred +years, passing away since my residence at Little Traverse Light House on +Harbor Point, Michigan, U. S. A.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="Illustrations" id="Illustrations"></a><span class="olde">Illustrations.</span></h2> + +<hr style="width: 5em;" /> + +<table> +<tr><td class="hang">Elizabeth Whitney Williams.</td><td align="right"><i>Frontispiece.</i></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="hang" colspan="2"><a href="#ill042">The Light House and Life Saving Station at Beaver +Island Harbor, Michigan.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="hang" colspan="2"><a href="#ill076">James Jesse Strang, the Mormon King.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="hang" colspan="2"><a href="#ill094">King Strang's Residence. Built in 1850.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="hang" colspan="2"><a href="#ill112">The Mormon Feast Ground at Font Lake, Beaver Island.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="hang" colspan="2"><a href="#ill146">The King's Highway, Beaver Island.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="hang" colspan="2"><a href="#ill180">The old Mormon Printing Office, now the Gibson House, +at Saint James, Beaver Island, Michigan.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="hang" colspan="2"><a href="#ill214">Font Lake, Beaver Island, where King Strang baptized his +people.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="hang" colspan="2"><a href="#ill248">Little Traverse Light House, at Harbor Point, Michigan.</a></td></tr> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>A CHILD OF THE SEA,<br />AND<br />LIFE AMONG THE MORMONS.</h2> + + + +<h2><a name="PART_I" id="PART_I"></a><i>PART I.</i></h2> + + +<h3>EARLY MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD DAYS.</h3> + +<p>Among my earliest recollections is my love of watching the water. I +remember standing with my arms outstretched as if to welcome and catch +the white topped waves as they came rolling in upon the white, pebbly +shore at my feet. I was not quite three years old, my mother had left me +asleep in the low, old-fashioned cradle and leaving the door ajar had +stepped over to a neighbor's house just a few rods away; returning +almost immediately, she found I was not in the cradle as she had left me +a short time before. She began to search for me at once and fearing I +had gone to the shore she ran down to the beach where the rolling waves +were coming in with a booming sound, and the wind blowing a gale. She +found me standing in the water laughing and reaching out my little arms +as the great waves broke and dashed at my feet. Had she not come just in +time I would have been carried out with the receding waves.</p> + +<p>I had always lived near the water, but until this time had never seemed +to realize or distinguish it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> from other things. Our house stood just a +few steps back from the shore, sheltered in a little grove of evergreen +trees. The sun shining on the water in the early morning caused it to +sparkle like myriads of diamonds, and the soft glimmer which shone +through the green trees even now reminds me of some half-remembered +dream. All seemed so peaceful and quiet. I remember at other times when +no wind was near and water was calm at night when I lay in my cradle I +could hear the soft splash of the water in low murmurs as it came softly +upon the gravelly beach so near to us. To me it seemed like some sweet +lullaby lulling me to sleep while listening to its low, moaning sound. +My mother said it always made her weep, for to her it was the sad +whispering voices of departed friends.</p> + + +<h3>ISLAND OF ST. HELENA.</h3> + +<p>The little island of St. Helena is situated about fifteen miles from +Mackinac Island, in Lake Michigan. Two brothers, named Archie and Carl +Newton had located at this little island; they bought the land around +the little harbor and put out a good dock, built a large store and house +and prepared to establish a business with the fishermen of lower Lake +Michigan. They needed a good vessel for their trading purposes and +concluded to have one built for themselves. My father being a ship +carpenter, signed a contract to build their ship, which was to be named +"Eliza Caroline," in honor of both brothers' wives, who were sisters. +And long the "Eliza Caroline" sailed on Lake Michigan, carrying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> +thousands of dollars worth of merchandise and fish, doing her work nobly +and well. The building of the ship brought our family to the dear little +island of St. Helena.</p> + + +<h3>COMING OF COUSIN MITCHELL</h3> + +<p>When we went to live on the island there were about twenty-five families +there. Much help was needed to build the ship so several families came +for that purpose. One bright morning in June, not long after my going to +watch the waves, I was sitting on the floor beside my cradle playing +with my dolls and my little white kitten, when a man came in the door; a +beautiful woman stood beside him. Mother was at work; she looked and +gave a cry of delight when she saw them. They clasped hands and kissed +each other. The man took me in his arms, kissing me and putting me in +the woman's lap, where she was sitting in mother's rocking chair. The +woman kissed me and smoothed my hair while mother went out to call +father. He soon came in and all talked for some time. At last the +gentleman and lady left, with father and mother following, taking me +with them. We went to the dock, where a vessel was with many people on +board, men, women and children, all were laughing and talking so happily +together. Soon the vessel was under way with white sails spread to the +breeze.</p> + +<p>Our people waved handkerchiefs to those on board and hands were waved +back to us with handkerchiefs fluttering as far as we could see them. +The tears ran down my mother's face for her heart had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> been set on going +with those people when they went to Green Bay, the Mecca of the west at +that time. The man and woman were Mr. and Mrs. William Mitchell. Mr. +Mitchell was my mother's cousin; they had disposed of their property on +Mackinac Island and with other families were about to make new homes in +Green Bay. Mr. and Mrs. Baird were among the rest. This had all been +talked over before my father had left Mackinac Island and our people had +intended to go with the rest, yet not knowing when they would be ready +to start, my father had taken the contract to build the ship and could +not possibly go at this time but promised to go in the near future, +should all things prove favorable. Mr. Mitchell was a man of very fine +appearance, courtly in his manners, kind and genial in disposition, +loved by all that knew him. His wife was gentle in manner, a +sweet-voiced and sweet-faced lady.</p> + +<p>One of mother's friends had sent a package to us from Mackinac Island. +When opened we found it contained a beautiful white, hand-embroidered +French Merino shoulder blanket, a red Merino dress, ready made, little +red <ins class="correct" title="morroco">morocco</ins> shoes and a gold ring for my finger. All was sent as a +present to Baby Elizabeth. Mrs. Mitchell had brought me a large wax doll +that opened and shut its eyes and had real hair. I was afraid of the +doll when it opened and shut its eyes. Being fond of bright colors, the +red dress and shoes were a delight to me.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>PROMISES TO GO THE NEXT YEAR TO GREEN BAY.</h3> + +<p>My brothers were not at home when the Mitchells came, they being over to +St. Ignace on a visit to some friends. When they returned and learned +Cousin Mitchell had been at our home they could not be consoled as they +had expected to go to Green Bay and go to school. Their father's +brother, their Uncle John Gebeau, was living in Green Bay, so this was a +great disappointment to them. Father said if all went well and good news +came from Cousin Mitchell we would move to Green Bay the next year, so +the boys felt content and father would not break his contract made with +the Newton Brothers to build their vessel. Of course I was too young to +realize all this at the time but was told it when old enough to +understand.</p> + + +<h3>A LETTER FROM COUSIN MITCHELL, WITH PRESENTS.</h3> + +<p>I remember a big letter came to father and was told later it was from +Cousin Mitchell, telling father if he was doing well to remain where he +was for the present. And on the return of the little schooner which took +the people to Green Bay father received a large barrel of presents for +all our family from Cousin Mitchell and his wife. Dress and shoes for +mother, pretty little red top boots for all our boys, with little blue +jackets and caps for them and many other things which brought joy to +their hearts to be remembered by those so far away. Our boys were great +favorites with the Mitchells and used to be with them so much at +Mackinac Island. My father<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> also had an uncle living in Green Bay, +Daniel Whitney, among the first white settlers of the place. His +descendants are still living there. Cousin William Mitchell lived there +many years. Before passing from this life he was head keeper of +Tailpoint Light House, twenty-two years at Green Bay.</p> + +<p>I remember one very nice neighbor we had at this time. Slocomb was his +name. Mother dressed the boys up in their new clothes, sent to them from +Green Bay, and I was also dressed in my little red dress and shoes, then +we were all taken over to see Mrs. Slocomb and from there my brothers +took me over to see the vessel being built. I can remember how large it +looked, it seemed so high up over us. The ship was to be finished and +launched some time in September, then the Slocomb family were to move +away to Milwaukee to make their future home. They had only one son, a +boy about seven. When he reached the age of sixteen he was drowned at +Milwaukee, which was a sad blow to those fond parents.</p> + +<p>While more people were coming as more help was needed to finish the +ship, all was busy bustle among the neighbors for there was to be a +great gathering to watch the launching of the ship. Soon another family +came, old friends of my mother's, a Mr. and Mrs. Courchane. The man had +come from Montreal, Canada, to Mackinac Island a few years before and +there met and married pretty Miss Abbie Williams. Aunt Abbie we children +always called her. Mother was so happy to have her friend with her. They +had three little girls. Mr. Cour<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>chane was a ship carpenter by trade and +came to help finish the vessel. They were very kind neighbors to us. +Their little girls' names were Lucy, Emmeline and Margarette. They lived +just a few steps from our house; we children were all very happy +together. My eldest brother Lewis was thirteen, the next, Anthony, or +Toney, was ten; the next, Charles, was seven. I remember their little +red top boots; I would put them on and walk about the floor, which +pleased them so much to see the little sister in her cute baby ways.</p> + + +<h3>THE OLD RED CRADLE.</h3> + +<p>They would put me into the old-fashioned, low, red cradle which father +made large enough for us all to crowd into. There they would rock and +sing the old French ballads mother had taught them, sometimes rocking so +hard we would all be spilled out on the floor; and that floor! I +remember it now, so white and clean with mother sitting near in her +sewing chair, sewing and joining in the singing. Then pretty Aunt Abbie +coming in; she always looked to me like a picture, with her great dark +eyes and black hair braided so smoothly and pretty red cheeks with white +teeth just showing between red lips. She, too, would join in the +singing, which is pleasant to remember.</p> + + +<h3>SAVED BY MY BROTHER FROM DROWNING.</h3> + +<p>I remember distinctly of falling into the water. At the noon hour father +sent my three brothers out in our little boat, just a few rods from +shore, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> bring a jug of fresh water for the dinner. They took me with +them and in some way I fell overboard. Father and mother, with other +neighbors, stood on the shore and saw it all. They had no boat to come +to us and our boys were so frightened they knew not what to do. Father +shouted for one of them to dive after me, which brother Toney did. I +could hear little brother Charley crying as I lay at the bottom of the +lake. I remember coming to the top, struggling, and going down again. At +last I lay quiet on the bottom. I could see the sun shining through the +water as the great bubbles of air went from my mouth to the top. Brother +Toney being an excellent swimmer and diver, dove down into the deep +water, grasping me in his strong arms, bringing me to the surface, where +we both were taken into the boat and soon rowed to shore. There my +mother took me in her arms and ran to the house, with others following, +doing all they could to restore me. After a little time I was able to +sit up. Brother Toney was praised by all for his brave act, but the +praise was nothing to him in comparison to the joy he felt in knowing +that he had saved his little sister's life. Then I remember crying to +have on my little red flannel dress. Mother said to me, "If you stop +crying I will dry the dress and put it on you." I was sick, I remember, +father walking the floor with me in his arms, singing, "When I can read +my title clear to mansions in the skies," that being one of his favorite +hymns. I was rocked in the cradle several days; when able to play again +mother made me a little raspberry pie in a little tin, which made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> me a +happy child. Mother often said she could recall many pleasures as well +as sadness in that summer on the little "Isle of St. Helena."</p> + +<p>St. Helena—dear little drop in the sea. How can I describe it as I saw +it in after years? I called there on a trip down the lakes, on the +steamer "Galena," with Captain Steele as master. We steamed into a +pretty little basin of a harbor almost surrounded by green trees. The +sun was just rising out from the water in the far distance, the sky was +purple orange and pink. As I looked out of my stateroom window and saw +before me the beautiful little Isle of St. Helena, I cannot describe my +feelings; a few of the memories of my childhood days came back to me. My +little brothers, with myself, playing along the shore, but now all was +quiet and still. I had heard father and mother speak about it so many +times, it seemed as though I saw it all through their eyes. It now +looked to me like a lovely little toy. The water so clear and sparkling +in the morning sunlight. The dock was in good repair, everything seemed +clean, quiet and still. Mr. Newton's house I recognized at once, it +being the largest. The little harbor seemed almost a perfect horseshoe +in shape, the shore all around was covered with clean white gravel, the +trees were mixed with birch, balsam, cedar, pine and poplar. The island +is much greater in length than breadth. At the extreme eastern point a +lighthouse is now erected. The red beams from <ins class="correct" title="is">its</ins> tower shine far out to +guide the mariner on his way.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Sweet, dear, little Isle of the sea!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The grand old waves shall dash upon thy shore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When we who once have trod thy lovely beach<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall be known to earth no more.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<h3>LAUNCHING OF THE SHIP ELIZA CAROLINE.</h3> + +<p>Time was drawing near to the finishing of the good ship Eliza Caroline. +The hammers could be heard from early dawn till dark. Seams were being +calked, there was painting and oiling going on from day to day. Many +were gathering from near and far to watch the process of launching the +ship. The little village was bustling with people. Every home was full, +for friends had come to stay a week. My parents told me afterwards the +launching was a grand success. The sails and all ropes and rigging had +come from Buffalo, N. Y. The trial trip was to Mackinac Island and +return and nearly all the people in the little town took passage.</p> + +<p>The time had come for partings and sad farewells of old neighbors, for +now nearly all must scatter to other parts. My father was sent for from +Manistique. A Mr. Frankle had settled there and put in a mill. He was an +old friend of my father's, coming from Chegrin Falls, Ohio. Offering +good pay, father concluded to accept, and we prepared to move at once. +The schooner Nancy, also owned by the Newton Brothers, was to take us to +our destination.</p> + + +<h3>FAREWELL TO ST. HELENA.</h3> + +<p>Cousin David Corps was anxious to do some fall fishing at a place called +Scott's Point, where many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> families had come from Canada, Lake Huron and +other parts. Fish were very near the shore in the fall of the year and a +high price was paid for fish, so we were to tarry at this place until +time to go to Manistique.</p> + +<p>Sailors were superstitious about moving cats from place to place, so +father concluded to take the family in our own little boat, the +"Abbigal". We had cats, dogs, rabbits and sea gulls for pets, and father +would not leave any of them behind us. Our goods were all loaded on the +"Nancy" and "Abbigal." I remember our neighbors coming to the beach to +see us off. Aunt Abbie took me in her arms; the tears fell fast on my +face. I thought it was raining and held out my hand, as I had seen +father do to catch the drops, but no, it was not raining, it was tears +falling from our dear friend's eyes. When father called out "all +aboard", I was clasped in another tight pressure of her arms. Then +father took me and placed me in the boat, where brother Charley and I +were wrapped up in warm blankets. Our boat was pushed off by the men +with a "God bless you, Whitney," and the waving of hats and +handkerchiefs and with our sails spread to the breeze we sailed away +from the shore out upon the blue waters of Lake Michigan.</p> + +<p>As our little boat glided along we could see the forms growing dimmer +until the Island itself looked like a small speck upon the water. Off +the south-east of us were other islands looming up out of the sea. +Father told us afterward how afraid the two older brothers were, +thinking it was whales coming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> after us, as they had heard about whales +in the ocean. Little Charley and I were fast asleep in our warm little +nest of bedding. Life for us had no cares or sorrows. Our baby eyes saw +nothing but beauty in all things. All I remember of our landing was +seeing many strange faces of men, women and children. Mother said +afterward I looked everywhere calling "Aunt Abbie", and cried when I +could not find her and Baby Margarette. There were two sweet little +babies among the people, which satisfied me as I was so very fond of +them. While on our way we had landed at Mentopayma, where we ate our +lunch and fed our pets. Father climbed to the tops of the high hills and +could see vessels and many steamboats passing up and down the straits. +While there we found a large cat which we took with us, he being quite +content to be taken with our other pets. Father gave us animals as pets +to care for and we were taught to be kind to them.</p> + +<p>The time had now come when the people of this little settlement were to +pack and go to their winter homes. They were to leave all their fishing +outfits locked in their buildings until they came again another year. +The vessel "Nancy", which made her weekly trips along the north shore to +Mackinac Island and St. Helena, lay at anchor waiting for her precious +human freight. The women and children were taken first, then the men +with their dogs were put on board. Our family, with one more, stood upon +the shore to wave them adieu; white sails were spread to the breeze and +they sailed away to their far-away homes for the winter.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>DEATH OF MR. MCWILLIAMS.</h3> + +<p>The family that remained were an old couple with a young son of +seventeen years. The old couple felt the journey too long for them to +take so preferred to remain all winter. Father and mother tried hard to +persuade them not to remain, but go home, but they would not go so they +prepared to pass the winter at a place called Birch Point, a cold, bleak +shore, where the foot of a white man seldom ever came in winter at that +time and very seldom the Indian hunters except on their hunting +expeditions. Our goods had been sent on to Manistique and we were to +follow in a few days in our boat. Just before we left father took us all +down the shore to see the old couple that were to remain all winter and +try to persuade them to come with us to Manistique. The name of this +family was McWilliams. We found the old gentleman very sick. Mother told +me afterwards we were with them two weeks. The old man died. Father made +the casket. We buried him on that lonely shore in a quiet little nook +where he loved so much to sit and watch the waves roll in upon the white +sandy beach. Buried him where the blue sea waves might chant a requiem +to his grave.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Sing on, sad waves, your sound shall toll<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A solemn requiem to the soul<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who sleeps so peaceful on that shore<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Till time shall wake to sleep no more.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>My people tried hard to have the mother and son go with us but nothing +could induce them to leave the lonely grave of their loved one. Time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +was passing, father was anxious to reach Manistique at once. They told +me it was a great sorrow to leave the mother and son alone, and to make +it more lonely the wolves and bears were so numerous we could hear the +howl of the wolves and growls of the bears just as soon as it became +dark every night. They would sit at our doors and snap and growl at each +other. They were so hungry we could hear their teeth snap together. John +McWilliams picked brush and wood, keeping a fire around his father's +grave until he could build a strong fence of logs around it.</p> + + +<h3>AGAIN IN OUR BOAT ON LAKE MICHIGAN.</h3> + +<p>One still, cold morning in November our boat was prepared and we started +to Manistique, ten miles distant. Charley and I were again placed in +among warm blankets. Our little puppies of the springtime had grown to +be great, large dogs and watched over little brother and me like two +faithful sentinels. The day was cold and still. Father and the boys +rowed while mother steered. We kept close to the shore. Little brother +and I were half asleep most of the time. I can hear my father even now +singing his old hymns, "Rock of Ages" and the "Evergreen Shore". Many +times I imagine I can hear the sweet music of his voice. Mother, too, +sang her French glee songs, the boys joining with her. French was our +mother's language. Father could not speak it, but understood nearly +everything. French and Indian were the languages spoken by almost +everybody in those days around the western<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> islands and shores. The men +that came from eastern homes soon learned to speak the language of both +French and Indian as it was necessary to carry on their trade.</p> + + +<h3>ARRIVING AT MANISTIQUE.</h3> + +<p>As we neared the shore Mr. Frankle and his men stood ready to meet us +and catching hold of our boat we were landed safely out on the dry land. +Our house was all warmed with a nice fire burning in the great stone +fireplace. Lights were lighted and supper was soon ready for us all. +Beds were put up and soon we felt we were at home.</p> + +<p>Mr. Frankle had some friends visiting him from York State who had +delayed their going home until they had seen my mother in regard to +preparing some sturgeon for them. Sturgeon were so plentiful in the +river they could be pulled out with a gaff hook. Mother contracted with +them for several tons of smoked sturgeon. The Indians from their +village, three miles distant, agreeing to catch the sturgeon, the fish +were prepared and smoked, but the season closed too early to ship them +that fall, so they had to be packed and kept over until the following +spring for shipment to New York.</p> + +<p>The river was so full of suckers that the mill had to shut down many +times while the men scooped the fish out with a large scoop-net and +loaded wagons with them, which were hauled a distance down the beach and +piled upon the sand.</p> + +<p>At night the bears, wolves and foxes would come to that pile of fish, +making night hideous with their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> barks and growls. None of us dared go +out doors after night came. We lived on the opposite side of the river +from Mr. Frankle's mill. Father had to cross the river every morning +many times. Bears were swimming across the river and we children used to +watch them from our windows. The wolves would come to our large +smokehouse at night and take the smoked sturgeon, growling and snarling +around our windows. Our boys were busy days and got their lessons in the +evening.</p> + + +<h3>THE OLD GRANDPA AND BOB COMING TO LIVE WITH US.</h3> + +<p>Mother had a cousin who was an old man of eighty. He had worked for the +Hudson Bay and Great American Fur Companies of John Jacob Astor, +carrying great loads of provisions to the trappers all through the Lake +Superior country, then taking the loads of fur back to market from the +trappers' camps. He being now too old to work, and without a home, my +father feeling sorry gave him a home with us. He was so grateful and +happy he could scarcely express his gratitude, speaking very little +English and that very broken. French, Spanish and Indian he spoke +fluently. He was born in Canada of French and Spanish parents. His +mother and my mother's mother were sisters. His name was Bertemau +Mazoka. The trappers called him Magazau, meaning "store" in English, as +with his two dogs, Bob and Maje, he carried a regular store for the +trappers. One dog, Maje, had died. Bob, the other, was eighteen years +old, and inseparable from the old grandpa, as we children were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> taught +to call him. He loved to have us call him grandpa. He was very kind and +patient with us, never tiring of doing something for our comfort.</p> + + +<h3>OLD DOG BOB.</h3> + +<p>But Bob, how can I describe him, the old, patient, faithful dog! He was +large and powerful, dark brown with darker stripes in color, part bull +in breed, but just as gentle and kind in disposition as possible. He had +pulled the heavy loads so long he was almost blind, teeth almost gone +and rheumatism so bad it was hard for him to get upon his feet when he +laid down. When grandpa came bringing Bob he had said in his broken +English, "Mr. Whitney you take me, you take Bob too. Me <ins class="correct" title="cant'">can't</ins> stay if +Bob no stay." The old dog seemed to know what his master was saying, for +he came close to him and looked straight into father's face. Then father +said, "Yes, Bob can stay too." He tried to show his delight with his +master by jumping about. It would be hard to tell which of us Bob loved +the best. I can see him now sitting in some out-of-the-way corner +watching us with his great, almost human eyes. He had not always been +kindly treated. He seemed to be so afraid to be in anybody's way, and +when he saw us petting the other two dogs he would slink away with head +down and look so dejected. The young dogs, too, knew he was a stranger +and growled at him and bossed him about. Then poor old Bob would go back +of the house and cry and whine so pitifully. At last father could stand +it no longer and gave the order Bob<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> must not be annoyed any more and +must have a bed and lay behind the stove in the big corner, and that no +one was ever to speak a cross word or strike Bob. Grandpa cried with +delight.</p> + + +<h3>BOB'S NEW MASTER.</h3> + +<p>Sometimes Bob could not get up alone, then father would lift him up and +rub his neck where the collar had worn it sore on his long pulls. He +would lick father's hand and look into his face so pitiful it made us +all feel sorry to see him suffer. Very soon Bob began not to notice his +master very much, but would try to go fast to meet father when he came +into the house, and when he could not get up father would go to him, +talk and rub him. The dog seemed to understand the kindness. When +grandpa saw Bob cared more for father than for himself he cried like a +little child. After awhile he said, "No wonder Bob love you, you so good +to him, you so good to me, me love you too. Me now give you Bob. You +keep Bob for yourself till he die." Then the tears fell fast for a time. +After that Bob seemed to know he had a new master and seemed content. +With care Bob improved and got about so much smarter. Father had to be +away all day to his work. At night when he came home Charley, Bob and I +were always at the door to meet him. Sometimes in the winter evenings +when grandpa would be telling us his stories and singing to us his songs +Charley and I would fall fast asleep curled up on the rug with Bob.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>DEATH OF MRS. MCWILLIAMS.</h3> + +<p>One day mother was very sick in bed with neuralgia. How gloomy and +lonely the house seemed to us children, we missed her so. Grandpa was +caring for us children and doing the house work as best he could. Then +mother was better and able to sit up trying to sew, saying she could not +afford to be idle. Not long after this one day, I know it was Sunday, we +were dressed in our Sunday suits, father was reading to us, a knock came +on the door, the latch was lifted, the door opened and John McWilliams +almost fell into the room, saying, "Come both of you, my mother is +dead." Then he sank into a chair and cried as if his heart would break. +Mother arose from her easy chair saying "Come Walter, we must go." +Father tried to have her not go, telling her she was not able to go, she +ought to be in bed as her face was still badly <ins class="correct" title="swoolen">swollen</ins>. The snow being +deep and it was very cold. Neither father, grandpa, nor we crying +children could stop her going. She was dressed in a short time and tried +to have poor John eat. He could not eat, saying he must go right back to +his dead mother. He left us and all was now commotion. Father and mother +were now both going away into the cold, deep snow and leave us children +with grandpa.</p> + + +<h3>STARTING ON THEIR PERILOUS TRIP.</h3> + +<p>I remember hearing father tell him over and over again to be careful, +which he promised by crossing himself; being a Catholic he took that way +to express himself and let father know he meant to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> be faithful. Bob was +also told to watch over us children, which he understood. At last they +were ready to start, all bundled up in heavy, warm clothing. We two +smaller children were crying and hanging on to them when mother said, +"Now listen children, be good and mind all that grandpa tells you. Don't +you know poor John has no one with him, his mother is dead?" We were +quiet, but sorrowful. Oh, how little we children could realize or +understand the awful, dangerous trip our father and mother were about to +undertake! Grandpa realized it and tried so hard to keep them from +going. The snow was very deep, weather extremely cold, with bears and +wolves to be encountered at every step as soon as darkness came on.</p> + + +<h3>THEIR STORY OF THEIR JOURNEY AS THEY TOLD IT TO ME IN AFTER YEARS.</h3> + +<p>"We traveled along the beach inside the ice banks, as snow was not quite +so deep there and we felt safer from wolves. It was noon when we left +home. We had about fifteen miles to go, I think, to reach Birch Point. +The wind was keen and cut like a knife in our faces. I made your mother +walk right behind me, knowing she could never stand the sharp wind. +About two o'clock it began to snow so hard it was blinding in our faces. +We kept on, and after awhile I saw your mother began to lag and could +not keep up even when I walked slowly. It was already getting dark, as +the days were so short. At last she said. 'Walter, I am afraid I can't +keep up any longer.' I said to her, 'Yes, you must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> keep up, we will sit +and rest a little while, then you can walk better.' While we sat there +we heard the bark of a wolf not far off, and well we knew what that +sound meant. I knew then that our only hope was to reach a small shanty +about a mile and a half further on. I said, 'Come mother, we must get to +the little shanty, there we'll stay till morning.' This gave her new +courage, and we pressed on through the blinding storm, snow being deeper +at every step. I took her arm and we got on quite fast for a time. We +still had over a half mile to go before we reached the shanty and I saw +it was now a great effort for her to walk. She now began to worry about +the children. I told her grandpa would be faithful and take good care of +them and that we must hurry and try to reach the little shanty. I did +not tell her of my fears, there being a possibility that it might be +gone, taken away for its lumber by some fishermen along the shore in the +fall. The snow became so deep it was hard to travel, and I could see she +was getting weaker all the time. All at once the barking of wolves began +first here then there, in every direction except on the lake side. We +kept very close to the ice banks. I saw your mother could keep up no +longer. The wolves were gathering from all sides and I realized our only +hope was the little shanty, which I prayed might be left standing and +that we might reach it in time. I threw down my little bag of tools, +hammer, saw and gun. I took <ins class="correct" title="you">your</ins> mother on my back and staggered along +through the storm. It was almost dark and I feared we might miss the +shanty even if it was still there.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> The howls and barks of the wolves +were very near us now and it was terrible. I knew my own strength could +not hold much longer. I said, 'now keep a sharp lookout for the shanty.' +I heard the growls and snarls of the wolves and could almost feel their +hot breath upon us. I thought of you, my children, and that thought kept +me up. At last your mother said, 'Oh, thank God, here is the shanty!' I +felt her grow heavier and limp and knew that she had fainted. I made one +last effort and reached the door none too soon, the wolves were right at +our heels. I pushed the door open and closed it as soon as possible, +letting your mother drop down upon the floor until I could get the door +safely barred. The snow had drifted in some beside the door. I took some +snow in my hand and rubbed her face with it. After awhile she said, +'Walter, are we safe?' I said, 'yes, mother, thank God we are safe for +awhile.' I left her and began to look for a place to make a fire. I +found a pretty good cook stove with a good pile of wood near which the +fishermen had left for anyone who might be in need and we were the first +that had need of it. I used my flint and soon had a warm fire. I also +found a small tin lamp full of fish oil. I said, 'now mother we are all +right. With the provisions I have we will soon have some supper and warm +tea.' I took up some of the clean snow in a basin and put it to heat on +the stove, where it was soon boiling. I found a bench for your mother to +sit on. I took off most of her wraps and soon we were warm and +comfortable eating our lunch with hot tea. Oh,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> the howling and +tearing of the wolves was terrible to hear. They would scratch on the +door and try to climb upon the roof. There was one small window near the +door. I was afraid the wolves would break it in their jumping about, and +how I did wish for my gun that I had to throw down with the tools as we +came. There were two large bunks filled with balsam boughs, and I took +some of our wraps and made a bed for your mother. She was soon fast +asleep. I kept a good fire, and about midnight laid down beside her, and +in spite of the howling and barking of the wolves I was soon fast +asleep. At break of day all was quiet, the wolves had gone to the woods. +We had some breakfast and mother felt better. I left her and went to +find my gun and other things I had left in the snow. The wolves had +trampled the snow all down about the door and we could see the marks of +their claws on the door. We were soon started on our way and reached the +little deserted settlement, where I took two boards to carry, as John +had also done, as we needed the lumber to make a coffin. From here we +found better walking, a straighter beach. We reached John's about 11 +o'clock. We found him sitting beside his dead mother."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 650px;"><a name="ill042" id="ill042"></a> +<img src="images/042.jpg" width="650" height="364" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE LIGHT HOUSE AND LIFE SAVING STATION AT BEAVER ISLAND +HARBOR, MICHIGAN.</span> +</div> + + +<h3>BROTHER ANTHONY LOST IN THE WOODS.</h3> + +<p>With us children at home we too had our troubles. I cried all night with +earache and poor old grandpa had his hands full to take care of us all. +He was up all night, and he worried about father and mother. He was sure +they were frozen to death<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> or eaten up by the wolves. And to make it +still harder for him brother Toney went out alone up the river to find +the rabbit traps he had set and lost his way home. When he did not come +back at dinner time grandpa was almost crazy, but would not let brother +Lewis go to look for him, fearing he too would be lost. He left us two +little ones with Lewis while he ran down to the river and called to the +men at work in the mill. At first he could not make them hear him. He +swung his arms and ran up and down, and at last they saw him and two men +came over on a raft, our boat, the only one there, being on our side of +the river. They thought something terrible must have happened <ins class="correct" title="'to' added">to</ins> +grandpa. In his imperfect English he could not make them understand. +They came to the house and Lewis made them understand Toney was lost in +the woods and told them where father and mother had gone. We were all +crying, as we two younger ones only wanted papa and mamma. I remember +seeing the men run to the boat, cross the river, and soon come back with +all the men, Mr. Frankle, with the rest, all starting to the woods. +Lewis was gathering up limbs of trees and brush wood to make a big fire +at night to guide the men home. Grandpa cried and wrung his hands, +praying and crossing himself continually. We two little ones were +frightened, not knowing just what had happened. We had our playthings +and sat in our corner behind the stove crying to ourselves. The men had +taken the two young dogs with them. After awhile Mr. Frankle came back +and talked with grandpa, then he took Bob away with him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> Then we began +to cry so hard, seeing Bob going off. He heard us and ran back to us +children, licking our faces and hands. They put a rope on Bob's neck and +led him away. Grandpa did all he could to comfort us, made the tops spin +and rocked my dolly to sleep in her cradle, and ever so many things to +please us, but we would not be comforted. Our Bob was gone, and we +wanted him to come back. At last Lewis came in telling us Bob was coming +soon with brother Toney. Charley understood and was quiet. I was put +into my cradle, where grandpa rocked me to sleep, singing to me one of +his French songs I loved so well to hear.</p> + +<p>I have a confused memory of hearing dogs barking and of being carried to +the window and seeing a big fire shining far out over the snow and river +and the men coming in all covered with snow, and dear old Bob bounding +to greet me and kissing my face; then I remembered no more. But when I +was older mother told me all about the hunting and finding of brother +Anthony.</p> + + +<h3>MOTHER'S STORY.</h3> + +<p>"The men hunted and found the tracks, but he had turned and circled so +often in all directions they became confused. The young dogs were more +intent on chasing rabbits and other small game, so nothing could be done +with the young dogs. The men knew that if the child was not found that +night he would be eaten by wolves. At last one of the men said to Mr. +Frankle, 'I wonder if Bob could find him,' Mr. Frankle came at once and +took Bob.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> As soon as they could make the dog understand what they +wanted him to do he started on the hunt. They let him smell of brother's +clothes and shoes. At first Bob began to whine and tremble, and lay down +at their feet in the snow. They could not speak to him in French, which +was the language Bob knew best, his master always speaking to him in +French. At last he looked up in their faces after smelling of the shoes +and began to bark. He started with his nose to the ground. At first the +young dogs worried him by bounding and jumping over him. They wanted him +to play with them. But Bob had something more important for him to do—a +human life to save. He circled and seemed confused, then threw his head +up in the air, gave several loud, sharp barks and looked at the men as +much as to say follow me. He left them far behind, though they went as +fast as they could go. It was growing dark, they were uneasy. Soon Bob's +deep voice was heard barking furiously. He never stopped till the men +reached him. He was standing directly over brother, who was lying in the +snow. Bob had scratched the snow away and partly dragged him out. At +first the men thought Toney was dead. He was just exhausted from walking +so far and so afraid of the dark and the wolves. The men carried him +home, reaching there at ten o'clock that night amid the howling of the +wolves that followed them at a distance." Brother was sick in bed when +father and mother came home. They were gone four days.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>FATHER AND MOTHER COMING HOME.</h3> + +<p>Father had made the casket and mother made the shroud. They buried the +dear old lady beside the husband she loved so well. Two Indian hunters +came that way on their return from hunting. They helped to dig the grave +and stayed to bring mother home on their sleds. Mother baked and cooked +for John, as they could not persuade him to come home with them to +remain until spring. Mr. Frankle sent two men to see if father and +mother were safe and they met them coming with the Indians. What happy +children we all were to see them again. Bob was wild with delight to see +father and mother, and when they learned how Bob had saved brother's +life there was nothing too good for him. Old grandpa was so glad when +they came home, for his trials were great with us four children. He said +to father one day in broken English, "Oh. Mr. Whitney, I so scare. I +fraid you keel me when boy lost in wood. Bob one good dog, he fine heme +quick. Bob worth ten thousand dollar. Me most crazy all time you gone. +Baby she cry all night. Earache. Charley she cut he finger. Lewis he +burn she's hand. Oh, I fraid we all go die sure!"</p> + +<p>My mother was worried about John McWilliams being left alone so far from +any neighbors. The Indian Chief Ossawinamakee sent two of his Indians +with their wives and papooses to live near John until spring came. They +built warm wigwams covered with fur pelts of bear skins. John was very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +sick and they took care of him. When John came to see us in the spring +he told us his story how it came they were here so far from their old +home. In after years mother told it to me, and I tell it now, as near as +possible, as John told it to her.</p> + + +<h3>JOHN'S STORY.</h3> + +<p>"My people were well-to-do people with a comfortable home in Canada near +the City of Toronto. My brother, being seven years older than I, had a +good education, went to the city, became a clerk in a bank, got into bad +company, forged a check on the bank and was arrested for forgery. Our +farm and the old home went to clear him. He promised father to do +better. We heard about these western islands and shores, and thinking +this a good place to come with my brother where no one knew of our +disgrace, we came, bringing fish nets and a boat. We fished all summer, +doing well, but as fall came my brother became restless and +discontented. He took the fish nets and boat and sold them all, leaving +us nothing, then went we knew not where. This broke my old father's +heart and mother soon followed him to the grave. Now I am left alone to +battle with the world, but I shall never forget your kindness to me and +mine."</p> + +<p>After working all summer for some fishermen John went home to Toronto to +live with an uncle who offered him a home, and John accepted with a +grateful heart.</p> + + +<h3>FIRST VISIT TO THE BIG WHITE HOUSE.</h3> + +<p>Since coming to Manistique mother and we two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> small children had never +crossed over the river nor been inside the big white house, as we called +Mr. Frankle's home. One morning I woke and found myself in a strange bed +and a strange room. I called and mother came to me, telling me we were +in the big white house where I had watched the lights so many times in +the windows. She took me into another room. A lady was sitting in a low +chair with a little wee baby rolled up in white flannel in her lap. A +little baby had been born that night in the rich man's home. I went up +to the lady asking to see the dolly baby. She said, "Oh, no, it is not a +dolly, it's a baby," but to me it was a dolly. I had my own rag doll in +my arms hugged tight, and every little while I would toss and sing to +her in French. The beauty of the room was something new to me; soft +carpets and rugs on the floor that gave no sound of the patter of my +feet as I walked about. The walls were covered with soft tinted paper +and beautiful pictures hanging everywhere, curtains of finest lace and +silk at the windows. I gazed about almost holding my breath. Everything +seemed so still.</p> + +<p>Soon a door opened without noise and a little child came into the room. +She looked to me like a little angel I had seen the picture of, blue +eyes and golden hair. She seemed such a sweet little flower almost too +frail to be alive. When she saw me she came to me, holding out her doll +for me to take. I drew back, as her doll was wax and opened and shut its +eyes. It was almost like the one I had at home put away in its box which +had been given<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> me at St. Helena by Cousin Mitchell. I had not got over +being afraid of it yet because it moved its eyes. Mother had to come and +explain to them about it. The little girl took me by the hand and led me +into a large bedroom where her mamma lay among white pillows. The lady +reached out her hand to me, smiling, and drew me up to her. At first I +could say nothing. Then as her sister came in with the baby in her arms +I said, "Me want to go home and see Charley." Mother came to explain I +wanted to go home to see my little brother. The lady said, "you shall +see them this evening, I shall send and have them come." Then I told her +I wanted to see Bob too. She said, "Yes, Bob shall come." I was more +content, and while mother held the wee baby in her arms I sat in a +little chair and rocked my doll, singing to it, and when I was given my +bread and milk for supper I fed my doll some, and when she choked I +patted her on the back just like Aunt Abby did to Baby Margarette.</p> + + +<h3>REMINDERS OF HOME FAR AWAY.</h3> + +<p>Soon the lamps were lighted and the men came in to supper. The young +lady, Mr. Frankle's sister, had gotten the supper with mother's help. I +remember the long table and white table cloth. The men were all seated +at the table when Mr. Frankle came in the room with the little wee baby +in his arms. He took the baby to the men and some of them took it in +their arms and kissed it, tears rolling down their faces. Father told me +later it made them think of home and their own little ones, for most of +them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> had families in their far away homes. Mother took the baby to its +mother. I was put into a high chair and sat near the head of the table, +heads were bowed and Mr. Frankle asked a blessing. As soon as it was +ended I said "Amen" and made the sign of the cross, just as grandpa +always did. When I saw them smile I looked serious and got down, telling +mother I wanted to go home. I could not eat, but fed my doll, after +which mother took me in her arms and rocked me to sleep, singing one of +her sweet old songs.</p> + + +<h3>A LONGING FOR HOME.</h3> + +<p>Next morning I could not eat any breakfast, but kept calling for brother +Charley, Bob and grandpa. Everything was so still and silent here in the +big house. Oh the longing in a child's heart for the old familiar faces +and home! Child that I was it seemed to me all that made life sweet had +gone out of my life. I grew sick, I could not eat, and for several days +lay on my little bed. Little Lilly tried to amuse me with her dolls and +music box, but my heart was longing for grandpa, Charley and Bob. One +morning father came and took me up and carried me into another room. +There was Charley and Bob. It was a happy meeting with us all, but I +felt too weak to play. At night father took Bob home and left Charley +with us, but Charley, too, was not happy, he could not whittle his +sticks or spin his top like he could at home. Mother, too, missed her +home. Here everything was silent, and still all were very kind to us. +But mother missed our noise and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> singing. Little Charley, too, began to +droop. At night he went to look out of the window, and when he saw the +lights in our windows at home across the river he began to cry, saying +to mother, "I want to go home to grandpa." Next day we were both sent +home, and grandpa and Bob were so happy. Lewis and Toney, too, were +anxious for us all to be home again. At night we were taken again to the +big house, as mother wanted us with her. We three children played to +amuse ourselves, but all seemed so quiet to Charley and me. Charley was +more at home now. Miss Harriet let him spin his top and whittle in the +kitchen. After about two weeks mother was ready to go home and we were a +happy family.</p> + + +<h3>HAPPY HOME LIFE.</h3> + +<p>Life went on very happy with us children, our home was comfortable. +After all the years that have passed so rapidly, methinks I can see us +all as we were then around our pleasant fireside on many of those winter +evenings. Little mittens had to be made for our hands. Little jackets +and caps for the boys, in which all took an interest, and grandpa, too, +did his share. He made little fur suits for the boys, caps and all. +Father would read to us from the big family Bible and explain to us as +he read. Then he would sing the hymns he loved so well, mother joining +in. Then grandpa would sing with mother their French glee songs, while +us children would join in. Then grandpa would rock me in the low cradle +and the boys grew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> impatient because it kept the fur suits from being +made so fast. Then old grandpa would tell us stories of his travels, and +when he told us about them we forgot all about fur suits, for we loved +to listen to his old French and Spanish songs and stories. He would tell +us of his travels and hardships.</p> + + +<h3>BOB'S SYMPATHY.</h3> + +<p>Bob seemed almost to understand, as he would always come close to us and +listen, looking at us with his great, kind eyes. Many times grandpa +would cry as he related some of his most sorrowful experiences, of how +some of his comrades had perished from cold and hunger, or of being +drowned in crossing the great rivers. Then he would cover his face with +his hands as if to shut out the sight of some loved one's suffering. Old +Bob would whine and lick his old master's face and hands as if trying to +comfort him, then run to father and whine. Father would go over to +grandpa and say, "Now don't cry any more, all that is past. You have not +any more such trials to pass through. Now be happy with us." It always +cheered him and soon he would be at work again. We children always +sympathized with him, often shedding tears when he told his sorrowful +tales and laughing with glee at some of his jolly ones. Sometimes mother +would say, "I do wish you would not tell the children so many sorrowful +stories. It makes them sad to hear them." Then he would say, "Me can't +help it. Me sad too sometimes." The fur suits were finished and taken +over to the big house for Mrs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> Frankle to see them, grandpa being a +great favorite with her.</p> + + +<h3>INDIAN VILLAGE AND CHIEF OSSAWINAMAKEE.</h3> + +<p>The Indian village was about three miles distant back from the shore or +river's mouth. There the Indians had a large settlement of about seven +hundred people in all at that time. At one time their village had +contained nearly three thousand. Since all tribes had been at peace many +of their Braves had gone among other tribes to visit and hunt. This +tribe was of the Ottawas, mixed with the Ojibewas or Chippewas. In times +of war each had been a powerful nation. Most of these had lived in the +Lake Superior region. After peace was declared part of the tribe +wandered away to the southward seeking new hunting grounds. The present +Chief's father had been a great warrior as well as his father before +him. Chief Ossawinamakee (Big Thunder), was a peaceful man, ruling his +people with great kindness. He was a noble looking man of fine personal +appearance.</p> + + +<h3>THE LAKE OF ENCHANTMENT.</h3> + +<p>The beautiful lake where the village was situated the chief's father had +claimed to have found in his younger days when out on a hunting tour. +The tribe claimed the lake was enchanted. Its fish and wild fowl, ducks +and geese and other game were not to be disturbed by the hunters, but +left for "the Indian Maiden" who strolled by its shores, and for her +lover that was to come back and take her to the happy hunting grounds. +The village was situ<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>ated beside this beautiful lake, called by the +tribe "The Lake of Enchantment," or where "The Spirit of Peace Always +Lived." And, truly, when seen in its quiet and wild beauty it was not +hard to believe. The legend runs that on moonlight nights the form of an +Indian maiden could be seen wandering along its quiet shores waiting for +her lover to come from the happy hunting grounds to meet her. In times +of war among the different tribes, it was told, a beautiful Indian +maiden of the Ottawas had a lover of the Huron tribe. The tribes were at +war. The lover was taken prisoner and condemned to die, to burn at the +stake. When the awful deed was taking place the Indian maiden was seen +to take her flight southward. Braves were sent to bring her back. She +forever eluded them and at last disappeared from their sight. When this +lake was discovered many years afterwards it was believed the shadowy +maiden seen was the same that had disappeared so long ago, and wandered +beside this beautiful water waiting for her lover to join her. Wild deer +came to drink of its waters, animals and fowls had no fear of the red +man. It was indeed an enchanted place.</p> + + +<h3>THE CHIEF'S DAUGHTER, "STAR OF THE MORNING."</h3> + +<p>The Chief's daughter was a beautiful Indian maiden. She was an only +child. Her mother died when she was quite young. Her aunt, her mother's +sister, had taken the place of a mother to her. The Chief, her father, +was very proud of her and greatly attached to her. She was of medium +height, oval<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> face and clear olive skin with red cheeks and lips, her +eyes were large and dark with nearly always a sad look in them. Her +teeth were like two rows of small white pearls, small hands and feet, +she was a royal princess dearly loved by the whole tribe. Her Indian +name was Wa-bun-an-nung (the Morning Star.) We always called her Mary. +She was gentle in her manner and could sew very nicely, being always +busy with her bead work and quills, making many pretty little boxes from +the birch bark and ornamenting them with bright colored porcupine quills +which the Indian women colored in bright, gay colors. Her father had +always taken her with him on his long trips to Canada and the Sault, +also to Green Bay on many of his hunting expeditions. She could paddle +her canoe as swift as any of the braves in her tribe.</p> + + +<h3>THE CHIEF AND HIS DAUGHTER VISITING US.</h3> + +<p>To me Mary seemed like some bright being from another world. Her voice +was soft and sweet. She always came to our home with her father, the +chief. Then she would take me in her arms, calling me her little white +"papoose." She would put me in my cradle, rocking and singing me to +sleep with her quiet, soft voice. Many were the strings of beads and +deer skin moccasins she gave me. She made me some dolls and put pretty +dresses on them. She was always doing something nice for us children and +was very fond of us. One day she asked little brother if he would give +her little sister, meaning me, for one of her pretty pet fawns. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +said, "Yes." When she started with me in her arms toward the door he +screamed and cried so hard before she could make him know she was only +in fun. He said, "Don't take my little sister. Go over the river to the +big house and take that 'papoose' because it cries so much." When the +older brothers came they said, "Why didn't you trade little sister for +the fawn and two cub bears?" Mary told her father. When he came again he +brought the fawn and two cubs to see if the boys would trade me away for +them. As soon as the boys saw the fawn and the cubs they began to cry +and beg mother not to let me go. They did not want to trade little +sister off for any thing. All the time the chief remained they watched +me, fearing he might take me. He was greatly amused at the joke. I was +delighted to play with the fawn and the cubs were like kittens to play. +The fawn was inseparable from Mary, it loved her so.</p> + +<p>The days were longer now and the snow all gone. Grass was beginning to +show in many places. The sun shone warm and bright. Mother said, "Spring +is here, now don't you hear the birds sing?" Grandpa took us for little +walks, but not far, as the wolves were always near almost every morning. +Sometimes two or three deer would come tearing past our door, jumping +into the river to save themselves from the packs of wolves chasing them, +and the bears would swim across the mouth of the river. Indian hunters +were always coming home from the hunt loaded with game. Their deer meat +was dried and smoked for future use. The wolves would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> come close to our +house and little brother and I would often try to call them to come and +get some bread and butter, we thinking them dogs. Grandpa and Bob were +always near us or we would have been eaten alive by the wolves.</p> + + +<h3>THE CHIEF'S DEPARTURE.</h3> + +<p>I remember one day soon after breakfast Mary and her father came with a +number of other Indians, Mary's aunt with the rest. A large canoe was +packed and fitted out with all things necessary for a long voyage. The +chief and Mary's aunt were going to Canada on a visit and Mary was to +stay with us till her father returned. Her father took four men and +Mary's aunt with him. Soon all was ready. They shook hands and away sped +the bark canoe over the waves. Mary at first was sad to have her father +go, but soon was cheerful again. She helped mother with her sewing and +worked two pretty pairs of moccasins and made leggings and pretty +garters. Some of the work was for her father. Time passed and it began +to be time for the Chief's return. Mary grew restless as many storms +came. She would look out over the waters for hours. Mother tried hard to +comfort her and tell her all would be well. But Mary must see to +believe. Her faith could not reach out very far into unseen things. +Grandpa tried to comfort her. He would kneel down and pray for her +father's return.</p> + +<p>One day a young Indian came to our house to see and talk to Mary. Mother +told me afterward he was Mary's lover and had promised her father not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +to visit Mary in his absence. Hearing how worried she was he had broken +his promise. Mary seemed very sad, talked very little to him, and only +when mother was present. She had also promised her father not to meet +him while he was gone. The Chief had not given his full consent to their +marriage. Another Chief's son had asked for Mary to be given him in +marriage, which was now Mary's father's business away in Canada. She +worried not so much for her father's absence as she feared her father +and the Canadian chief would come to a satisfactory understanding and +that she might be compelled to marry the Canadian lover whose father had +much land and stock. She felt worried because her lover had broken his +word to her father and she feared his displeasure. Indians are very +strict about their laws and customs.</p> + + +<h3>RETURN OF THE CHIEF OSSAWINAMAKEE.</h3> + +<p>One day soon after this I saw the Chief coming up the path to the house. +He was not alone. Mary was lying in the swinging hammock. She gave a +bound like a deer and reached the door just as her father came in. She +threw her arms about his neck and fainted away. Mother put water on her +face. She soon opened her eyes and smiled at her father. He took her +hand and talked long to her. She looked past him and saw the strange +young Indian standing beside the door. She gave a cry and put her hands +to her face. Her father called him to come to them, speaking to them +both. At last Mary gave him her hand and spoke the Indian greeting,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +"Bou shou" (how do you do.) In turn we all greeted him with the same +term. The Chief talked a long time to Mary and mother, telling about his +trip. Father came home to supper.</p> + +<p>The Chief had brought a large pack of beautiful silks, beads, scarfs and +cloth for Mary to make some new gowns. He also brought some pretty +shells from Lake Simcoe for mother, which she prized very highly as her +mother was born there, and many more goods of furs and rugs. The young +Indian also brought some furs and rugs, one handsome white one with +black spots upon it which he laid down at Mary's feet. She did not seem +to be very well pleased with the present, but her father was loud in his +praise and thanks. At last Mary thanked him in a low voice. As it was +growing dark the Chief and the young Indian left for the village, Mary +remaining with us for the night. Brother Charley and I lay down on the +white rug with Bob beside us and were soon fast asleep.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Oh childhood's happy hours,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Would that they could come again!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If only we might taste their joys once more<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Our hearts would sing a glad refrain.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<h3>INVITED TO THE FEAST.</h3> + +<p>Next morning the Chief came to take his daughter home, thanking mother +for taking care of her during his absence. We were all invited to attend +the great feast with the other Chemokamon's (white men) from the other +side of the river. It had been told to the tribe that morning of the +coming mar<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>riage of the Chief's daughter to the Canadian Chief's son, +who had much land and stock to give his bride. When he talked with +mother about it she asked him about the other young man and if he had +not promised Mary to him. He answered, "We come of a proud and haughty +race. This young man has much land and riches while the other has +nothing to give my daughter. No lands, no moneys." Mother said to him, +"You will miss Mary from your wigwam." At this he softened, then saying, +"I have power to extend the time of Mary's marriage."</p> + +<p>On the day of the feast the sun shone clear and bright. Our boys were up +early and all seemed to be in a hurry. Grandpa had made a little cart +for Bob to draw me in, so Bob's harness was all trimmed with gay colored +ribbons. Mother put on my little red dress and pretty beaded moccasins +which Mary had made for me. Then I was put into the cart and old Bob +trotted off so proudly, thinking perhaps of his younger days when he had +brought the great loads of furs from the Lake Superior trapping grounds +to the Sault and Mackinac Islands to be sold to the traders there. Those +were proud days for the voyagers when all the village came out to meet +them from their long trips. After crossing the river we were joined by +the people on that side, who were a happy lot. This was a holiday for +them all. An Indian feast which none had ever before attended. Something +to write about to their far away homes. All went along singing. Old +grandpa singing his French and Spanish glee songs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> with the boys +joining, which made the woods ring. We soon came to the lake, and the +village of many wigwams was close beside the water.</p> + + +<h3>THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE AT THE INDIAN VILLAGE.</h3> + +<p>On that morning the lake was like a great mirror or a sea of glass, not +a ripple stirred its surface and the beautiful trees were reflected on +every side, hanging branches everywhere full of song birds, and swimming +about near the shore were broods of ducks with their little ones among +them. None seemed to be afraid of us. There were many young fawns +wandering about and drinking from the lake. Mossy banks and many +flowers. No one was allowed to harm the birds, fawns or ducks. The place +seemed rightly named "The Lake of Enchantment." I remember being carried +into a wigwam and laid on a bed of skins and furs. I was so sleepy after +my ride. When I awoke I found myself alone and being frightened began to +cry. Very soon Bob came bounding in. I took him by the collar and when +we were out of doors I saw a lot of Indian children with brother Lewis +and Toney running and jumping with them. I saw mother and grandpa, with +little brother, going into a large wigwam. I ran over to them. In the +middle of this lodge was a great fire with many kettles hanging in which +the dinner was being cooked for the feast. The lodge had been made on +purpose for the (chemokamon) white man's cooking to be done. Grandpa and +mother had full charge of this part. Father soon came and took little +brother and me where many young Indians and the white<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> men were playing +a game of ball. There were many squaws and children all gaily dressed +with many colored ribbons. Dogs were running about everywhere, and young +pet cub bears which the children seemed to be taking care of. The squaws +had been to our house and knew us children. They came to us, giving us +little cakes of maple sugar.</p> + + +<h3>THE INDIAN MAIDEN IN HER WIGWAM.</h3> + +<p>After a time little brother and I wanted to see Mary, so father took us +to her wigwam, which was covered with black bear skins. There we found +Mrs. Frankle with her sister and the children. Mary was sitting on a +bear skin rug with her hands folded and her eyes almost shut. I wish I +could describe her as she looked sitting there in her dark beauty. I +could not take my eyes off her. She raised her eyes and looked at me as +if to know what I wanted or what did I see. Then she smiled and sprang +to her feet, coming towards me. I backed away and gave a great sob just +as I have felt since when looking at some beautiful picture. It seemed +to thrill me through and through. She seemed almost to know my thoughts. +She seemed almost afraid to move. At last she took me in her arms and, +sitting down near Mrs. Frankle, the great tears rolled down her face. +Mrs. Frankle put her face near Mary's and kissed her. Then the great +sobs came. The Indian maiden may sob but never cry aloud like her white +skinned sisters. I wondered why Mary should sob and the tears fall on my +face when she was so beautiful and had such beautiful clothes.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> I felt +of her dress and arms, passing my hands over her face, which made her +smile. She then gave us some pretty shells to play with. Soon Mary's +father came to see if she were ready to appear before the crowd. When +his eyes rested on her a pleased look came over his face. He seemed to +be satisfied, for he gave a shrug, saying "ugh ni-chi-chin" (good), +meaning he was satisfied with her appearance. Little Charley and I had +found the pretty leggings and moccasins Mary had made for her father and +lover and ran to the Chief with them, holding them up for him to see, +telling him Mary made them. He took them in his hand and smiled. He +seemed pleased, but Mary came as if to take them. He kept them in his +hand, talking long and earnestly to her. She stood with her head bowed +and sad. He showed Miss Harriet and Mrs. Frankle the pretty work, which +they admired, but Mary seemed so sad they wondered.</p> + + +<h3>THE SOUNDING OF THE DRUM.</h3> + +<p>We now heard a big drum and the barking of dogs. Then all the men with +Mr. Frankle came and the Chief took Mary's hand. Father took me in his +arms and we all went out where there were a great many Indians standing +in a large circle. The Chief and his daughter went into the circle and +all the white people followed. There were great skins of bear and other +furs spread about for the chemokamon (white man) to sit upon, but all +the Indians must stand while the Chief made his speech and gave the +announcement of his daughter's marriage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> with the Canadian Chief's son, +who was now his guest.</p> + + +<h3>CHIEF OSSAWINAMAKEE'S SPEECH.</h3> + +<p>The chief walked into the circle with a proud and haughty tread, waving +his hand for all to be silent. I knew nothing of what he said, but my +father told me when I was old enough to understand. I remember his form. +He was tall and stately, with a fine appearance, and was dressed as +became the chief of the proud Ottawa tribe. Many silver ornaments were +on his breast. He talked a long time, while all listened in stately +silence.</p> + +<p>After a time he was silent and two more forms appeared within the +circle. The first to enter was the Canadian Indian. His step was firm, +his head high, his look bold; he was dressed in bright red, with beaded +leggings and many feathers around his head. The other one came in with a +soft and silent step. His form was slight and willowy. He was dressed in +a deer skin suit, with beaded leggings, silver ornaments on his breast, +and a band about his head filled with eagle feathers. He came close to +the Chief, his eyes were looking down, his face seemed sad. He was +Mary's true lover, the son of a chief of the Chippewas, whose father had +died, leaving him in the care of Mary's father. His father had been a +great warrior and owned much land, but had lost it all in long wars with +other nations. The name of this young chief was Sha-wan-nib-in-asse +(southern bird). Mary and he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> been raised together with the +understanding they would be joined in marriage sometime, but in one of +the chief's trips to Canada with his young daughter, the chief of a +tribe there had asked for Mary for his son. Being rich, Chief +Ossawinamakee thought it best to give his daughter to the rich chiefs +son. Very soon the chief presented the Canadian Indian with a pair of +leggings and moccasins, saying they were a present from his daughter. +The young Indian expressed his thanks with many bows casting many looks +of triumph at Mary's lover. When Mary saw these presents given she +almost gave a scream. She stepped forward as if to take them from his +hands.</p> + + +<h3>ALL ENJOYMENT.</h3> + +<p>As soon as the speeches were ended all sat in circles. The Chief's +circle was filled with his own family, his sisters and their families +and his Canadian guest. The Chemokamons were by themselves. The Indians +with their squaws and children had corn soup served with dried venison +and fish. The soup was put in large pans with only one large wooden +spoon or ladle. When one took a spoonful it was passed to the next and +so on around the circle of about twelve or fifteen persons. The white +people also had corn soup or maize, as it was called, corn pounded in a +wooden mortar, with dried smoked venison and broiled white fish, baked +potatoes and many other things which mother had prepared herself. There +was much talking and laughing among the Indians as well as white people. +The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> dogs ran round the outside of the circle and every time the drum +was beaten they would yelp and bark while Bob would howl. The fawns and +deer came near to us as if enjoying the sport, while the little cub +bears scampered away to a cute little wigwam where they slept at night. +All was mirth and gaiety. When the eating was over the Chief arose, +raised his head high, giving thanks to the Great Spirit, and buried a +small piece of silver to entreat good crops and full hunting grounds for +that year. There was jumping and canoe paddling among the Indians, which +ended the day's sport. There had been a white dog killed, as was the +custom at their feasts. We saw the pelt stretched up to dry. Father told +me many times that all went home at sunset much pleased with their day +of pleasure and sport. The white people were delighted with Indian +feasts and declared that no <i>White Dog</i> had been served to them in +<i>their Corn Soup</i>, knowing my mother had charge of their cooking.</p> + + +<h3>ENDING OF THE FEAST AND SAD ENDING OF A YOUNG LIFE.</h3> + +<p>Early next morning all was excitement at the Indian Village, for Mary's +lover, Sha-wan-nib-in-asse, was dead. All suspicion pointed to the +Canadian Indian poisoning him through jealousy. The Indian women told my +mother at the feast that all the week they had feared the two young men +would fight, as they hated each other with a deadly hatred. Now the +whole village was ready to kill the Canadian Indian, as none had ever +liked him for the rea<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>son that he was British. The old hatred had not +died out from their hearts, even though peace had been declared so long +among the tribes. The Canadian Indian hurried from the Village and +stopped at our house on his way down the shore, where he soon reached a +small trading vessel and made his way home to Canada. Mary was very +sorrowful with grief at the death of her lover, and her father was sure +the Great Spirit was displeased with him for favoring the Canadian +Indian. We were all afraid it might cause a war, as all the Indians at +the Village wanted their Chief to go to Canada and get satisfaction from +the father in Canada. The white people advised the Chief Ossawinamakee +not to go to war, as his whole tribe would be killed, having no warriors +to be a match for the Canadian Indians. The tribe had lived in peace so +long war was only history to them. The Chief took the advice.</p> + + +<h3>BURIAL OF SHA-WAN-NIB-IN-ASSE.</h3> + +<p>They buried the young lover with great honor, buried him with the sound +of the muffled drum. Father made the casket and mother was there to help +them. They dressed him in the pretty leggings and moccasins Mary had +made for him, putting the other pair with bows and arrows, silver +breastplates, with a small kettle and wooden ladle and gun, into the +casket as was their custom when burying their dead. They buried him +beside the peaceful little lake where the branches of the trees were +filled with singing birds. Though a child of the forest he had loved +Mary with a pure and holy love.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>ON BOARD THE ELIZA CAROLINE.</h3> + +<p>My father had now finished his contract with Mr. Frankle at the mill. +Hearing that there were many people settling on "Beaver Island," several +families that we knew from York State, Ohio and Canada, he made up his +mind to go there. Our goods were put on board the staunch little ship +"Eliza Caroline," the vessel my father had built the year before. The +Chief and his daughter Mary came to say good-by. Good-bys were said to +our good neighbors across the river in the big house. We had all become +very dear friends to each other. There were many kind wishes and +God-speeds for us when the Captain said "all aboard." White sails were +set and we glided from the river out onto Lake Michigan just as the sun +was sinking in the west. Darkness soon shut out the forms of our friends +that stood waving to us from the shore. We knew we were once more out on +the water on God's great rolling cradle of the sea. We children, with +mother and grandpa, said our prayers in the little cabin and were soon +fast asleep with the sound of the rippling waves singing to us a sweet +lullaby of peace and rest.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PART_II" id="PART_II"></a><i>PART II.</i></h2> + + +<h3>BEAVER ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>Beaver Island was once the home of the Mormons. This island is the +largest in the group of islands in lake Michigan, containing about +fifteen thousand acres of land.</p> + +<p>To many who may read these pages it may seem like a fairy tale to know +that a kingdom ever existed within the borders of the United States. A +kingdom has existed, and that little kingdom was on Beaver Island, now +commonly known as St. James, being named in honor of him who made +himself a king. James Jesse Strang was born and educated in New York +State, graduated from the Fredonia Academy of the same state. He studied +law and was classed among the brilliant lawyers of his day. In his eight +years rule on Beaver Island he was twice elected to the State +Legislature of Michigan. His speeches were considered among the most +brilliant delivered in the halls of Lansing, the State Capitol. He spoke +with ease, his manner was winning, he aimed to be a leader. Strang was +living at Voree, Wis., at the time of Joseph Smith's death at Nauvoo, +Ill. Having joined the Mormon Church he now claimed to have "Divine +Revelations" from God that he was chosen to fill Joseph Smith's place to +lead the people left without a leader. After a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> hard struggle which he +made for the leadership, Brigham Young was chosen as Smith's successor.</p> + + +<h3>BEAVER ISLAND CHOSEN AS A KINGDOM.</h3> + +<p>Strang felt his defeat very keenly and withdrew with a few of his +followers who had entire belief in his revelations. He now went to +Kirtland, Ohio, where a Mormon temple had been built as a place of +worship for the Latter Day Saints, as they are now commonly known. +Strang soon became restless. Brigham Young had already gone with a large +number of Smith's followers to Salt Lake City, Utah. Strang wanted more +territory, more privileges, which he knew he could not have in Kirtland, +so he began to look about for a place where he could establish a kingdom +over which he could rule with undisputed sway. Being a lawyer and +understanding the law so perfectly he knew he could not carry out his +plans unless he found some secluded place where the law of the land +could not easily reach him, and where could he find a place better +suited to carry out his plans than Beaver Island? In 1846, two years +prior to Strang's coming to Beaver Island to establish his kingdom he +was on his way west to Wisconsin. The steamer he took passage on was +driven into Beaver Harbor to seek shelter from a storm. When Strang was +telling all this to my father he said, "When my eyes first rested on +Beaver Island I thought it the most beautiful place on earth."</p> + +<p>At the time Strang was there, a Mr. Alva Cable from Fairport, Ohio, had +located at the Point and was establishing a business. He had built a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +dock, a store and a fine large dwelling and was already buying fish from +the fishermen and shipping them to outside markets.</p> + + +<h3>STRANG'S FIRST COMING TO THE ISLAND WITH HIS PEOPLE.</h3> + +<p>Strang had already settled in his mind to locate at Cheboygan, Mich., +having looked over the location. Mackinac Island being just near enough +for him to get their supplies. At that time Mackinac Island was the +largest fish market in northern Michigan, furnishing supplies to the +whole north shore and fishermen among the great number of islands, its +several stores furnishing everything necessary to the people around and +being in close touch with the outside world, having a postoffice and +mails coming there from Detroit.</p> + +<p>But when Strang saw Beaver Island, its beautiful harbor, fine timber and +natural beauty of scenery, the thought came to him like an inspiration, +and he said, "This is where I will come to build up my kingdom." And +when he saw all the improvements being done he had no doubt but he could +soon have all the people about the shore as his followers. But there was +much to hinder before he could persuade many of his followers to come +and locate on a lonely island, as it seemed to them, in the middle of +Lake Michigan. Also Strang's wife was not a believer in the Mormon +doctrine, having no faith in the revelations he claimed to have: but +Strang had a great command of language and possessed a strong will +power. He at last persuaded a few of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> his followers to come with him to +Beaver Island, where they landed from a steamer in the early part of +June, 1848, two years after he had first seen the island. About +twenty-five people came with him, and before navigation closed over a +hundred more had landed, most of them being all unprepared for a long, +cold winter on an island where the snows were extremely deep in winter.</p> + + +<h3>PAYMENT TIME FOR THE INDIANS.</h3> + +<p>The whole surrounding country at that time was a wilderness. White +settlers were few in number. There were many different tribes of Indians +wandering about from place to place on their hunting and fishing tours. +They were all peaceably inclined, many remained long enough to plant +small gardens near the shores, but never clearing the land at any +distance back from the shore. The woods were filled with abundance of +game to satisfy all their wants and needs. The red men of the forest +were best satisfied in their own native wilds. They were nature's +children. The trees, flowers, buds, leaves and waves on the shore all +whispered their mystery of the great and good Spirit that ruled all +things. In those days the Indians were receiving payments from the +government. An agent was employed with a clerk to make these annual +payments. Sometimes the money would be paid out at Sault Ste. Marie, +sometimes Green Bay was the place of gathering, other times Mackinac +Island. Then the tribes would gather from far and near, bringing their +whole families to receive their money.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> That was a happy time for the +red man and his family to know the "Great Father" at Washington was such +a friend. Payment time, as it was called, also made trade for the white +man.</p> + + +<h3>THE INDIANS AND THEIR ISLANDS.</h3> + +<p>There was a large band of Indians living on Garden Island, three miles +distant north from Beaver Island. This island had been deeded to them by +the government as their own. Also another island about six miles west of +Beaver Island, called High Island. Both these Islands were fertile, +covered with heavy timber, and both afforded good fishing opportunities +with good harbors at each island. Strang's people never having seen +Indians before were naturally very timid, especially when the Indians +gathered at Beaver Harbor to sell their fish and being friendly often +called at the Chemokamon's house. The Indian being of an inquisitive +nature, wanted to see how the white brothers lived in their homes. +Strang himself said he felt none too sure of his own life when he saw so +many coming to his home, but the Indians and their squaws with their +papooses on their backs, that being the fashion of carrying their young +children, were always smiling and good natured, which very soon +reassured Strang and his people that they were friendly and meant them +no harm. At first the Mormons always kept their doors locked and barred. +Strang soon preached to them to leave their doors open to their Indian +friends, which they did with the faith that their King knew best.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 473px;"><a name="ill076" id="ill076"></a> +<img src="images/076.jpg" width="473" height="594" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">JAMES JESSE STRANG, THE MORMON KING.</span> +</div><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>STRANG CALLING ON US.</h3> + +<p>About the time my people came to Beaver Island the property at the Point +in Beaver Harbor was just changing hands, Mr. Alva Cable having sold his +dock and buildings to a Mr. Peter McKinley from Painesville, Ohio, who +came with his family and took possession at once, putting in a supply of +provisions for the fall trade with the fishermen.</p> + +<p>Strang soon called on our people, and was anxious to have my father +build our home near the Mormon settlement at the harbor, promising there +would be plenty of work, as more of his people were constantly coming. +Strang was so friendly and sent many of his people to call on us. His +wife also called on us. She was a bright, sensible, noble woman, and we +found her friendship was true. My mother being a nurse, Strang told her +he would always be glad of her assistance when any of his people were +sick. Our people had never heard about Mormons before and knew nothing +about their belief or doctrine. Mother told me many times afterward it +seemed very strange to her seeing the Mormon women dressed in short +dresses with hair cut short and keeping Saturday for their Sunday. When +mother spoke to them about it they told her that King Strang had all +these revelations from God and that, he being their leader, they must +obey what he said.</p> + + +<h3>FIRST SETTLERS.</h3> + +<p>Our house was soon finished. Father had built it near to a Gentile +family, an elderly couple from Tor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>onto, Canada. They had bought a small +piece of land from the government, making themselves a home the year +previous to the coming of the Mormons. They were an Irish family with +considerable means. They first came to Mackinac Island to visit a +nephew, Mr. P. Kilty. They took a little trip to Beaver Island with +others, and were so pleased with it, thinking it would soon be settled +and make a desirable place to live. Their name was Loaney, and the place +where they located has always borne the name of Loaney's Point. It was +on the south side of Beaver Harbor, distant about two miles from the +village. On the end of Loaney's Point rests a large boulder which has +always been a land mark, sometimes looming up looking like a great black +steamer near the shore. Mr. Loaney's nephew, P. Kilty, also located at +the Island and was driven away with the rest of the Gentiles, returning +again after the Mormons were sent away from the Island, residing many +years there and being a successful fisherman and farmer. His son, Mr. +Peter Kilty, is now, and has been for several years, a captain on one of +the large steamboats on lake Michigan. The old couple, Mr. and Mrs. +Loaney, had some sad experience with their Mormon neighbors, losing +their home and all they had by their persecutions. After the Mormons +were driven off the Island Mr. Loaney returned and was appointed keeper +of the Beaver Island lighthouse at the head of the Island, holding the +position several years, he being the second keeper having charge<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> of +that station, a Mr. Van Allen being the first keeper when the light was +first erected.</p> + + +<h3>PREPARING FOR WINTER.</h3> + +<p>The winter of 1849 was an extremely cold winter, with heavy ice and deep +snows. Our summer boarders had all packed and gone to their homes. +Father had brought our provisions home and packed it away for winter +use. Many of our Mormon neighbors with their children came often to see +us, and we children played with them. Mr. Loaney had some cows and +Auntie Loaney was always bringing us milk as well as to her Mormon +neighbors. Our boys and father and mother were very busy making a large +fishing seine for a man in Ohio who was coming the next spring.</p> + + +<h3>GOING OVER TO THE POINT TO DINNER WITH THE MCKINLEYS.</h3> + +<p>Before the ice came in the fall father took us all in our boat across to +the Point so mother could do some shopping. Mr. McKinley was a very kind +and pleasant man and would have us go to his house for dinner. He wanted +us to get acquainted with his family. Father took us over to their nice, +large and comfortable home. Mrs. McKinley was very kind and seemed +pleased to see us. She was a pretty, bright-faced woman, slender, with +dark hair and eyes. She had three little girls, Sarah the eldest, Effie +and Mary. We children were soon acquainted, playing with the dolls and +having tea with the children's little dishes. Mr. McKinley had a sister +living with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> him whom the children called "Aunt Ann." She was very kind +to us, giving us many slices of bread and butter with cups of milk.</p> + +<p>I remember the children had such beautiful hair, which I admired so +much. Mother helped to set the table and get the dinner on the table, as +they boarded several of their help. Our boys were out exploring the +Point with some Mormon boys. When we were ready to go home Mrs. McKinley +filled a great basket with large red apples for us to take home. Father +thanked her, saying he ought not to take them, as he had two barrels at +the store for winter use. She said, "Do take these apples, they came +from home in Ohio and are better than the apples at the store. Now I +want you to have them." We children played together until the last +moment. The little girls gave me large packages of candy. Kissing them I +promised to come again sometime. Mrs. McKinley was very kind, wanting us +all to come again. Father told me afterward when I was older how lonely +she was, missing her Ohio home so much. She asked father what he thought +about our Mormon neighbors. He said he knew very little about them, so +far they had been very kind and pleasant. She told him her fears, +saying. "I have no faith in Strang at all. I fear he is misleading those +people and I am afraid they will cause us all lots of trouble before +long, but my husband thinks they are a well-meaning people. We have +invested considerable money, which I feel quite sure we shall regret." +Father tried to encourage her to feel more hopeful, but she said she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +could not feel they were true. She liked Mrs. Strang, as everybody did +who knew her.</p> + +<p>Soon after this the cold snows of winter were upon us, ice made very +fast. We heard no more the whistle of the boats, and saw no more the +white sails of the vessels and fish boats that sailed in and out of the +pretty harbor. I was young, yet I remembered and missed all these +things.</p> + + +<h3>KIND NEIGHBORS.</h3> + +<p>I was never tired going over to see Uncle and Auntie Loaney, as they +taught us children to call them. They were a dear old couple and loved +us the same as if we were their own. I remember the pretty large cat +with the little white kittens. When she gave me bread and milk I would +sit on her clean white floor, and it was hard to know which ate most of +that bread and milk, myself or the cats. I used to take my dolls over +and stay days at a time with Auntie, and when mother came after me she +would say, "Oh don't take her away home. Sure you have four and I have +none at all, at all. Now you must leave me one." Then little brother +Charley would go and stay a while with them until he got lonely for the +rest of us. In that way we took turns being with our kind, good +neighbors all the time we lived near them. Some of us were always with +them. They had a son married and doing business in Toronto. The next +year he came to visit them for a month. Then how pleased she was to tell +Michael how good we little children were to her. We children all loved +them dearly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + +<p>Winter was advancing. There was much sickness among the Mormon people. +Food was scarce with no means to buy, and clothing thin for a northern +winter. Mother was called away from home to care for them, and we +children were often left at home with grandpa and father. Auntie and +Uncle Loaney were always coming to see how we were. I staid with them +most of the time, getting lonesome often for Charley and Bob. Poor old +Bob was more feeble than ever now, the cold winter bringing on +rheumatism.</p> + + +<h3>BOB'S NEW FRIEND.</h3> + +<p>I remember one day Uncle Loaney coming in and saying to father, "Sure +Mr. Whitney, why don't you kill that old dog? He is good for nothing and +can't stand up any more." That was enough, little brother and I began to +cry and then poor old grandpa, the tears rolled down his cheeks, and +when he could speak he said in his broken English, "Oh don't keel Bob, +you keel Bob me die too. Me and Bob good friends good many year. Oh no +keel Bob." Then father explained what a long time Bob had lived and been +with grandpa and how he had saved brother Toney's life the winter +before. Then how sorry Uncle Loaney was, saying. "Yes let poor Bob live +as long as he can." After that many were the little pails of milk sent +to Bob.</p> + + +<h3>SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE.</h3> + +<p>I remember a man came to our house one morning and two little boys were +with him. Father had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> gone with Toney and Lewis out to chop wood a short +distance from the house. The man came in with the children and asked to +see father. Grandpa was so afraid to be alone with the Mormon he said, +"Me no want you keel me. Me give you everything in the house you no keel +me." The man said, "No, I don't want to hurt you. My children are +hungry." Charley ran out to tell father to come, then the man explained +how hungry his family were, having no bread and no money to buy. Father +gave them something to eat, and soon the children were sitting with +Charley and me eating bread and butter. Father gave flour and other +things for the man to carry home.</p> + + +<h3>CARING FOR THE SICK AND DYING.</h3> + +<p>Mother soon came home, telling of the want and suffering among the +people. The King had gone from the Island on the last boat, leaving them +to fare as best they could. They had come to the Island too late to +plant anything that season and none of them knew how to fish or help +themselves. They suffered cold, hunger and death that winter without +complaint of their King. Their whole cry was "Oh, if our King were only +here." There was some one every day to our house and Aunt Loaney's. The +Mormons were in a starving condition. Father gave to them until he +feared we should be left with nothing. Grandpa was afraid we children +would be left hungry, so he buried many things for us. Mother and Auntie +were always busy cooking and carrying food to the sick and dying. Mrs. +McKin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>ley was just as busy at the Point helping the suffering people all +she could. There were several deaths in the winter and spring. After +awhile father, grandpa and the boys put some nets through the ice, +catching many fish for the hungry people. Our boys set hooks, showing +the Mormon boys how to catch the fish to keep themselves from starving. +Father and mother were so much among them they began to learn something +about their strange belief, which was peculiar, their faith being all +placed on their leader, "King James," as they often called Strang, +always calling upon him to help them in their trouble. Mother said to +them, "Why do you call upon man to help you? Why don't you call upon God +and pray to him for help?" They would not listen, saying, "Has not our +King the revelations revealed to him?"</p> + + +<h3>RETURN OF SPRING AND COMING OF STRANG.</h3> + +<p>Spring had come. Our good old steamboat "Michigan" had come to our +harbor once more. Strang also came. He was just as calm and serene as +usual, nothing seemed to disturb him. His wife did not return until +later in the season. He soon came to our house and seemed very grateful +to our people for their kindness to his suffering people during his +absence. When mother told him how much they had suffered he laughed, +saying, "Oh, they must get used to Island life and expect to have some +hardships." Soon the boats came and brought more Mormons. Those that +came now were more comfortable and seemed to have more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> means to help +themselves with. Very soon they were at work clearing the land and +making ready to put in crops of potatoes, corn and other vegetables. +There were several families who came from Texas, bringing their horses +with them, with wagons and a few cows. Of course those who had plenty +had to share with those who had little and give their every tenth part +to the King's treasury, and very often giving more to help out extra +expenses. Strang seemed in excellent spirits and went about from house +to house, talking and encouraging his people, and father said no one +would think they had passed through such trouble so recently. Soon it +was planned to give a feast in honor of the King's return, and great +were the preparations going on among the Mormons.</p> + + +<h3>JAMES CABLE SETTLING AT THE HEAD OF BEAVER ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>With the springtime also came many fishermen to all of the islands, and +many settled along the east shore of Beaver Island as far up as the +light house at the head of the Island. A Mr. James Cable, nephew of Mr. +Alva Cable, had now come to locate at the head of Beaver Island, three +miles north of the light-house point. James Cable came from York State. +He was a bright, smart, enterprising young man, recently married to a +most estimable young lady of the same city where he lived. They came +with their little son Claude, a child of about two years old. Here Mr. +Cable invested considerable money; put out a good dock, built a large +dwelling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> and store, carrying on the wood business for many years, as +well as having a fish market, employing several men getting out cord +wood to supply the steamboats, as well as buying fish and furnishing +provisions and all fishing supplies to fishermen. Mr. C. R. Wright, also +another man from New York State, settled at Cable's dock and carried on +a large cooper shop to supply the barrels for the fishermen, which +became a great industry. Mr. Cable, with all the rest of the Gentiles, +was compelled to leave Beaver Island in 1852, not feeling safe to remain +longer. After the death of King Strang he returned, taking possession +again of his property, carrying on the business with success for several +years. Feeling his need of rest he closed out his business and bought +the property at Mackinac Island known as the "Astor House."</p> + +<p>Several of the men who had been with us the year before now returned +again and were boarding with us. There were two brothers that came. +Their names were Thomas and Samuel Bennett. Thomas was married when he +came and they soon took some land, built a house and put in some crops. +They also were in the fishing business. They never were very friendly +with the Mormons.</p> + + +<h3>STRANG'S REVELATIONS.</h3> + +<p>Soon after Strang's coming after that terrible winter of cold and +suffering among his people, he claimed to have had several new +revelations which must be told to his people. They all prepared for a +great feast showing their joy at their King's safe re<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>turn among them +again. It would seem in his talk to them about his new revelations that +he told them God was sending many Gentiles to be a help and a support to +God's people, meaning themselves, the Latter Day Saints, and that it was +right for his people to take whatever was necessary for them to have. +That it was their privilege to take from the Gentiles. This was the +first time that the King had openly given any orders of that nature to +his people. Whether any Gentile had ever been admitted within the +council room was never known, or whether some of his own people told +what had been said, which many of us thought might be the case, but the +news soon spread, and from that time no Gentile felt secure about his +property. My father once asked Strang if he had ever preached to his +people and given such orders. He answered he had not, but their actions +soon told what their instructions had been.</p> + + +<h3>ROBBING THE GENTILES.</h3> + +<p>His people soon began to take from the Gentiles whatever they could get. +Up to this time the feeling between the Mormons and Gentiles had been +very friendly, the fishermen being glad to have the Island settled with +a good peaceful people as they had until now seemed to be. Mr. Peter +McKinley at the Point was now suffering considerable losses by the +Mormons taking his cattle and butchering them, also other goods which +they were taking. A young man, or boy, Wheelock by name, told or gave +information about the butchering of the cattle. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> being a Mormon boy +employed by Mr. McKinley, had to suffer the penalty by receiving fifty +stripes with the "blue beaches," that being one kind of their +punishments. We had never heard before of the Mormons doing anything of +this kind to their people. The boy had told the truth and had to suffer +the cruel whipping.</p> + + +<h3>WHIPPING OF THOMAS BEDFORD.</h3> + +<p>A man by the name of Thomas Bedford was employed by Mr. Peter McKinley. +He also gave some information about the stealing of property by the +Mormons, and he also received seventy-five of the cruel stripes with the +"blue beaches." For this awful treatment Mr. Bedford swore revenge. The +Mormons never proved that Mr. Bedford had given any information about +their stealing goods from Mr. McKinley, but just concluded he had and +gave him the awful punishment. So Bedford bided his time for revenge.</p> + +<p>Strang had now a great number around him who sought his favor and were +ever ready to do his bidding and many times did things he did not +sanction. There were some good, kind, peaceable people that knew nothing +about the working of the inner circle that surrounded the king. There +was one apostle that aimed to take the King's place and be ruler +himself. He was a cruel and crafty man. He took charge of all things +among the people in Strang's absence.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>BUILDING TEMPLE AND PRINTING OFFICE.</h3> + +<p>The Mormons were now building a temple after the pattern of the one at +Kirtland, Ohio, and I believe of the same size. They had already built a +saw mill so they could manufacture their own lumber. They had built a +large building made of logs hewn on both sides. This was fitted up as a +printing office and Strang edited a paper called the "Northern +Islander." The printing office still remains and was turned into a hotel +and is known as the Gibson House of St. James. The Mormons were a very +busy people. Those that were improving their farms and building their +homes had nothing to do, as a rule, with the making of Strang's laws. He +had his council men, his twelve apostles, besides elders under the +apostles, members of the households of twelve. They did the voting and +had all to do with making the laws, that is the laws that governed the +conduct of their people. Strang had the revelations and the council of +twelve voted it a law. And they had the power to enforce the law and +punish any who disobeyed. So far the King had preached against polygamy +and said that it should not be allowed, although there were a number of +Mormons that had a number of wives apiece. Strang allowed it to be so, +as he said they had practiced the law according to Joseph Smith's +doctrine, and having several wives apiece he told them they might keep +them, but that no more should be taken. So the men who had more than one +wife kept them. Strang had many people now to control,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> every boat +during the summer season brought more converts, as he had several +apostles traveling constantly about the country making new converts to +their faith. Strang instructed them to make all things to appear at its +best, so the people were made to believe the Island was truly the +"promised land."</p> + + +<h3>STRANG'S REVELATION OF POLYGAMY.</h3> + +<p>Now the King had a new revelation that polygamy must be practiced. When +he made it known to his people it gave them a great shock, as their +minds had been made up that this was not to be. Strang very soon obeyed +the "Divine Command" by taking a spiritual wife, or as the Mormons +called it, "being sealed." Mrs. Strang, his wife, packed her clothing +and taking her three children with her, left the Island, never coming +back to live with him again. Strang was absent when she left, so she met +with no opposition. She came back to the Island twice during his +absence, gathering the people together in the temple, talking and +pointing out to them the error of practicing such a doctrine, and both +times she came she burned the robes which the King wore when preaching +in the temple. Mrs. Mary Strang was greatly loved by all his people that +knew her. Of course the King was not pleased with the interference of +Mrs. Strang.</p> + + +<h3>"CHARLES DOUGLAS."</h3> + +<p>The King now took one of his young wives, had her dressed in man's +apparel and travel about with him seeking after more converts. The name +he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> gave her was "Charles Douglas." He made a great joke of this, and +boasted "Charles" was the best worker he ever had. If Strang was +magnetic "Charles Douglas" was irresistible. She was a beautiful woman +and extremely fine looking when dressed as "Charles Douglas." I saw +Strang and "Douglas" once together. One of the Mormon apostles was +living neighbor to us. Mother had sent me on an errand to their house. +Strang and his companion came there to dinner. Both were dressed in +plain black suits, wearing high silk hats, which was the fashion. Both +were smiling and talking very pleasantly together. Of course I supposed +it was a young man with Strang, but the apostle's wife told mother about +it later.</p> + + +<h3>A MAN WITH SEVERAL WIVES.</h3> + +<p>There was one family living at the harbor settlement who kept a boarding +house. This man had four wives. Gentiles as well as Mormons boarded with +him, and many were the jokes the man had about his wives, saying he had +no need of hired girls, as he had wives enough to do his work. My father +was often there to take his meals, and once I remember mother was with +him and took me. One of the wives was a French woman. Mother talked with +her in her own language and she said she was tired of that life. She not +being a favorite wife had too much work to do. She had four small +children. When the other women saw her talking to mother in French they +seemed not to like it, thinking perhaps she was talk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>ing about them. As +soon as they came into the room the French woman began to sing as though +she was very happy. At another time, when she was sick and my mother was +taking care of her, she said, "Only for the love I have for my children +I would take poison." Many women that we met were very cheerful and +pleasant, while there were many more with very sad faces and manner. +When our people first lived neighbors to the Mormons they were very +friendly and talked about their work. As soon as they began to take +things from us they became silent and did not appear to care to meet us +any more. There were a few who never changed toward us and proved +friends to the last, although they had to appear sometimes to be our +enemies.</p> + + +<h3>BOB'S DEATH.</h3> + +<p>One morning I missed Bob. I always ran to see him when I first got up. +Sometimes it was very hard for Bob to walk, and when the warm spring +sunshine came our boys and grandpa would put Bob in a nice place to lay. +Now I could not find him, and when I saw mother I saw that she had been +weeping and was now silent when I asked her about Bob. I ran over to +Auntie Loaney's. There was grandpa. He was sobbing as if his heart would +break and our boys were trying to comfort him by telling him Bob had not +suffered a moment. Then I realized. Bob, my old friend, was dead, and I +sobbed, "Oh, boys, what made you kill Bob?" Then they tried to explain. +I could not listen, I could not understand why it should be done. Then +Auntie and Uncle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> Loaney said, "Now dear children do not grieve, poor +old Bob was too old to live any longer. It is best his sufferings are +over." We were all sad over the faithful dog's death. It was several +weeks before grandpa and I could feel it was for the best. We buried him +where the birds sang first in the spring.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 650px;"><a name="ill094" id="ill094"></a> +<img src="images/094.jpg" width="650" height="442" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">KING STRANG'S RESIDENCE, BUILT IN 1850.</span> +</div> + +<p>Father now thought it best to move to the head of the island, his work +being there with Mr. Cable. We were beginning to fear the Mormons, as +they had greatly changed toward us. In their travels up and down the +island they most always stopped at our house. And sometimes there would +be five or six, and very often they would ask for a meal, which we never +refused to give them. Very often they remained all night, and then they +were always sure to let us see the big knives they carried hanging to +the belt they wore. Towards the last of our stay they carried a gun with +them as well. When they came to our doors they never rapped, but simply +walked in and helped themselves to a chair. We were told by some of +their own people who were disgusted with Strang's doctrine that these +men were just obeying the King's commands. He was trying to make all the +Gentile people know the Mormons were to have their own way on the +island. Just as fast as the Gentiles moved away from the Mormon +settlement the Mormons followed and built their homes near to them. The +Bennett brothers had already left their home at the harbor and gone to +the Gentile settlement.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>THE COUNTY SEAT OF SAINT JAMES.</h3> + +<p>Strang had now got the county organized, being attached to Mackinac +county; later it was changed to Manitou county. The county seat and post +office was at the harbor, named in honor of the King "Saint James." The +island was divided into three districts and townships. The town at the +harbor was named in honor of the Indian Chief at Garden Island, town of +"Peain." The district at the head of the Island was called Gallilee, the +center, Troy, the lower, Enoch. Strang was always very kind to the +Indians, trying hard to have the Chief "Peain" give him one of his +handsome daughters for a wife, which the Chief refused to do. Strang now +established a school for the Indians at his own expense, sent a young +Mormon over to Garden Island, where he taught school for three years. At +a later date the government appointed teachers and gave many years of +schools to the Indians, my husband being one of the teachers appointed. +Chief "Peain" ruled his tribe with great kindness and firmness. He was a +man of noble appearance. Their tribe was the Ottawas. Myself and husband +remained on their island as teachers two years, from '62 to '64. Chief +"Peain" was always the friend of the Chemokamon (white man.)</p> + + +<h3>MOUNT PISGAH AND INLAND LAKES.</h3> + +<p>On Beaver Island there are six beautiful little lakes. Lakes +Genessarett, Fox Lake, Green Lake. These lakes are near the head of the +Island, while the other three, Font, Long and Round Lakes, are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> near the +harbor. Font Lake is where the Mormons baptized their people, <ins class="correct" title="'and' added">and</ins> also +held their yearly feasts. It is a pretty spot with a long narrow point +reaching out into the Lake. This lovely lake is about half a mile +distant from the harbor. Long Lake is just a short distance beyond. +That, too, is a beautiful spot. Its high land on one side is covered +with heavy hardwood timber and great quantities of fish are in Long +Lake. Just a short distance from Long Lake is "Mount Pisgah," a high +sand mountain. One can look down into the harbor from its top. That, +too, has beautiful scenery all about it.</p> + +<p>The group of islands near Beaver Island can be seen from "Mount Pisgah." +High Island, Trout Island, Squaw Island, which now has a fine lighthouse +erected upon it. Rabbit Island and Garden Island, with Hog Island off +nine miles to the east. All these Islands show from this mountain, and +on a clear day it is a beautiful sight to look upon. Lake Michigan, with +its dark blue waters, with so many pretty islands covered with green +trees, and the white pebbly and sandy beaches, where the white sea gulls +are constantly soaring about or resting upon the water. The island was +very beautiful when the Mormons first went there. At that time no timber +had been cut off. One can appreciate its beauty only by going out into +its center and among its pretty lakes. When my people first came there +to live there were still traces left of the "Beaver dams" where the busy +beavers had made their homes about the little lakes. This is why the +island was named "Beaver<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> Island," and sometimes the whole group comes +under the one name of the "Beaver Islands."</p> + + +<h3>WILD ANIMALS AND BIRDS.</h3> + +<p>At one time while I lived on the island there were several deer supposed +to have come across the ice from the north shore. There was an abundance +of wild duck, pigeons, partridges and wild birds of many different +kinds. Foxes were plentiful, both grey and red, and once and a while a +black fox. Lynx and wild cats were seen, and one old hunter declared he +heard a "panther." These wild animals traveled many times across the ice +in winter time from the north shore, and very often the foxes crossed +from one island to another in the winter. At this date there are no wild +animals, unless there might be some wild cats. I saw a wild cat that was +shot there in 1882. One great reason that made the island so desirable a +place to live at that time was its splendid fishing grounds. No one need +to be without money in those days. Fish always brought a good price, and +at the time of our Civil war brought a very high price. There were many +large cooper shops run. These furnished barrels to the fishermen to pack +and salt their fish in. The cooper trade was followed by a great many +men. They came to the island from the cities to work through the summer +season, then going home again for the winter. The climate being so pure +many recovered their health that had lost it. At the present time the +barrel trade is a thing of the past. Fish are packed in ice and shipped +to the market<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> fresh. Changes have come to Beaver Island as well as +everywhere else. Still it will always be "Beaver Island."</p> + + +<h3>MRS. BENNETT STARTING TO CROSS THE LAKE.</h3> + +<p>Thomas Bennett was living near to Cable's dock. There were several +families at the little settlement. Some came from Canada, others were +summer people going home in the fall. Mrs. Bennett and her three +children were going on a visit across the lake. Her people lived at +Cross Village. Her father and mother came with their own boat to take +her with them. I remember so well the morning she left us. We all felt +sorry to see her go. Mr. Bennett was a fond father and kind husband. His +wife and children were everything to him. There were three little girls, +the eldest five, the next three years, and the baby six months. +Preparations were made the evening before for an early start. Father, +mother and I went to the beach to see them off. It was hard for Mr. +Bennett to let them go. He kissed his children many times, then his +wife, and he said, "Isabel, how can I let you go. Come back to the +house, you must not go." She felt very sad, saying, "Yes, Thomas, I know +you will miss us, and I will not stay so long as I was going to. I will +come back in a week." Good-bys were said, little hands waved and the +boat went sailing out over the rippling waves. Mrs. Bennett held the +baby high in her arms for her papa to see, little white handkerchiefs +were fluttered as far as we could see them. Somehow we all felt sad. Mr. +Bennett walked on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> shore saying, "Oh, my wife, my children. Why did +I let them go? I shall never see them more." We tried to comfort him, +but we could not. As the darkness came on and the wind blew fiercer our +hearts grew heavy. Mr. Bennett walked all night on the shore and my +father with him. I lay in my bed listening to the sound of the sullen +roar of the sea as the breakers dashed high on the beach. At times it +seemed the waves would never stop their rolling until they swept us +away. They came so near our door once or twice I went to the window to +look out, and nothing but a sheet of white foam could be seen. At times +it was like the sound of distant thunder as the waves broke and washed +about us. All the next day the sky was dark, the waves had a moaning, +sobbing sound that was very sad to hear. We waited two days, then the +messengers came over from Cross Village. Two Indians were sent with a +letter from the Catholic priest telling all he could of the sad +accident.</p> + +<p>Early the next morning after the storm some Indians at Cross Village +went to the beach to see if their canoes were all secure. The first +object they saw was the boat of their neighbor drifting along the shore. +No one was to be seen in the boat. They waited until the boat came in +reach so they could pull it out from the breakers that still ran high. +The boat was almost full of water. They took the water out as soon as +possible, and in among the quilts lay little three-year-old Rebecca. She +still breathed, her body was warm. The Indians in their excitement +delayed taking the child to the house,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> thinking there might be more +bodies washed upon the shore. They carried the child to the good +priest's house and everything that human power could do was done to save +the child, but it was too late, "Baby Rebecca had gone to join the +angels."</p> + +<p>Oh the sadness, it was hard. It seemed sometimes Mr. Bennett could not +survive the shock. None of the other bodies were ever recovered. Mrs. +Bennett was a very beautiful woman with a sweet, loving disposition.</p> + + +<h3>THE KING'S RESIDENCE.</h3> + +<p>About this time King Strang decided to build a residence for himself. He +made the plans and called it the "King's Cottage." The King came to our +house asking my father to go to the harbor and help build his house. He +wanted him to do the framing, and father, not being very busy, and not +liking to refuse the King, went. Father was gone about six weeks, coming +home often to see how we were at home. He boarded at the house where +there were four wives. The King's Cottage was built very strong. A story +and a half high with a porch across the front. The wide hall went right +through the center, with massive strong doors at front and back, and +with an open stairway. On each side of the hall was a large room, two +bedrooms, hall and closets upstairs. A white picket fence about the yard +with a nice garden spot on the hillside. It was a pleasant, cosey home, +and the location was most beautiful, looking out on the harbor and Lake +Michigan. The house was in the midst of a lovely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> grove of forest trees, +maple, beach, oak and scattering evergreens. The cottage was built under +the small hill or terrace on a level flat and just a short distance from +the docks and stores. When we arrived after the Mormons had left the +island the house was in good repair. My father and mother occupied it +two years, being the first ones to live in it after Strang's death. +Strang had started a large addition to the cottage before he died, which +was much larger than the cottage itself. The addition was put at the +back of the main building, made of logs hewed on both sides, containing +eight rooms. But like the cottage itself, <ins class="correct" title="'it' added">it</ins> has gone to decay. Strang +remarked, "I am getting so many wives I have to enlarge my house."</p> + +<p>While father was there Strang invited him to dinner one day in his own +home, as he said he wanted him to see how a man could get along with +several wives. My father went and had a fine dinner, and Strang was very +gay, entertained with many jokes and stories. The four wives had very +little to say, but were smiling and pleasant and seemed very anxious to +please the King.</p> + + +<h3>THE KING'S JOKES.</h3> + +<p>Strang joked about soon adding some more wives and soon starting a +school for his own children, at which they all laughed. He talked +continually, trying to have them all know that he was the king and +having authority to rule his subjects as he pleased. When dinner was +ended they went to the new cottage, Strang and the favorite wife, the +other three women remained at home. Father said none<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> of the other women +ever came with Strang to see how the work progressed, only this one that +he most always called "Charles." Father said this young woman was very +pleasant and greatly pleased with the house. Strang seemed very +affectionate to this wife. Every pleasant day they were walking about +together. When father came home he said he was glad to be home again. +They were all very kind to him, but it seemed terrible to see people +live in that way. He told mother the women had sad faces when people saw +them at their work. When Strang came again he said to mother, "I am +going to make a Mormon of your husband and what will you do when he +brings home more wives?" Mother said "I hope that will never happen, and +if it should the women that come into my home will not have a happy +time." Strang looked at her saying, "We could find a way to make +everything agreeable in a very short time." Then he laughed, saying, "If +you were a Mormon, Mrs. Whitney, you would think differently about these +things. We believe in this doctrine and that is why we are happy." +Mother said to him, "Now you can't make me believe you are as happy as +you want us to think you are." He said no more and appeared thoughtful. +After he was gone mother said to father. "Do take us away from this +island. I am afraid of that man. No one knows what he may do yet."</p> + + +<h3>THE KING'S LAWS.</h3> + +<p>The King was very particular about the appearance of his peoples' homes. +The houses were built<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> of logs hewed on both sides and all were +whitewashed outside as well as in. Their yards were all laid out with +care and taste, with flowers and shrubs, and nice vegetable gardens at +the back, which gave all a homelike appearance. No liquor, tea, coffee +or tobacco were to be used. There were men sent out every day to see +that all refuse of fish was buried deep in the ground. He exacted a tax +from the fishermen all along the shore of ten dollars for each boat, and +as there were always a large number of boats, this added quite a little +income to the King's treasury. All paid without hard feelings, as money +was plenty and no one cared to have trouble with the King. The Bennetts +would not pay the tax. Thomas Bennett felt he had been greatly wronged +about his home, having to leave his land as his Mormon neighbors had +made it so unpleasant for them, besides he felt Strang had no right to +collect the tax from the fishermen. At any rate he refused to pay when +Strang sent his men to collect it and the feelings between them were not +very friendly.</p> + + +<h3>OUR MORMON NEIGHBORS.</h3> + +<p>The winter of 1851 my brother Lewis went to Ohio to school; my father +was very sick that winter. We had two Mormon neighbors that were very +kind to us. One was a good doctor, and he took care of father almost +constantly with help from others. The other Mormon friend was an apostle +in the church. He and his wife lived near us. He had charge of the +people that lived near the Gentile settlement. They were very nice +people. Both<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> these neighbors were very much worried about the things +Strang was preaching. The people were getting restless and divided. Many +wanted to leave the island but had no means to go with, and feared to be +punished if found trying to get away. A great many were opposed to +polygamy. Strang tried to keep his people in harmony together, but the +strife was growing every day. In the early spring Strang came to see my +father. He was very sympathetic about his being so sick. Mother told him +how kind Mr. Bower and Mr. Sinclair had been to us. He seemed greatly +pleased and asked to know if he could do anything to help.</p> + + +<h3>STRANG AND HIS FAVORITE WIFE.</h3> + +<p>When he was leaving he said to mother, "Come over to Sinclair's. My wife +is there. We have a nice baby. Come and see our baby boy." Mother took +me with her to the apostle's home. There we saw the King and his +favorite wife, Charles Douglas, and their baby. I, being fond of babies, +wanted to hold him. I sat in a little chair and the mother put the child +in my arms. The King was afraid I would let the baby fall. He never let +go the child's dress. He seemed very fond of the child, and it was plain +to be seen that this was his favorite wife. Most of the time he called +her "Charles" and sometimes Elvira. She was very sweet and seemed very +fond of her baby, yet her face seemed sad when not smiling. Her manner +was quiet and her voice low. Before we left Strang took me on his lap, +asking if I did not want to go to school. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> stammered "Yes," but mother +said she is too young yet to go to school. When we came home mother said +to father, "Don't you ever consent to send Elizabeth to the Mormon +school." Strang had remained on the island that winter.</p> + +<p>Very soon after our visit to the apostle, we were startled one morning +to hear several boats and nets had been taken by the Mormons, with many +barrels of fish from the store houses near the light-house point at the +head of the island. Some Ohio fishermen had stored their fish and other +property expecting to come back in the spring, leaving a man to look +after the property. The ice was just breaking up in the lake. The +Mormons took everything to the harbor. Our people saw them passing very +early in the morning. All were well armed and ready to resist any +interference from the Gentiles. We Gentiles were very frightened, +fearing they would take our provisions from us, as there were all sorts +of rumors. Mr. Cable had a store with a stock of all kinds of +merchandise for their spring trade. He feared they would demand the keys +and take possession of his goods. There was very little sleep for +several nights among us. Our Mormon friends who were true to us advised +us all to keep very quiet and not be seen talking with them. They kept +us posted as much as possible. The Gentiles made preparations to defend +themselves. The Mormons took the boats and nets to the north shore, +concealing them in the woods, making it appear the north shore fishermen +did the plundering. The owners of the property recovered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> the boats and +part of the nets, but never recovered any of the fish. They were sold by +the Mormons.</p> + +<p>At the harbor all was gaiety. Their theater was kept going to amuse the +people with dancing parties every week. The King made it a point to +entertain the sailors when vessels were detained by rough weather, and +they began to think Beaver Harbor was not a bad place to be +weather-bound. They found King Strang a charming entertainer. With +opening of navigation the summer people came, and our house was again +full of boarders. We had built a comfortable house, which was almost +complete. Our regular boats were calling, business had started up and we +all felt more secure from the Mormons as so many people were coming. +Fishing was good, money plenty and everybody was busy. Strang had gone +with his wife and child to attend outside affairs. The head apostle was +in charge of everything and there was much dissatisfaction among many of +his people. Several felt fear for their life, if they disobeyed the +King's command. Among these was the Apostle Sinclair.</p> + + +<h3>THE KILLING OF BENNETT.</h3> + +<p>The Bennetts were living not a great distance from us. Sam, as the +younger brother was called, had married a young lady from Detroit, a +Miss Sullivan. Thomas now boarded at his brother's home, and was still +very sad over the loss of his wife and children. I had been visiting a +week with Mrs. Bennett and returned home in the morning. In the +afternoon a message came to our house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> saying that Thomas Bennett was +dead. The Mormons had shot him. It was hard to believe, yet it was true. +The Gentiles were very much excited and sorrowful, too, as Bennett had +been a favorite with us all. Could it be possible they had killed our +friend and neighbor?</p> + +<p>My three brothers were dressed in their Sunday suits and walked to the +harbor, grandpa going with them, fearing something might happen to the +boys. Bennett had always been very fond of my brothers and they loved +him. Now, they must see him buried. It was long after dark before they +reached the harbor. A Mormon family, who had some boys about their age, +kept them all night. The next morning they went to where the body was. +It had been put in a blacksmith's shop. Dr. McCulloch opened the body to +see which of the seven bullets had proved fatal. One had pierced the +heart. The body was put in a plain pine coffin and buried without prayer +or ceremony of any kind. The grave was near the water in a little grove +of cedar trees where the sound of the waves never ceased their solemn +murmurings. When my brothers visited the grave soon after it was piled +high with great rocks, meaning that every Gentile would be served the +same unless they obeyed the king's commands.</p> + + +<h3>TO BE BROUGHT DEAD OR ALIVE.</h3> + +<p>The killing of Bennett was a threat shock to all our people, as no one +believed the Mormons would carry things so far. The Bennetts had gone +early<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> on the lake, returning before noon. While attending to their work +in their workhouse two Mormon men stepped in, demanding the tax money. +Bennett answered, "I want to see the king before I pay it." The men went +away. The Bennetts stepped out to go to their dwelling, when seven +bullets were fired at once into the body of Thomas Bennett. He dropped +dead instantly. The brother ran toward his house with his hand up to his +head. Bullets came thick and fast around him. He was shot through the +hand, shattering all his fingers on one hand. There were many shots +entered the windows. Mrs. Bennett to save her life had to go into the +cellar.</p> + +<p>The body of Bennett was put into his own boat with all the fish there +was in the fish house, which amounted to considerable money, and taking +the wounded brother with them to the harbor. There the doctor dressed +his wound. Strang always declared he never gave orders to have Bennett +killed or to be brought "dead or alive." Until the killing of Bennett we +could not believe the Mormons meant to do us bodily harm. Now all was +changed. There was no more open friendship between Mormons and Gentiles +as before. They avoided us, passing us without speaking with their heads +bent and eyes looking to the ground. They seemed a sad and silent +people.</p> + +<p>Not long after Bennett's death I saw the king coming to our house. The +very name of Strang struck a terror to my heart. I felt so afraid of +them all now. He was almost to the door, dressed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> in his black suit and +high hat, I always recognized him from the rest. I said to mother, "Oh, +where shall I go, I am so afraid of Strang?" Mother's bedstead was a +high, old-fashioned one with white curtains about it. I ran and had just +time to seat myself under it, and tried hard to pull the curtains around +me, but my feet were left sticking out from under the curtain.</p> + + +<h3>STRANG HAVING DINNER WITH US.</h3> + +<p>Strang walked in, seating himself in a chair, saying: "Good morning, +Mrs. Whitney." Mother greeted him very coolly, as she had not seen him +since Bennett's death. How my heart did beat when he asked where my +father was. Then I was sure he wanted to take me away to the harbor to +school. Mother told him father would soon be in to dinner, which she was +then preparing. Strang said: "I guess I will stay to dinner, Mrs. +Whitney, and have some of your nice baked whitefish, which I see you +have." He saw her putting it into the oven. He talked about many things +and after a little while he said, "Where is your little girl?" Then I +was sure he would take me away. I wanted to scream, but kept quiet. +Mother told him, "The child is afraid of you since you had Bennett +killed." He came over to the bed, getting down on his knees, saying, +"Come out, child; I will not hurt you. Come and sit on my lap." I drew +back. He pulled me out by the hand, taking me in his arms and sitting in +the chair he stroked my hair, saying: "I will not hurt you, child. Do +not be afraid of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> me." His voice was low and his face looked sad. I +looked at him a long time, then said: "I see blood on your head. I am +afraid of you." He put his hand to his head, passing it over his +forehead, and looking at his hand, he said: "I see no blood." He was +very pale and his face was serious. Mother explained to him that I had +heard the people say that the blood of Bennett was resting on Strang's +head. I got down from his lap and took my little chair as far as I could +from him, and holding my doll. I watched the king, fearing him so much. +He told mother he was absent when Bennett was killed. She asked him why +he was always absent when his people did the most disagreeable things. +He said: "Do not judge me too harshly. I am not responsible for the +killing of Bennett." Father and our boys soon came in with our friend, +John Goeing. Strang staid to dinner and praised our boys for being so +brave in going on the lake. He said: "My people will never learn to be +good sailors; they are too timid." Then he asked about the schooling. +Father told him John Goeing, our boarder, was teaching us.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 650px;"><a name="ill112" id="ill112"></a> +<img src="images/112.jpg" width="650" height="364" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE MORMON FEAST GROUND AT FONT LAKE, BEAVER ISLAND.</span> +</div> + +<p>Father told me in after years he had a very serious talk with Strang +that day, and the king admitted it was not right that Bennett was +killed, but said where there were people that were opposite in their +beliefs there was always trouble. Mother told him some sorrows would +come to him if he persisted to live as he was living. He smiled, saying: +"Oh, we aren't such a bad people, after all, Mrs. Whitney, and when you +become one of us you will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> think just as we do." He shook hands and was +gone. Mother said to father: "I do believe we shall have to leave here +soon or we shall be forced to become Mormons." Father assured her that +would never be.</p> + + +<h3>JOHN GOEING AND HIS DEAR OLD IRISH HOME.</h3> + +<p>John Goeing came to the island and had been with us two years. He was an +educated and refined gentleman from Ireland. His father was a rich Irish +lord. John had been disappointed in love and left his "dear old Irish +home" to come to America. From a visit to friends in Canada he had +wandered to Beaver Island, and had been with us ever since. He was a +great reader, having a box full of books. He did not work, and being +very fond of us children he took it upon himself to teach us. He +received money from home often, with the finest of broadcloth suits of +clothes with silk underwear. Every evening after the lessons were heard +John would read to us or tell us about his "old home in Erin." What +brother Charley and I loved most was to have John tell about the chase +with hounds. I liked it all except where the fox was killed by the dogs, +then I would say, "John, can't you tell some stories where the fox gets +away from the hounds?" Then he smiled, saying, "I won't have the foxes +killed any more. It makes Elizabeth feel too sorry." Then he would get +his books, saying, "Now, children, where shall we go tonight? England, +Ireland or Scotland?" Sometimes we all wanted different stories. Then he +would say, "I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> will take you to Ireland, my own native home." To me it +was fairyland to listen to John telling of the home he had left, with +its lovely green parks, graveled walks, shady bowers where his father +and mother often strolled about with their children. We could almost see +it all as he told it to us, and so often when he finished the tears +would be falling through his fingers as his head rested on his hands. +And the books, how wonderful were the places he took us to in them! He +had traveled almost everywhere and we loved best to hear about his +travels. We could understand it all better. John was like a brother to +us younger ones, and like a kind son to father and mother.</p> + + +<h3>MY BROTHER CHARLEY GOING TO OHIO.</h3> + +<p>Summer was fast slipping away. Our summer boarders were talking of home. +One of our boarders, Mr. William Hill, was anxious to take my brother +Charley home with him, put him to school and teach him the engineer's +trade. It was all talked over and settled that Charley was to go. We +children could not realize much about what it meant. My eldest brother +had been one winter with the same man. Charley was to remain with Mr. +Hill until he was twenty-one, he being past ten now. Papers were made +out and signed. Mother prepared all the clothes for her boy that was +going away to another home. I remember so well seeing the tears rolling +down her cheeks as she sewed and stitched far into the night, making the +little jackets that Charley was to wear in his far away<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> new home. She +sacrificed her own feeling that her boy might have an education, and a +good trade when he became a man. The time had now come for Charley to +go. Father and mother had grown thin and pale. The packing began. Mother +could not finish and neighbors had to come in and finish it for her.</p> + + +<h3>BROTHER LEWIS AND I WERE GOING TO OHIO WITH MR. CRANE.</h3> + +<p>Mr. Hill told her Charley could come back to see us every summer. But +somehow it seemed it never would be the same. Charley would never be +ours again. It was terrible to think about when the time came for them +to go. A letter came to Mr. Hill from his sister in Painesville, Ohio, +asking if he could not bring the little sister, meaning me, that she +would like to have a little girl to be with her two small children. She +would send me to school and I would be near my brother. Then I could +come home in the spring and go back another winter if all was agreeable. +It was at last decided that I, too, should go the last trip of the +steamer Michigan, in December.</p> + + +<h3>BROTHER CHARLEY GONE.</h3> + +<p>The steamer was at the dock. Good-byes were said. Charley was gone. The +boat steamed away, taking the first one from the home nest. It was hard +for mother to give up her boy, but she felt it was best for him. Oh, how +long the time seemed to me! No more could we wander about together.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> Our +little canoe lay idle upon the beach. There was no little brother to +help row the boat, or swing in the old swing from the big maple tree, or +chase the plovers along the shore. Our little pet dog was always +searching about for Charley. His bows and arrows were put away out of +sight. The house seemed still; it was as if some one lay dead. John felt +just as sad as any of us. Our neighbors came to cheer us, telling us we +should meet again when the spring time came.</p> + +<p>Mother still was busy getting the rest of us ready to go. Mr. Crane was +our neighbor. He came from the headlands near Fairport, Ohio. His +daughter Elizabeth came with him and her brother to be their +housekeeper. They owned a farm in Ohio. They were a large family and +money could be earned easily at the island as the fish were so plenty. +They came with several other Ohio families. Mr. Crane was coming back +next season and I could return with them. Nearly all our summer people +were gone. We had just two left and they were going on the last boat.</p> + +<p>The Mormons were now taking boats and nets every chance they got and the +Gentiles felt very unsafe. Our two Mormon friends told our people there +was great trouble among them in the Church, as Strang's laws were +becoming unbearable.</p> + +<p>The weather had changed and snow and ice were now with us, and brother +Anthony had gone to Green Bay to his uncle John Gebeau. In another week +brother Lewis and I would be gone. How often I said to John, "Now you +will be good to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> father and mother, won't you? for they will have no one +but you, and you will read to them and tell them about Ireland and your +old home."</p> + +<p>John promised all and mother told me afterward she never could have +lived through the winter only that John was so kind. He read them +stories, and being a good singer, he sang his old native songs of +Ireland. All was ready. Our trunks were packed. Mr. Crane's goods were +on the dock. Fishing had been good and those who had not had their nets +stolen were going home with money. There were about twenty families of +the Gentiles to remain all winter at the settlement at Cable's dock. The +rest went to their winter homes.</p> + +<p>I was busy bidding my little playmates farewell, as the boat was +expected every hour. At last the steamer was beside the dock. Elizabeth +Crane had packed my trunk, as mother could not do it. I had my dolls +packed and then took them out, saying to mother, "I will leave my dolls +so you can see them and you won't be so lonesome." When she could speak +she said, "Yes, leave the dolls. When I look at them I shall think you +are near." So the dolls were left in their little beds covered up with +their sheets and quilts just as I always put them to sleep. We all ate +our dinner together. It was a sad, silent meal. Mr. Crane and Elizabeth +were charged over and over again to take good care of me if I should be +sick. They promised to do all they could for me. Mr. Crane said. "I +shall take care of your child as if she were my own." I said to John. +"Now who will go to England, Ireland and Scotland with you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> these long +winter evenings?" He said, "I guess I will have to take your father and +mother with me as you children will all be gone." "Well John, be sure +you take little dog Prince and all the dolls. Don't leave them here +alone." The whistle blew, good-byes were said, mother caught me in her +arms with one last long kiss and "God bless you, my child." Mr. Crane +and Elizabeth with brother hurried to the boat, John and father coming +as the captain shouted "all aboard." Father kissed me, saying, "Be a +good girl, come home in the spring and God bless you."</p> + + +<h3>ON BOARD STEAMER MICHIGAN.</h3> + +<p>My hand slipped from his into Elizabeth's. She led me over the +gang-plank. My little dog had followed me. He put his paws upon my +shoulder and was licking the tears off my face. Father called to him, +but he would not leave me. The men carried him to father, the plank was +pulled in, the paddles turned and we steamed away with those on the dock +waving us good-by. Elizabeth took me up on deck where brother and I +stood waving as long as we could see the old home where we had all been +so happy together. We soon reached the harbor, we landed at the Point +dock to take freight. Mr. McKinley had taken his family the trip before +and gone to Ohio for the winter, his clerk taking charge of the business +in his absence. His father, grandpa McKinley as we called him, came on +board to go away for the winter. He was always so kind to us children +and we all loved him. It was Sunday, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> I noticed the Mormon women had +their washing on the line, Saturday being their Sunday.</p> + +<p>We steamed away and soon could see nothing about us, as it was snowing +and the sea was heavy. Our boat rolled and pitched about so no one could +stand upon their feet. Jane, the cabin maid, took me to her private +cabin and let me lie on her couch. As I lay there I began to realize I +was leaving my home. It was dark, the lamps were lighted and I said, "Oh +I must go home. I can't leave father and mother." Elizabeth took me to +her room, putting me in her berth. There I sobbed myself to sleep.</p> + + +<h3>AT MACKINAC ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>When I awakened we were at the dock at Mackinac Island. Everything was +white with snow. The whole island looked like white marble. The damp +snow had covered the trees. The fort on the hill looked so pretty where +the snow was on the tops of the houses and chimneys. A flag waved over +the fort. There were soldiers in their blue clothes walking up and down +the fort hill. Dogs and ponies hitched to sleds with people dressed in +fur coats, caps and mittens riding along the front street that reached +round the pretty bay. The dock was full of people. Men, women and +children nearly all speaking in French. There were a number of families +going away on the last boat to their winter homes. Elizabeth took me +ashore. We went into several stores and there I met old grandpa. I told +him I was going to see Charley. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> was so pleased to see me and +cautioned me to be careful not to fall overboard and to be sure and tell +Charley grandpa had not forgotten him. Then he gave me packages of +candy, apples and raisins. I met several that knew me, as they were so +often with us at home. We walked down to the Mission House, as mother +had told me so much about the Mission. When Mr. Ferry was there mother +had attended the Mission school for a time. We saw Robinson's Folly with +the white snow covering the rocks and trees. We then came back to the +old Mission Church, and going inside I told Elizabeth my mother had +often taken me there when I was a baby. I showed her the Dousman pew in +front where the family used to sit, my mother being adopted by Mr. and +Mrs. Dousman. We then came to the "Old Agency House" with its quaint old +chimney outside at the end, its little dormer windows in the roof. It +was now all covered with the pure white snow and every shrub around its +doors was draped in white. We passed on, going toward the Grand, many +little houses covered with cedar bark and some had cedar bark put all +around the outside, with narrow strips of wood tacked on to hold it. +Some had little square windows with four and six panes of glass with +white muslin curtains. They looked like little toy houses, but were warm +and comfortable. It was a quaint little village full of jolly, kind +hearted people whose hearts were tender and true to their neighbors.</p> + +<p>It being cold we soon went back to the boat. Our boat looked like a huge +snow bank beside the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> dock. The freight was being rolled over the plank +and all was confusion. There were handshakes and good-byes as the people +hurried over the plank. The "all aboard" was shouted, the plank was +pulled in, the paddles turned and we were moving away amid the waving of +caps and fluttering of handkerchiefs. Our whistle was saluting, and many +of the people on the dock joined in one of the old French-Canadian glee +or boat songs, their voices sounding far out over the waters as we +passed Round Island.</p> + + +<h3>ON LAKE HURON.</h3> + +<p>For a short time we watched the white island covered with snow. It soon +set in thick again and the snow came down in blinding sheets with a cold +wind. Our boat rocked and tumbled about. We were now out on Lake Huron +in a heavy snow storm. Our captain and sailors were dressed in their +warm fur coats. Every turn of the paddies was taking me farther from +home, and soon such a longing came over me which I could not shake off. +I wanted to go home. Elizabeth and my brother tried their best to +comfort me, telling me I was going to see brother Charley; but nothing +could make me feel better. Brother tried to have me eat something, but I +could not. My chin quivered, I tried so hard not to cry, I ran to my +room, throwing myself on my bed, trying hard to keep the tears back. +Soon Mr. Crane came with a big doll he bought for me at Mackinac Island +and grandpa McKinley came to see me, taking me in his arms <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span>and rocking +me in one of Jane's chairs. I was very glad to see him. He was a dear +white haired old man. He told me some droll stories that made me laugh. +Then I told him I was going to see my brother Charley and that I was +homesick, and if I didn't get better soon I was going to ask the captain +to turn the boat and take me back to Beaver Island.</p> + +<p>The storm grew worse, the seas ran higher, the snow was blinding and all +things had to be made secure on the boat. No one but the sailors could +walk about. Any that tried would be thrown down. The only way they could +move about was to creep on their hands and knees. Sometimes our boat was +high on the waves, when it seemed every timber in her would be broken. +She trembled and then sank way down, where it seemed we would be buried +in the foaming waters.</p> + + +<h3>CROSSING SAGINAW BAY.</h3> + +<p>We were now crossing Saginaw Bay in a blinding snow storm. The whistle +was blowing almost constantly, and once we heard another quite close to +us. Women and children were crying in their state-rooms, others were +groaning in fear and sickness. Our boat was creaking and tossing, +sometimes on her side, when it seemed she would never rise again. +Sailors were running on the deck and orders were shouted by the captain. +Water was splashing into the cabins, glass was broken from the windows, +and cabin boys were hurrying about nailing up blankets. Dishes were +smashing as they fell from the lockers. Cabin doors could not be shut,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +our boat was twisted, and it seemed she could not last much longer she +settled and trembled so at times, and then the great waves dashed all +over her.</p> + + +<h3>PRAYING FOR THE STORM TO CEASE.</h3> + +<p>Our blankets were wet by water coming in upon us as Elizabeth and I lay +in our berth with our hands tightly clasped in each others. She had been +telling me about her home, mother, sisters and brothers. How they were +waiting and watching for them to come home, saying, "I know my mother is +praying for us." Then I said, "And we must pray, pray awful hard, +because my father, mother and John said if I was in trouble God would +hear me and help me, and I guess I will pray for our boat to be saved." +Elizabeth said, "Yes child, pray for us all." And I am sure God heard +the feeble prayer I made as I told him how sorry everybody would be if +our dear old Michigan steamboat went down. I felt no fear through all +the storm. I said to Elizabeth, "Now we must go to sleep." She kissed +me, saying, "Dear child, what a comfort you are to me." We were cold and +wet in our berths and now the boat seemed pitching and tossing another +way. Her head would go down so far it seemed she would pitch over head +first. Many were screaming in the cabins. Mr. Crane with my brother and +William were on the cabin floor near our door. Our door had to be tied +back to keep from slamming. My brother had the life preservers ready and +some had already put them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> on. Oh the praying and the screaming was +terrible; but in the midst of all I went sound to sleep. When I awoke +our boat was still. We had weathered the gale.</p> + + +<h3>AT PRESQUE ISLE DOCK.</h3> + +<p>There was tramping of feet and scraping of shovels. I was sure we had +run aground. Brother soon told us we were safe at Presque Isle dock. Oh +how glad we felt! Brother said hurry and dress so you can get out on +deck and look at our boat. She is a sight to look at. We were soon on +the dock looking at our boat covered with snow and ice. One could never +have imagined it was a boat that lay there. It was like a big ice berg. +Her spar was so covered with ice it looked like a great tree. Our boat +was a side wheel steamer with a walking beam. Capt. Newberry was owner +and master. He said to his mates, "Boys, when this old steamer of ours +can weather such a gale she can go through anything." People came +running down to the dock to see the steamer as the news spread. We laid +there two days and nights to clear the snow and ice off and make some +repairs so she could go to Buffalo to lay up for the winter. Brother +Lewis said he could not tell how many barrels of salt were used on that +trip to keep the boat from sinking with ice. Our ears were tired hearing +the shovels scraping the snow and ice for the rest of the trip.</p> + + +<h3>AT DETROIT AND CLEVELAND.</h3> + +<p>Our passengers began to feel better that the great storm was over and +again we were moving.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> Many were to leave the boat at Detroit, as some +were to cross over to the Canada side. At Detroit we remained for some +time, our Captain's home being there. Mr. Crane, Elizabeth, William, +Lewis and I went ashore. Mr. Crane bought me some red morocco shoes and +a pretty red silk hood to match my red cloak. We had not many passengers +after we left Detroit, and again the sea was rough with a heavy rain +storm. When we reached Cleveland we again went ashore, walking about the +city all morning, and in the afternoon Mr. Crane took a carriage and we +drove about the city, seeing many handsome residences, but they could +not get me to say anything I saw was nicer to me than my island home. +That night there was a gale on Lake Erie so our boat laid in port. I was +still homesick and the tears would come often, though I tried to keep +them back. My brother Lewis was to leave us here at Cleveland, as this +was where he was going to school. After he left us I was very lonely.</p> + + +<h3>TRYING TO BE HAPPY.</h3> + +<p>Elizabeth said. "Now my dear child you must have patience. Spring will +soon be here and we will take you home again. So now, have patience." +All day long after she talked to me I kept repeating every little while. +"Patience, patience; have patience." I did not know its meaning. At last +I asked her what it meant. She tried to explain to me it meant not to +worry, not to fret, to be quiet and wait, try to be happy, sing when I +wanted to cry, and be cheerful and not give up to sadness. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> repeated +many times what she said to me and promised to do the best I could. How +much I needed that lesson before my face was again turned homeward! I +did not cry any more. I told Elizabeth my heart was getting too big and +I was sure it would burst. When I felt so bad and it was hard to keep +the tears back I took my doll Jane (I had named her after the dear, kind +cabin maid) in my arms, rocking and singing some of my old French songs +my mother had taught me. When Elizabeth looked at me I said, "Now I am +getting patience." Soon the captain came in, saying, "Is this the little +girl that is homesick?" I said, "Oh no, I'm not homesick any more. I +have got patience." He laughed heartily. Elizabeth explained to him what +I meant. He said, "No don't you get homesick any more. I will take you +home next April on this old steamboat of mine. So get all the patience +you can."</p> + + +<h3>ON THE HEADLANDS.</h3> + +<p>At nine o'clock that evening we reached Fairport. It had been raining +hard and the night was dark. We were ready to leave the boat. Jane, the +cabin maid kissed me many times, saying, "Now my dear child try not to +be homesick and we hope to meet you in the spring and take you home with +us." We stepped ashore, it seemed to me the dock was moving from under +us, we had been over a week on the boat. Elizabeth was soon with her +brothers and sisters who had come to meet her. She took my hand saying, +"This is my little friend, Eliza<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>beth Whitney." They gave me a hearty +welcome and I knew I was among friends. We hurried to the hotel kept by +Mrs. Root in Fairport, where we remained all night. Next morning after +breakfast we crossed over the river on the scow ferry, where we were met +by Mr. Crane's carriage and we drove to their home on the Headlands. +There Mrs. Crane was standing in her door to meet her husband and +children. After all had greeted their father and mother, Mrs. Crane with +the rest of the family gave me a kind welcome and I felt quite happy +with them. Their nearest neighbor was Mr. Alexander Snell. He had been +to Beaver Island and knew my parents. Mrs. Snell and everybody was very +kind to the little "Island Girl," as I was called. Her sister, Mrs. +Wright, was our neighbor at home. Mr. Crane's youngest child was a girl +of five years, and a boy named Charley eight, so we children had great +fun hunting hen's eggs in the big barn.</p> + +<p>After one week one bright morning Mr. Crane took me in the carriage to +Painesville to my new home. We crossed the Grand river at Fairport, then +took the old plank road to Painesville. How the horses' hoofs did +clatter as we drove on a fast trot! We stopped at the turn of the road, +where Mr. Crane had two sisters living. Their house was on a pretty +knoll on the right as we drove into Painesville. We had dinner with Mrs. +Matthews. The other sister was a maiden lady called by the children +"Aunt Margaret." They were all very kind to me.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IN MY NEW HOME.</h3> + +<p>After dinner we drove into Painesville up to the cottage door to my new +home. The lady came to the door and knew at once I was the little girl +she expected and said, "Come in." We stepped inside, Mr. Crane saying, +"I have brought you this child as you directed me in your letter. Her +father has put her in my care and I am responsible for her. If you do +not like to keep her this winter I shall take her home with me. If you +do take her and at any time don't want her, let me know. I shall come +once every week to see her until I go back to the island, and of course +you know she is to go back to her home with me unless she wants to stay +and you want to keep her." The lady said, "Yes you have said just as my +letter to her father reads." She looked at me, then turning to Mr. Crane +she said, "She is so small she won't be able to help me much." Mr. Crane +said, "Why you said in your letter you wanted her for company and to do +little errands and chores for you and be with your children." "Yes," the +lady said, "But I shall expect her to help me some." Mr. Crane told her, +"You promised to send the child to school and I have money from her +father to buy her books." The lady said, "Oh I know we shall like her." +Then Mr. Crane handed her the money for my books, saying, "She has +clothes enough. If there is anything more needed let me know." He gave +her his address and went out to bring my trunk. He said, "Now my dear +child, I hope you will be happy in your new<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> home. I will come every +week to see you." Turning to Mrs. Shepard, he said, "If this child gets +sick let me know." He bent down and kissed me, the tears falling fast +from his eyes, he bowed to Mrs. Shepard and hurried away.</p> + +<p>The last link that reminded me of my island home was gone. Oh it was +terrible! I tried to run after him to call him back. I wanted to say +come back, come back and take me to your home. I could not speak, I +could not move, never while life lasts can I forget how I felt when I +saw Mr. Crane driving away in the carriage. I was among entire strangers +in a strange land. A child of seven and a half years of age. The lady +said, "Come to the fire you must be cold." She then took my cloak and +hood. I sat down in a little chair. She went about the house at her +work, never speaking to me. All was silent and quiet. In a little while +the two little children, one a boy of three, the other a year old, just +walking, came to me. The oldest brought me some toys and put in my +hands, never speaking. Then the youngest came and put his little face up +to mine. I kissed him, which seemed to please him, and soon I took him +on my lap, where he soon fell asleep, while the other child was sitting +quietly beside me on the floor playing with his toys. The lady took the +child and laid him on the bed saying. "Do you like children?" I +answered. "Yes Ma'm." It was the first word I had spoken since I entered +the house. She took her sewing and never spoke. Oh how long the time +seemed! I cannot tell how I felt. No tears<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> would come to give me +relief. At last she put her sewing away and began the supper. Then the +lights were lit; the baby had wakened and I again took him in my arms. +The other child stood close beside me.</p> + + +<h3>MR. MILTON A. SHEPARD.</h3> + +<p>Soon the door opened and a man came in. The children cried, "Papa." He +kissed the children saying, "Who is this little girl?" His wife told +him, "This is the little island girl we expected." He took my hand, +saying. "I am glad to see you. But wife what a little midget she is." He +was a kind looking man with black hair and eyes. Supper was on the +table. I was placed near the children. I tried to eat, but I could not +swallow. The food stuck in my throat. Mr. Shepard noticed I did not eat, +so he asked me if I would like some milk. I answered, "Yes, sir." Mrs. +Shepard told him there was none only what the children had. I said, +"Never mind," but little Henry gave me his cup full. I managed to drink +it. When the meal was over I asked if I should do the dishes. "Not +tonight, but tomorrow," she said. Mr. Shepard asked me a few questions +about my island home, which was the only time in all my stay that my +home or my parents were ever mentioned to me.</p> + + +<h3>HOMESICK.</h3> + +<p>I was put to bed upstairs alone in a room. The first time in my life I +was ever alone at night, but I was not afraid, only homesick. I took my +doll Jane in my arms, saying my prayers I went to bed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> but not to +sleep. My thoughts went back to my home on the island. I could see my +pets, father, mother and John sitting around the table, mother sewing, +John reading, and the tears would come in spite of all my efforts to +keep them back. Then I thought about what Elizabeth said to me that I +must have patience, yes I must not cry and I would soon see brother +Charley. I would ask Mr. Shepard in the morning about my brother. Then I +whispered so low to Jane, telling her it was naughty to cry and +complain, and that we must pray God to help us, asking her if she had +forgotten the big storm when we were on the lake. In talking to my doll +I fell asleep and only awoke when Mr. Shepard was building the fire in +the morning. I was soon dressed and was down stairs, where I began +dressing the children, and always after that I took care of them. The +dear children, how they loved me and I loved them! Never once were they +cross to me, and I hope I never was to them. Of course I could not comb +my hair. It was long and heavy. Mrs. Shepard did it for me. I helped her +with the dishes and soon learned how she did her work. She was very neat +and her home was always in order. By standing on a little stool I could +reach the dishes on the pantry shelves and soon could do the dishes +alone and help about the other work.</p> + + +<h3>GOING TO SCHOOL IN THE LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE.</h3> + +<p>The next week I was sent to school in the little red school house. Miss +Elizabeth Crawford was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> my teacher. She and her mother lived near the +school house in a little vine covered cottage. I was very happy in +school. Mr. Shepard heard my lessons in the evenings so he could see +what progress I made. Mr. and Mrs. Shepard had both been teachers. The +Christmas time was saddest for me, for then I missed my home the most.</p> + + +<h3>MEETING BROTHER CHARLEY.</h3> + +<p>I was in Painesville over a month before I saw my brother Charley. He +came one day and staid to dinner. I could scarcely believe it was he, he +had grown so tall and seemed such a little man. After dinner we took the +children on the sled and went to Mr. Shepard's shop where he made the +wagons. Then we went down the bank to the river. At four o'clock he must +start for home. I wanted him to stay all night, but he said he could +not. The time came all too soon for him to go and with many promises to +come again we bade good-by and he was gone. For days afterward I +wondered "had I dreamed he was there or was it a reality." I never saw +him again while I remained.</p> + +<p>One morning soon after when Mrs. Shepard was combing my hair she took +the shears and cut it off short. My heart was broken. She said, "I can't +be troubled with your long hair every morning." Mr. Shepard was sorry, +but said, "Never mind, it will grow again," which comforted me because I +feared it would always be short like the Mormon women's hair. Mrs. +Shepard had a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> niece boarding with her. She liked to tease me, telling +me it would never grow again.</p> + +<p>Every Sabbath I went to church and always had my verse learned for my +Sabbath school teacher. One morning on my way to school I met Mr. Peter +McKinley. He lived in a large house near our school. He was very glad to +see me. To me it seemed like seeing some one from home. Mr. Crane came +every week to see me, but I never saw him. Sometimes I was at school, +twice I was in the house upstairs with the children but never knew he +was there until he was gone. Spring was drawing near and I wondered if I +ever would see Mr. Crane and go home.</p> + +<p>One day Mr. and Mrs. Shepard left home and went to Willoughby. Her niece +kept house and I helped her take care of the children. They were gone +two days. The front door was always locked and I was told not to go to +the door if anyone came. Once when I was on the street I saw Elizabeth +Crane and her sister driving. They knew me and I knew them, but they +were out of sight so quick I had not time to speak to them. Mr. and Mrs. +Shepard came home. They began to pack their goods. Once I said, "Are you +going away?" She said, "Yes, we are going to move to Willoughby."</p> + + +<h3>A CHILD'S PRAYER.</h3> + +<p>All that night I lay awake. I knew then they intended to move and take +me with them, and then I would never see my father and mother again.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> My +heart was heavy, and all night I kept praying that God would help me to +go to my own home. Mrs. Shepard had a sister living near, and next day I +went to her, telling her I had not seen Mr. Crane and I feared I was to +be taken away to another place and would never see my people again. She +was a dear, kind lady, and she said, "I will see my sister about this," +and she came right home with me. She talked with her sister for a long +time. I did not hear their conversation, only I saw Mrs. Shepard was +displeased. When Mrs. Robinson left she kissed me. I saw tears in her +eyes. She had been so kind to me all winter. It was the one bright spot +in that winter's life for me. The next morning we were to start for +Willoughby. As I went to my room my heart was heavy with trouble. I took +my doll Jane, telling her my sorrows and fears, but somehow Jane could +not comfort me. I said to her, "It is because you don't know anything +about my people. You have never been to Beaver Island." The moon was +shining bright into my room. I lay a long time thinking and saying, "Oh, +what shall I do!" I got out of bed and knelt beside it praying as I had +never prayed before. I told God all about my sorrows, saying, "Oh won't +you help me and take me home to my father?" My heart felt lighter. With +Jane in my arms I lay me down to sleep and never wakened until Mr. +Shepard called. We hurried our breakfast. Mrs. Shepard appeared nervous. +My heart felt lighter than it had for many a day and I kept listening +for carriage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> wheels which I felt sure would come. One load of goods had +gone to the depot, the dray had just left the door with another and +there were just a few things left for the last load. Our wraps lay on a +chair.</p> + + +<h3>A CHILD'S PRAYER ANSWERED.</h3> + +<p>Mr. Shepard had gone to the postoffice. A carriage drove up and stopped +before our door. A lady came quickly in. I looked and saw it was Aunt +Margaret, Mr. Crane's sister. I threw my arms about her, saying, "I am +so glad to see you. Will you take me home?" She said, "Do you want to +go?" "Yes, I want to go." She turned to Mrs. Shepard saying, "I see you +are moving. I am Mr. Crane's sister. He was not able to see this child +this winter. He sent me as the time is drawing near when my brother +returns to the Island. He promised this child's father to bring her back +if she wants to go." Mrs. Shepard told her she would have no +interference and would keep me. "No," said Aunt Margaret, "Your letter +reads the child could go home and come again if all was agreeable. And +she says she wants to go and I shall take her. Elizabeth get your things +on." I just flew I got my trunk, the lady putting it into the carriage. +I was following her when Mrs. Shepard said, "Child aren't you going to +kiss me and the children?" I put my arms about her neck, kissing her and +caught the children in my arms with a hug and a kiss, then ran to the +carriage.</p> + +<p>Aunt Margaret lifted me to the seat, took the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> lines, and our horse just +flew down the plank road till we arrived at Mrs. Matthews, where Mr. +Crane was waiting for us. He came, saying, "Dear child how I have +worried about you. When I saw I could never get to see you I sent sister +Margaret and now you can go home on the steamboat Michigan." Oh what a +happy child I was! All the sad, gloomy, lonesome days were forgotten. I +was going home. Home to my father and mother. Going to my island home.</p> + +<p>We soon started for the Headlands once again. The horses' hoofs +clattered over the road to Fairport. We crossed the river, and in a +short time were at Mr. Crane's house, where all the family met me with +greetings of love. I entered school; Miss Marion Brooks was my teacher. +I was at the Headlands three weeks when a letter came from the Captain +of the steamboat Michigan to be ready at a certain date to meet the boat +at Fairport. Mr. Crane made preparations, and on the date mentioned in +the letter we were all in Fairport to take the steamboat. My brother had +come from Cleveland.</p> + + +<h3>HOMEWARD BOUND ON STEAMBOAT MICHIGAN.</h3> + +<p>How my heart swelled with joy when I heard the Michigan's whistle and +saw the steamer nearing the dock. Mr. Crane's people were sad to have +them go, but all was ready, good-byes were said and again the old +familiar sound of "all aboard" was heard. We stepped upon the +gang-plank. Jane met us with her pleasant greetings, lines were cast<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +off, our boat was moving, we steamed out upon the waters of Lake Erie +with many blocks of floating ice about us, and the sea gulls were again +soaring high above us, uttering their shrill cries, as if they, too, +were glad to have the spring time come. We reached Cleveland, where +several families took passage for the island, some of whom were our +boarders of the year before. At Detroit more came on board. Among the +rest Mr. and Mrs. Loaney. They had been to Toronto, Canada, for the +winter. There were many fishermen returning to the island on this first +trip. More would follow later. The weather was fair. Our steamer had +been repaired since that terrible trip in December.</p> + +<p>The Captain said to me, "Little girl did you get lots of patience this +winter?" At first I could not remember what he meant. Then it flashed +through my mind and I answered, "Yes sir." He said, "Well child, I told +you this old steamboat would carry you home and now you will soon be +there." Jane was glad to see us all again, the tears ran down her face +when I told her how homesick I was and what a comfort my Jane had been +to me. It was pleasant enough for us to be on deck after we left +Detroit. We stopped at almost every port. Lake Huron was calm and quiet +this time with just a ripple on Saginaw Bay, but we could feel the +motion of big swells, which sent many to their state rooms.</p> + + +<h3>AT MACKINAC ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>We passed Bois Blanc, and were soon at the dock at Mackinac Island. This +time green trees<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> greeted our view, but the white fort on the hill with +the flag waving over it looked just the same. The people were all out to +greet the first steamboat of the season, it being sometime about the +middle of April, 1852, old grandpa being among the rest. He was glad to +see us, but sorry Charley was not among us. Again we walked the streets +and climbed to the fort. The grass was springing up in the yards, and +all nature told us spring had come. There were happy, cheerful smiles on +people's faces, children were playing in the sunshine.</p> + +<p>We had now left the dock and again there was waving and singing on the +dock to cheer us on our way. Our boat moved out past Round Island. There +were great blocks of drifting ice on every side. Near the little island +of St. Helena we almost stopped to keep clear of the ice. We steamed +past Hog Island, with little Hat Island looking white with ice packed +about it. Over to the northward was all ice, which had not yet broken to +drift. We soon were at the McKinley dock at the harbor; freight was +taken on for Green Bay, again the "all aboard" was called and we steamed +along past Big Sand Bay. We could see all the little homes that would +soon be occupied by summer people.</p> + + +<h3>HOME AGAIN.</h3> + +<p>Brother and I saw our home, with father, mother and John standing in the +door. We waved to them; they saw and answered. Our boat was landed; +father and John were there to meet us with other friends. I could +scarcely wait for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> gang plank to be put out. Ah well, the home +coming was almost worth the waiting for. As soon as I had greeted father +and John I ran up the dock for home, my little dog chasing after me. I +met Mr. Cable hurrying down. As I ran past without stopping, he said, +"Aren't you going to shake hands?" "Oh yes, but I am in such a hurry to +get home," I answered. Oh the joy to be once more at home! I took both +hands and dashed the water up into my face as I ran along the shore to +our house. The sound of the waves seemed welcoming me home. I looked +back once toward the boat and saw father with Elizabeth and the rest +coming. I ran almost breathless into the house saying, "Mother I have +come home." She hurried toward me saying. "Charley." Then she caught at +the back of a chair. Her face was so pale I thought she would fall, and +I gave her water to drink. She kissed me with her eyes full of tears. I +whispered, "No, Charley has not come."</p> + +<p>The rest came in. Mr. Crane's people were to stay with us until their +house was ready. We were a happy family around our table at supper time.</p> + +<p>I was now home and yet there was a sadness about it. We were not all +together as we once had been. Father and mother had grown thin and pale. +John said he could never tell how much we children had been missed. He +had read his books, sung his songs and told his stories to pass away the +winter evenings, and they had all worried much about the Michigan, +knowing that we were out in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> that terrible storm when we left in the +fall. I was busy for a few days visiting our neighbors and telling them +about my trip and where I had been. My little friend Rose and her mother +were glad to see me, as I could tell them about their people on the +Headlands. Their Aunt Mary Snell and Cousins Andrus, Alva and the rest. +There was a sweet little babe at Cable's. They called her Cora, and I +was so glad, because now I could help take care of her. Somehow life had +changed. Before going away the world did not seem to reach out very far +beyond our island home, now it began to seem like a great big world to +me, and many were the questions I asked John, which he was always glad +to answer. Once I said, "John were you ever homesick?" After a minute he +answered, "Yes, sometimes." I said, "I know what homesick means now."</p> + + +<h3>A MOTHER'S LONGING TO SEE HER BOY.</h3> + +<p>Though life was busy with us, we missed Charley. Brother Anthony had +returned from Green Bay, being delighted with his school, his uncle and +aunt were so kind to him. One evening I went to the beach to sit beside +the water. I wanted to hear its soft low whisperings again. I was not +there long before I heard some one sobbing. I turned and mother was +beside me. She said, "I came to look for you and I was thinking that +perhaps Charley may never come home." She sat beside me silent for a +time and then said, "Now we must not spend our time in sorrow. Sometime<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +Charley may come." And she told me how anxious she was about a sick +neighbor she was caring for, saying, "I shall depend on you, Elizabeth, +to help me, and I want you to be careful never to repeat anything we +talk about. There is much trouble among the Mormons themselves. Strang +has been gone all winter, and some of the apostles refuse to obey the +laws of polygamy. There are spies all about us and the Mormons are not +our friends any more." I promised her I would be careful. She said, "Mr. +Sinclair is afraid of his life, as he knows he may be made an example of +for refusing to obey Strang's laws. I have many things to think about +and do for this sick woman. And I want to tell you something else. +Elizabeth Crane is going to be married in June. Charles Angel will come +after her. Then her home will be in Saginaw and her sister Jennie will +come in her place to keep house for her father. So now do not worry +Elizabeth about anything, for she has lots of sewing and we must help +her all we can."</p> + +<p>Life was busy; our summer people were with us. Elizabeth Crane had left +us never to return. Mr. Angel and she were married at Mackinac Island. +When the boat came back her sister Jennie, a beautiful girl of nineteen, +came to remain until fall, when she, too, married Mr. James Corlette of +the Headlands. Mr. Crane, with others, left the island early in +September, as the Mormons had taken every boat along the shore below +Cable's dock, with the nets from the lake and fish from their fish +houses. They left the island, never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> coming back again, just a few +months before we, too, were obliged to leave or become Mormons.</p> + + +<h3>MENOMINEE INDIAN FAMILY.</h3> + +<p>Sometime in June there came a canoe of Indians to our shore. They made +their camp near us. Mother went to see them. When she came home she told +us they were Menominee Indians come to fish for a time. They had been +over to Cross Village visiting some friends. Their home was in Green Bay +county. There were two small children, the Indian and his wife. The +Indian woman was a pretty woman with jet black hair cut straight across +the forehead, this being the fashion with Menominee squaws. Their wigwam +was always nice and clean. She was a nice sewer, piecing pretty bed +quilts, which always looked clean. Often when mother got in a hurry with +her work she hired the Indian woman to scrub and wash, and other times +to do some sewing. She was always smiling, showing her pretty white +teeth.</p> + +<p>One morning when I awoke I found father and Mr. Dora, a neighbor, had +gone to Mackinac Island. They were gone about three days. When they came +home father had clothing for mother which Mr. Cable did not keep in his +store. Among the rest was a great quantity of bright colored glass beads +and many yards of colored ribbon, which she put away in her trunk, +saying to me, "Do not speak about what I have put away." Mother and the +Indian woman were often together speaking softly, so I never knew what +they said.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> Mother seemed anxious, and the Indian woman also seemed +quiet and thoughtful.</p> + +<p>Soon after father's return mother said to me, "Elizabeth I want you to +let all your other work alone and string beads for me." I was delighted, +for if there was anything I loved to do it was to string the pretty +colored beads. So I began at once, each color on a strong thread. After +stringing a great quantity in this way, then I made many strings in +different colors, mixing the beads. As much as I enjoyed it I got very +tired, and whenever I went to the camp the little Indian children were +stringing beads and their mother was sewing, making deerskin moccasins, +on which she sewed the beads, which were so pretty when finished. She +made many pairs of them. Sometimes the Indian woman came to our house, +helping mother and me to string the beads, which she did so fast, and +talked so pleasantly in her own language, mother speaking her language +as well as the other tribes' that lived around us. There were several +camps of Chippewa Indians that lived along the shore that helped the +fishermen clean their fish, and the women made oil from the fish refuse +which sold for one dollar a gallon or more, according to quality. Most +of these Indians came from Garden Island.</p> + + +<h3>THE ROBBERS' DEN.</h3> + +<p>Our Mormon friends who used to come to our house did not come any more. +There were two who sometimes came in a few minutes, but never +re<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>mained long. Everybody was anxious to know what the king would do +about his people when he came back. Many of the Mormons believed Strang +would take no notice of the refusal of some of his elders to practice +polygamy, while others thought that the man who hoped to have Strang's +place would influence him to make them suffer the penalty, which the +Mormons themselves told us was death, this elder contending severe +measures was the only way to enforce obedience to the law.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 650px;"><a name="ill146" id="ill146"></a> +<img src="images/146.jpg" width="650" height="363" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE KING'S HIGHWAY. BEAVER ISLAND.</span> +</div> + +<p>Having already organized a band of forty thieves, these men were being +trained to go out and do all the robbing from the Gentiles they saw fit +to do. The two men who headed the band were brothers and were large and +powerful men, Isaac and John Pierce. They were well suited to do such +work. The place they chose to secrete their stolen goods was a long +point at the lower end of Beaver Island, distant about three miles from +the harbor. This place was called by them "Rocky Mountain Point." Being +an out-of-the-way place they would not be seen secreting much of their +plunder.</p> + + +<h3>WAKING AND SEEING INDIANS IN MY ROOM.</h3> + +<p>One night I was awakened out of a sound sleep by hearing footsteps in +the room. I opened my eyes and saw mother with the Indian woman and +another woman going up stairs. I waited sometime for them to come down, +but fell asleep before they came. I was awakened again. There was a very +dim light in the room. I saw a tall Indian who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> seemed to walk about +very feeble as if sick. His black hair was pulled over his eyes and he +held his hand up as if to shade his eyes from any light. There were two +Indian women in the room, one the Menominee woman, the other was a +stranger but she wore her hair cut across the forehead. She seemed young +and was dressed very beautifully. Her moccasins were trimmed with pretty +beads, and many strings of bright colored beads were about her neck, and +I thought she must be a princess, the daughter of a chief. She and the +Indian walked about the room several times, while mother and the +Menominee woman spoke to them in their language, they answering in the +same. I saw father nod and smile, at which they all took up parcels and +small bundles from the table and walked out in single file.</p> + + +<h3>DEPARTURE OF THE INDIANS.</h3> + +<p>I waited some little time, and hearing nothing I got frightened, +thinking father and mother had gone away and left me, I got up, ran out +of doors and met mother. She took a blanket from my bed, saying, "Come +Elizabeth and see the Menominee Indians, they are going away. They must +go home and see to their crops and cannot stay here any longer." I said, +"Where did the other two come from?" She made a quick motion, putting +her hand over her mouth, which I understood was to be silent and ask no +questions. We were both speaking in French. I followed her to the beach, +where a large birch bark canoe was packed. I saw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> four little children +packed away Indian fashion, each had a little black puppy dog in his +arms. The tall sick Indian got in first, seating himself and smoking his +pipe, then the young Indian woman followed, then the Indian and his +wife. There were many "bou shou's" (good-byes) spoken in subdued tones. +The Indian and his wife took the paddles, father gave one hard push and +away sped the bark canoe over the blue water. The sky was just getting +red in the east, little birds were twittering in the branches of the +trees, we all stood watching the fast receding canoe, which soon looked +a speck upon the water. I ran to the house and crept into bed, and when +I awakened the sun was high. I asked mother where the Indians were now; +she answered. "They are far away." All day she seemed cheerful, and I +heard her sing for the first time since I came home from Ohio. I +wandered down to the Indian camp and all I saw was just a few marks +where the wigwams had stood. No rubbish was lying about. They had +vanished as if they had never been. Surely "They had folded their tents +like the Arabs and as silently stole away."</p> + + +<h3>THE APOSTLE AND HIS FAMILY AMONG THE INDIANS.</h3> + +<p>It was eight years afterward when I learned just who it was that stole +away on that quiet morning in the bark canoe. I was living for a short +time in the Green Bay country. I was invited out one afternoon to a +quilting party. The men were to come for supper and a lady was to play +for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> us on the violin, she being an accomplished musician. She had come +there from Baltimore for her health. As we sat at our quilting in the +afternoon, one of the women asked the lady of the house why it was they +had settled there near the Menominee Indian reservation, and if they +were not afraid to be killed sometime by the Indians. Then the lady of +the house explained and told her story of how her husband, herself and +children had been saved by one family of these Indians with the help of +a white family, and this was why her husband was devoting his time to +preaching among the Indians. I, being a stranger in the place, had not +met this family before, but had been invited to their home with others. +Before she had finished I seemed to understand it all. I knew now what +all the beads and bright colored ribbons were used for and I knew who +the tall sick Indian was with the pretty young Indian woman and the two +little children with the others in the canoe. When I made myself known +to the lady and her family they were overjoyed to see me. I met them +several times afterward, and she told me how they crossed over to the +north shore and kept along close to the shore, camping many times where +the Indian and his wife set their net and caught all the fish they +needed to eat, all the time teaching them to speak their language. They +did not go direct to the Indian settlement until fall, then her husband +concluded to settle among them and act as a missionary to them. Never +very strong in health he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> grown stronger in the open air life. Their +children were educated at Green Bay.</p> + +<p>I will try to tell just a little of this woman's story. Of how they came +to Beaver Island with many others, and how they got away from the Island +after much sorrow.</p> + + +<h3>THE APOSTLE'S WIFE'S STORY.</h3> + +<p>Our home was in a small town in New Jersey. We had a little farm and +were very comfortable. It was spring time, our crops were planted and +growing. It was told us one day two men had asked for our little church +to hold a meeting in for a couple of evenings and the whole neighborhood +was invited to attend. My husband being an elder in our little church +we, with many other neighbors went to hear the men speak. They were both +good talkers and we were all greatly interested. They continued the +meetings a week and we all became so interested they were invited to +remain longer. One claimed to be a minister, the other an elder. They +told a great deal about the Land of Promise they had found. My husband's +two brothers were ready to join and prevailed upon my husband to come +with them. About thirty were ready to follow the new preaching. They +left us to go to other parts and told us to be ready at a certain time, +when they would come back and take us with them. We sold our little farm +and stock at a great sacrifice, keeping only our bedding and clothing, +as they told us it was a long journey. We waited for them to come until +November and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> had almost given up in despair, when one day they came. +When we started there were twenty-five grown people with their children. +We had two small children, twins, a boy and a girl. Our hopes were high, +we were going westward they told us. We took a steamboat at Buffalo, as +they told us no railroad had yet been built to reach there. The trip was +hard, cold and tedious. Not one of us had ever been on the water before. +We were afraid and we were all sick, but we stood it as bravely as +possible and hoped for better times.</p> + +<p>It was a dark, stormy night when we landed. Snow was falling. We were a +cold, shivering company as we stumbled along up the dock. We were taken +into a house, where we soon had a warm supper and were told we could +sleep on the floor if we had bedding of our own, as their beds were all +full. We made our beds and found it very cold, as doors were opening and +shutting until almost morning. We were all put into one large room which +was very bare of furniture. Children cried and there was not very much +sleep. At the first peep of day most of us were up to take our first +look at the Promised Land. At first we tried to look out of the windows, +but they were steamed and frosty and we could not see. We then went out +of doors. Our first glance was out on the cold, rough water of a little +harbor, as they called it, and never shall I forget the lonely feeling +that came over me. All was silent but the sound of the waves that washed +upon the shore. What little ground was visible where the snow had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +drifted was all bare white sand. There were many pretty evergreen trees +back a short distance from the water. There being few houses visible we +were told the houses and farms were farther back in the country. We were +called to breakfast, and when it was finished we were told we could go +to the King's house, which was pointed out to us, and he would direct us +what to do next. "The King's House." What did they mean? We had never +heard of any king. They said, "You will soon know. We are ruled by a +king who has revelations direct from God. There are twelve apostles to +rule with him, and out of this company of people he will choose four +more which are needed." Our surprise was great. We were anxious to know +all, so were taken to the King's house. He met us very kindly and +explained many things to us. He talked considerable about his +revelations and what he hoped to do for his people. His manner was very +captivating, and we all felt much encouraged after he had talked with +us. We were all divided up among the other families on the island until +we could build our homes. We were there over a week before we knew for +certain we were on an island. To me it was a terrible shock but we had +no time to think much about it only what we should do to provide shelter +for the long winter. The King soon left to go travelling for the winter +to bring more converts in the spring.</p> + +<p>It so happened the home we went to live in the people kept a boarding +house and I soon found to my horror the man had four wives, had had six +but two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> were dead. We soon found them a peculiar people with great +faith in Strang and of his building up of Zion calling themselves Latter +Day Saints, or Mormons. We had not known or heard of this but had been +led to think we could worship as we liked. We soon found it was best not +to exchange much thought with our neighbors on the subject and we were +so scattered about we seldom met only at meetings. There was being a +temple built to worship in and my husband being a carpenter he was most +of his time working on it. We soon learned every tenth of our income +belonged to the King and many extras to help the expenses. It took quite +a large sum to build this temple. They had a small saw mill and there +the lumber was cut. Everybody was busy. We were ruled by a man who had +no pity for any one. That winter was too terrible to remember. We were +all glad to have the King come back in the springtime. He brought more +people who seemed to have more means, for those who had, had to share +with those who had little. My husband and his two brothers were made +apostles soon after Strang came. I saw very little of my husband after +he was made an apostle. There was always <ins class="correct" title="somthing">something</ins> to be talked over and +explained, so the King had to have most of their time.</p> + +<p>Our funds were getting low and I felt very low spirited, but my husband +told me he thought that everything would be satisfactory in time. I +longed to be free. I wanted to feel I could talk to my husband for it +soon dawned upon me we must not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> discuss the subject of the doctrine +only with a true belief in all of Strang's revelations. The most of the +people were gay. The winter time was their time for gaiety. The +following spring after we came, when my husband was made an apostle, +there was a great feast and we were all baptized in the waters of Little +Font Lake. The King was dressed in a robe of white and purple. He gave a +short brilliant discourse. To most of them the ceremony was impressive. +His wife, Mrs Strang, did not attend as she was not a believer in the +doctrine. To me it all seemed a sham. Just before my husband was made an +apostle I asked Strang about polygamy and why some had more than one +wife. He answered that they had practiced it to some extent in Joseph +Smith's time but he would have no such practice but had allowed those +who had several to keep them. On the next Sabbath he preached a powerful +sermon against polygamy. I felt more secure because I hoped he would +keep his word. Very soon after this it came like a thunderbolt to us. +The king had a revelation. He must take more wives, and very soon took +some more.</p> + +<p>In his absence his wife took her three children and left. Before going +we managed to meet, as we were fast friends from the first. She advised +me to persuade my husband to get away as soon as possible, as she was +sure there was great sorrow in store for me. She then told me any +disobedience to the oath of allegiance of the apostles, to the king, +would be punished<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> with death, saying she knew this to be true, having +overheard the apostle that ruled in her husband's absence, talking about +it. But they never knew she heard, and now I must be watchful. It was +terrible to know all this, yet I knew she told me the truth. She said, +"Make a confidant of no one." We had talked many times before this, but +now she told me more, saying, "I would stay here and fight it to the +bitter end but I know it would do no good. My life would soon be ended. +They have already said, 'Dead people tell no tales.'" "I feel sure +Strang's own life is in danger by the plotting of his head apostle." She +ended by saying, "I never expect to come back unless I can help some +poor soul to be happier. If you ever need a friend's help send a letter +to me. You can always trust the Indians." She said, "I have warned +Strang of his danger and begged him to put away that bad man, but he +will not heed me." She left. I was very sad, but not yet realizing how +soon I would need her help.</p> + +<p>After awhile a law was made by the King that all officers of the church +must have a plurality of wives. Then we women banded ourselves together, +I being at the head, we met the king in the temple and took votes, +coming out victorious each time. The whole island was in a state of +agitation. Every woman interested took her Bible and talked and read +God's laws faster than the king could tell us about his revelations. One +little woman spoke, saying, "Take all our earnings, but leave us our +husbands. We want to live an honest life." He said he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> did not propose +to be ruled by a lot of weak, whining women. This roused me. I jumped to +my feet and I talked two hours. He answered sarcastically and I answered +him in the same way. I recounted everything to him. How we had been +deceived. He ordered me from the room, and when his guards attempted to +obey his orders the other women interfered and Strang was obliged to let +me have my say. Often the women applauded me. At last I could speak no +more. I was exhausted, but I managed to tell him I hoped he would +consider all we had asked of him and grant our request. After a few +moments of silence he looked me in the face, saying, "Madam, you have +shown such great ability in discussing this matter I think I had better +put my temple robe upon you." I answered in the same sarcastic tone, +"Yes, and I think your robe would be far more becoming to me than it is +to you and I could rule the people and make them happier than you have +so far." Never can I forget the look of hatred he gave me. The men +hurried me from the room and appeared very much excited. After I left +other women made an appeal to him, but left without gaining any promise +from him, saying he would give them an answer the next morning. I heard +nothing more. Next morning I was sent home in a lumber wagon. My two +children and husband were not allowed to come with me. My home was very +near to the Gentile settlement. My heart was heavy. I went to some of my +Mormon neighbors. Their doors were shut in my face and none spoke to me +when I met them. After a week<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> I was very sick in bed. I became +unconscious. When I realized anything I recognized a Gentile neighbor. +She was preparing some food for me to eat. I asked her many questions +about my children and husband, but she could give me no information. She +told me I had many friends among the Mormons, as it was a Mormon woman +who had directed her to come to me. She told me to be quiet and have +courage and all would be well and that I must get well as fast as +possible.</p> + +<p>Strang had gone for the winter and she feared there might be trouble +between the Gentiles and Mormons, as the fishermen felt they could not +endure much more robbery. I felt more courage because I knew this woman +had an influence with the Indians, as she could speak their language and +was always the Indian's friend. This woman's children were away for the +winter and her heart was sad. We could sympathize with each other. One +dark night in March I heard a gentle tap at my window. I opened the +door. It was my husband. He had been handed a note that morning saying, +"Go home. You are safe for awhile." He had walked all the distance after +dark. Next day the neighbor woman came and told me my children were both +well and cared for. Oh joy! I could get well now, and gained my strength +fast.</p> + +<p>Navigation opened; Strang came home, remaining only a few days. He was +becoming greatly troubled over the discontent of his people and thought +best to be away for a time. The fishermen began to come, and several +Indian families came also<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> to fish and make oil. Myself and husband were +left to ourselves. One night a letter came to my husband saying, "When +the king comes home Mr. Sinclair must be prepared to obey the law or +suffer the consequences." It was signed by the head apostle. My husband +was greatly worried, knowing the laws so well. In my heart I asked God +to help me in my sore distress. I recalled the words of Mrs. Strang that +if ever I needed a friend to call on her and she would come if possible. +I wrote her to come. I gave the letter to my faithful friend.</p> + +<p>The letter was taken to Mackinac Island and from there it was taken to +Mrs. Strang. She came, she got my children and brought them to the +Indian camp. Myself and husband were disguised as Indians, our children +the same, and all were taken away from the island in a birch bark canoe.</p> + + +<h3>CHOLERA AT THE ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>The summer was passing, it was late in August. Cholera was raging at +Mackinac Island. Fifty-two deaths had occurred there and three deaths +occurred at Beaver Island. A lady was boarding with us from Mount +Clemens. Her two youngest children died from cholera in our house. My +father and I both had it but recovered. Also a captain of a small vessel +died. After the deaths our clothing was all washed and the Mormons came, +taking everything they could find. They took several boats and all the +fish from the fish houses between Cable's dock and the harbor. It was +now becoming serious between the Gentiles and the Mor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>mons. Peter +McKinley had moved his family to Mackinac Island, not considering it +safe to carry on business any longer. Mr. Cable had also left and gone +to Indiana. His uncle, Mr. Alva Cable, came with his vessel, taking C. +R. Wright and family, with several others, to Charlevoix, then called +"Pine River." All the Ohio, Canada and Detroit fishermen had gone home. +My two brothers had gone to Detroit to school for the winter. Our +family, and seven others, were the only Gentiles left on the island, and +we were preparing to leave as soon as possible. One morning about the +first of November a messenger came to every Gentile family with a letter +from the king, saying every Gentile family must come to the harbor and +be baptized into the Church of Zion or leave the island within ten days +after receiving the notice signed by the King, James J. Strang. Within +twenty-four hours after receiving the notice every Gentile family had +gone but ours. They had taken what they could in their fish boats. Our +boat being small, father thought best to wait for a vessel to come and +take us away. The fourth day no vessel had come. Father feared the +message to the captain of the vessel had not been delivered, which had +been sent by an Indian family going home to the Old Mission. Winds were +ahead, the weather rough. Our goods were packed, and every day some +Mormon men could be seen walking along the beach, each carrying a gun, +but none ever spoke to us. These were anxious days to us, watching and +waiting for a sail. Father had made up his mind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> if the vessel did not +come we would take what we could in our small boat and go to the Indians +for protection until we could get to the main land. The evening of the +ninth day had come and no welcome sail in sight. John Goeing, our +faithful friend, was with us and cheered us with his strong faith that +the vessel would come in time.</p> + +<p>I had laid down and fallen asleep. I was wakened by hearing low voices +talking. I listened a few moments and knew it was Mr. Bower. He was the +man who had doctored father when he was sick. He had stolen away from +his home in the darkness and came to sympathize with us. He then told us +he was going to leave the island the next spring if possible, as he was +tired of the life he had to live among the Mormons, saying. "There are +many excellent people here that would be glad to go, but they have no +means to go with and fear to try to go." With a warm clasp of the hand +and a good-by to all, he was gone.</p> + + +<h3>LEAVING THE ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>I was called from a sound sleep by my mother saying, "Get up quick +Elizabeth, here is the vessel at anchor just in front of our house." I +was up in a minute and ran out to see. Yes, there was the little vessel +resting so quietly on the water. Father and John were carrying goods to +the shore, the captain and another man were loading the yawl, mother and +I carried what we could. Our pets had all been put on board, our +clothing and most of our bedding was loaded. Mother and I had gone to +the vessel. All was loaded except a few boxes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> and two large trunks. +When father and John started to go back to the shore after them several +men were standing beside the goods and each had a gun in his hands. This +was enough. Father knew the rest of our goods must be left. Our sails +were quickly hoisted, the anchor pulled up and soon we were sailing +toward Charlevoix, where we knew our friends were waiting for us. The +sun was just coming up in the east, and as we looked back we could see +the door of our house stood open as our doors had always been to +strangers or any who needed help. None had ever gone away cold or +hungry. And some of the people who now stood on the shore with guns +pointed toward us had been fed and cared for by my people.</p> + +<p>With a fresh breeze and a fair wind our little vessel was nearing +Charlevoix, the land that seemed to promise us safety. Surely there we +could live in peace. As we neared the river we could see our friends +waiting for us on the shore. We came to anchor on the north side of the +river, the wind making a big sea at the river's mouth. I remember how +happy we all felt that night to be with friends and no Mormons to be +afraid of. Mr. Alva Cable had built a large house and shop on the south +side of the river on the bank, very close to the water. The lumber he +had bought at Traverse City. Captain Morrison had built his house also +on the south side just close to the river bank. Several houses were made +on the north side of the river. There were twenty-five families of +Gentiles, and two Mormon families had stolen away with the fishermen,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +claiming their protection, which was freely promised them. One was a +Mormon elder and his family, the other a young man living with his +widowed mother.</p> + + +<h3>THE LITTLE VILLAGE OF CHARLEVOIX.</h3> + +<p>The little village of Charlevoix was just about complete. Our house was +built just beside the river, not far from the shore, with just room for +a foot path between the house and the river bank. A high hill was on the +other side of us. One night a storm came up with a great tidal wave and +Mr. Cable's house was almost washed away. The whole village turned out +and helped to save the goods. Many of the neighbors had advised him not +to put his house so near the water, but he said he always liked to +"experiment." Next time he built his house farther up the river, several +rods below where now stands the Lewis Opera House. Fishing being good, +those that had not had their nets stolen put them out, catching all the +fish they could take care of. Mr. Cable had a cooper shop which employed +several men. He kept a store, supplying groceries and provisions to the +little village, and having a few dry goods to supply their needs. When +Christmas and New Years came the people had many little parties and took +their dinner together. Many of them employed their time by preparing +their nets and knitting new ones for the next season's fishing. There +was no sickness and all felt very happy and secure from the Mormons, at +least while the winter lasted.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>WILLIAM DAVENPORT OUR MAIL CARRIER.</h3> + +<p>Our mails came every two weeks. Our mail carrier was William Davenport +of Mackinac Island, his route being from the Island to Traverse City, +calling at Old Mission and Elk Rapids. Davenport had four large hound +dogs. His sled was made of thin boards steamed and bent at one end, with +many little ribs or cleats across to give it strength. It glided along +on top of the snow and would hold heavy loads. It was called a train. +The winter was extremely cold, with deep snow and heavy ice. The mail +carrier always stopped with us over night each way, going south and +coming north, our people knowing his parents so well he always felt at +home with us. It was always a pleasure seeing the mail carrier coming +with his dogs and great pouches full of mail. The tinkling of the bells +around the dogs' necks always made us drop our work to see them coming +on a fast trot, for the dogs enjoyed being noticed and petted. Always a +crowd gathered around William to hear the news from the outside. He +always trimmed the harness up with gay colored ribbons before coming to +the village. How we children loved to watch those great dogs run and +play when taken out of the harness, rolling over each other in the deep +snow. Father made them a warm place to sleep in the woodshed. Davenport +always had various little packages for the whole village. He was +obliging and good natured. All of northern Michigan in those days had +very few white settlers. Only just now and then a white<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> family. Indians +were everywhere. In the summer season their bark canoes could be seen +coming and going in all directions. The smoke from their wigwams was +seen rising along the lake shore where they fished and made gardens. In +winter they usually went further inland to hunt.</p> + + +<h3>OPENING OF NAVIGATION.</h3> + +<p>Navigation was now open. Boats and vessels could be seen passing. +Fishermen had come from Detroit, Cleveland, Lake Huron and Canada. +Several had brought their families to spend the summer beside the sea. +My brothers came with the rest. Mr. Cable, or Uncle Alva as he was +called by every one, was very happy. He felt sure the little village +would grow fast, as he intended making many improvements as soon as +possible. Word soon came from Beaver Island for those two Mormon +families to come back to the island. In some way the Mormons had found +out the men were with the Gentiles. The men sent back word that they +would never go back. Soon another message came saying a boat with force +enough would be sent to bring them to the island.</p> + +<p>As soon as navigation opened Strang extended his territory by sending +several families to South Fox Island and several more to Grand Traverse, +where they settled near the pretty little harbor, which they named +"Bower's Harbor" in honor of the man who had charge of the little +settlement, where a beautiful resort is now situated at the harbor, +which is called "Neahtawanta" (peaceful wa<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span>ters.) Those who settled +there were Mormons only in name, as they were only too glad to get away +from the island. About this time it was becoming quite difficult for +Strang to manage all his people. The new people coming to the island had +very little faith in his "Divine Revelations." They enjoyed the island +life for its healthful climate. Strang was losing hold upon many of his +people. The newcomers had means of their own and felt free to come and +go when they pleased. Many of the women were refusing to wear the +bloomer dress and their hair cut short. This greatly annoyed Strang, for +he could see he was fast losing control of the people. There had been +many improvements, farms were well cultivated, a new dock and store at +the harbor village, roads made through the island, good warm houses with +gardens attached, and the most of them were very comfortable.</p> + + +<h3>COMING OF THE MORMONS.</h3> + +<p>One bright, clear day, the 14th of July, 1853, our men were nearly all +on the lake at their work. A watch was kept every day by our people from +the high hill near us, where the lake could be seen for many miles. +Father and Captain Morrison were on duty this day, taking turns in +watching. The men on the lake also keeping a close watch toward the +island. Sometime in the forenoon of that day two small dark objects +could be seen upon the calm water in the direction of Beaver Island. +Captain Morrison took a powerful field glass and soon made out the +objects were fish boats coming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> from the island. The boats were being +rowed and seemed to come slow, keeping very close together. We watched +their approach with anxious hearts, fearing our men would not see them +in time to reach shore as soon as the boats came. It so happened on that +day nearly all the women were together at a quilting party given by Mrs. +Morrison. When they learned the Mormons were coming they became greatly +excited at first, knowing their husbands had made up their minds to +fight if necessary. Father and the captain began to prepare everything +for battle. Thinking there might not be bullets enough the lead was +melted and father said to me, "Here Elizabeth, take these moulds and run +the bullets," which I did. We had notified Uncle Alva Cable and he, too, +was preparing. The boats came along, steadily nearing the shore. At one +time all took them to be Indians, but as they came nearer it was plain +they were white people. A short time before they landed we saw the white +sails of our fishing fleet hoisted nearly all at one time. Then we were +sure they had seen the strange boats coming. A light breeze sprang up +fair for our boats and they came sailing in to land. The fishermen's +boats would land over by the south point from the river, as that made +the best landing. This was some little distance, a mile or more by land. +Captain Morrison went round by the path back from the beach so that he +would not be seen by the Mormons. He was to notify the men to come as +soon as possible.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>TO BRING THEM DEAD OR ALIVE.</h3> + +<p>My father went down the shore to meet the Mormons. They landed on the +south side of the river, and the boats were landed side by side. The +head man of the boats was one of the Pierce brothers. Father asked him +his business. He said, "We have come to take the two men that are here +with you. Our orders are to bring them dead or alive." Father said. "Why +do you want these men? They have left you and will do you no harm. Why +not let them go when they do not want to stay with you? And I warn you +now, Mr. Pierce, our people have made up their minds to give these men +their protection and it will not be best to try to force them to give +them up. If you do try to take them there will be trouble, so you had +better go." He answered, "I will never leave this shore until we have +these men, and we will make you all as humble as mice, and your blood +shall mingle with these waters if you attempt to resist us," and many +more boastful threats, which he made while he kept walking about +swinging his arms. Father talked to him quietly, but he would not be +quieted. He grew more fierce every moment. After a time the youngest of +the men they came after walked down to the boat, telling Pierce himself +he would not be taken back by them. He and the leader had many hot words +together pertaining to their own troubles which they had had together +before he left them. He had been a member of Pierce's crew and becoming +tired of the life had quit them. This they did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> not like, as they knew +he knew too many of their secrets. Soon Captain Morrison came back and +walked down to the boats, telling them not to persist in taking the men. +Pierce was more furious than ever. Father and the two others walked away +from them towards the house. The Mormons talked a few minutes together. +One boat captain seemed to want to push off his boat and go. But Pierce +would not let him. I stood looking out of a small window from Captain +Morrison's house. I could see directly on to both boats and was but a +short distance from them. I could hear almost every word spoken by the +leader, as he spoke in a loud, deep voice.</p> + + +<h3>THE BATTLE AT CHARLEVOIX.</h3> + +<p>Soon shots were fired, I cannot say how many. All was confusion, women +were screaming, some were praying. Men were talking, trying to quiet +them. I never took my eyes from the Mormon boats, and when the smoke +cleared away I saw the men hurriedly push their boats off and jump into +them, taking their oars and pulling with all their might. Then I saw our +men coming towards the house carrying a man who seemed to be dead, as +blood was streaming down. The form looked familiar to me. I ran to the +door and saw it was my brother Lewis. They carried him home, laying him +down and examined his wound. He was shot in the calf of the leg. It was +a flesh wound. The place was small where the bullet went in, but the +flesh was badly torn where the bullet came out. Ex<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>citement was great; +the men wanted to follow the Mormon boats. At the river there were but +two boats at the time, our own, which was too small, and Captain +Morrison's, which was a large, heavy boat.</p> + + +<h3>GIVING CHASE TO THE MORMONS.</h3> + +<p>The men concluded at last to take that boat and give chase to the +Mormons, as the delay would be too great in getting a boat from the +fishermen's landing. So the boat was manned by a double crew to row. One +man was placed in the bow with his rifle to shoot into the Mormon's +boats and sink them if possible. Every bullet he shot seemed to take +effect. Our men were powerful oarsmen, and in spite of the distance the +two boats had made before our men had got started, our boat was gaining +on them fast. Soon one of the Mormon boats was sinking, and they made +some delay by getting out of the sinking boat into the other. Our men +were straining every nerve to overtake them, which they soon would have +done had not the Mormons hurried toward a large vessel which lay +becalmed just ahead of them. It was getting dusk, but everything could +be plainly seen.</p> + + +<h3>MORMONS SAVED BY "BARK MORGAN."</h3> + +<p>The Mormons rowed with all their might to the vessel, telling the +captain that they were fishermen and that the Mormons were chasing them +and begged to be saved from their enemies. Of course the captain could +do no less than let them get aboard his vessel, which they soon did. Our +men came as near to the vessel as they could and told<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> the captain how +it was. He told them he could not do anything, and it was best for them +to go quietly home, which they did. The vessel was the "Bark Morgan." It +was stated in "The Northern Islander," a paper edited and printed at the +island, that seven were killed and five wounded of the Mormons at the +battle of Charlevoix. A man who boarded with me several years after this +happened told me that this was the correct number. As he was in the boat +and one of the wounded, he being shot in the shoulder. He was very young +when he was in training with these bad men. He also told us that Pierce, +the leader, was very angry and had planned to come back and drive us +away or murder us all. They wanted to settle there themselves, which +they did as soon as we left.</p> + + +<h3>LEAVING CHARLEVOIX.</h3> + +<p>Mr. Alva Cable called the people together and consulted about what was +best to be done. Some wanted to remain and fight the Mormons if they +came again, but the women all wanted to go. About that time a Mormon +that had left the island and never intended to go back, advised us all +to go. So it was decided we should get away as soon as possible, as news +kept coming that it was not safe for us to remain longer. Mr. Alva +Cable, Wrights and many other families went to Little Traverse, now +Harbor Springs, my two brothers going with them. My father decided we +should go to Traverse City. Our friend, John Goeing, had left us the +week before the Mormons came. He received a let<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>ter from home. His +mother was very sick and wanted to see her son before she died. He went +to Mackinac Island, and from there took a steamer to Buffalo. He wrote +us just before he took the steamer from New York City, promising to +write us as soon as he reached home. We never heard from him again. We +felt sorry to have him go. He had been with us four years and seemed +like one of our own family.</p> + +<p>Our friends and neighbors were all gone. We were left alone at +Charlevoix. Waiting patiently for the little vessel to come from +Northport which was to take us to Traverse City. At last we saw the +white sails which proved to be our vessel. It was dark before the vessel +anchored outside the river. The night was warm, our goods were on board, +all was silent, only the splash of the waves as they washed along the +shore. The little village was in darkness when we closed the latch to +our door and walked down to the little yawl waiting for us to be taken +on board. We were soon on the deck of the little vessel, the moon was +rising, and by the time our sails were up and we were ready to start the +water was sparkling like diamonds as the soft light shone upon it. Never +had we appreciated its beauty before as now in this beautiful moonlight. +Tears were in our eyes, for we had been very happy there with our +neighbors. Now we were leaving all and going to a strange place, but we +hoped to find a place of safety. Long we watched the beautiful shore as +we sailed along in the light breeze. Again we were driven from home. +Father helped the cap<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>tain sail the vessel. Mother and I lay down for a +while in the little cabin. I was wakened by hearing the anchor chain +when the captain said, "Here we are at Northport." We visited there +several days. The captain's home was there. We met many kind people, who +invited us to make our home with them for the time of our stay. We +accepted the invitation of the Rev. George Smith and were nicely +entertained by himself and his family. Their beautiful vine covered home +was a perfect bower of roses. The most beautiful flowers grew everywhere +about their grounds. Mr. Smith was a Congregational minister. His family +were very musical, and our stay of nearly a week is a bright spot in my +memory.</p> + +<p>Our little vessel had to have some repairs before we could proceed on +our journey. We then sailed direct to Bower's harbor, remaining two days +with our old friend, Mr. Bower. Himself and wife were glad to see us and +to know we had escaped safely from Mormon persecutions. They were very +happily situated in their new home and their new surroundings of scenery +were very beautiful. Oh, how glad Mrs. Bower was to be released from +Mormon rule.</p> + + +<h3>TRAVERSE CITY.</h3> + +<p>The day was fair, the sun shone bright when our sails were filled with +the breeze that carried us along over the blue waters to Traverse City. +Arriving at Traverse City, we found several people whom we knew, so we +felt that we were not entirely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> among strangers. We were soon +comfortably settled among very kind neighbors. Traverse City at that +time was very new. The Boardman Company had settled there to lumber. The +firm of Hannah, Lay & Co. bought the Boardman Company out. A steam saw +mill, also a water mill run by water power. This small mill was in the +west part of town beside the big mill pond. The company's big boarding +house was where the company's men boarded. This was in charge of Dr. D. +C. Goodale. Then the company's store, with a large stock of general +merchandise, presided over by the genial clerk, H. D. Campbell, or +"Little Henry," as we children always called him. He was the children's +friend. No matter how busy he might be he always had a kind word and a +pleasant smile for us children. Then there was the large steam mill and +blacksmith shop just beyond the store. There was no bridge there then to +cross the river on. We children most always crossed over on the boom +which held the logs in the river. The only bridge on the river was up +near the Boardman Lake.</p> + + +<h3>HAPPY SCHOOL DAYS IN TRAVERSE CITY.</h3> + +<p>The school house was near the river bank, just about opposite to the +river's mouth. It stood back far enough for a good wide street. It was +in the midst of a pretty grove of small oak trees that reached their +branches far out, giving cool shade where we could sit and eat our +lunch. The evergreens and maple trees were mixed about, giving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> it a +variety of change. Wild roses grew everywhere. It was truly an ideal +spot that we never tired of.</p> + +<p>Our teacher was Miss Helen Goodale. I will just mention a few names of +the scholars I first met on the morning of my first school day in +Traverse City. Alexander, James and Jane Carmicheal, George, John and +Tom Cuttler, James, William and Richard Garland, Augusta and Lucius +Smith, Helen Rutherford and brother, Albert Norris and Agnes Goodale, +sister of the teacher.</p> + +<p>The next year more people came and more scholars. Our little school +house was filled. We were a happy lot, seeming almost like one family. +We drank from the same cup, swung in the same swing, sharing our lunches +together, and no matter where we have roamed through the wide world can +we forget that little old log school house. I have seen it many times in +my dreams, and the happy faces of each as we tried to excel to please +the teacher. We all loved her, though trying her patience often. Yet we +knew and felt she loved us. Oh, happy school days and pleasant school +companions! Only a few of us are left at this writing, many have crossed +over on the other side, yet I believe it will be a happy re-union if +sometime we may meet where no good-byes are said.</p> + + +<h3>EARLY DAYS OF TRAVERSE CITY.</h3> + +<p>Very near to our school house east Mr. J. K. Gunton built the house +which bore the name of "The Gunton House," and was run with success by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +himself and wife for a number of years. There was no steamboats coming +to Traverse City in those days. The lumber was shipped by vessel to +Chicago. The schooner "Telegraph" made regular trips every two weeks. +The "Telegraph" brought all the supplies for the Company. At the opening +of navigation it was a pleasant sound to hear someone say for the first +time, "Here comes The Telegraph." Our mails were brought by a mail +carrier from Grand Rapids. An Indian and sometimes a white man carried +the mail. It was brought down along the shore, it being considered the +safest way to travel alone. Sometimes the rivers had no bridges and the +mail carrier had to swim across. Mr. Hugh McGinnis carried the mail on +that long lonely route for a long time while we lived there.</p> + +<p>No farms were yet cleared about Traverse City at that time. Mr. Lyman +Smith being the only family living out at Silver Lake, seven miles south +of this city. Soon Mr. Alvin Smith took some land on the west side of +Silver Lake with Mr. West. More people moved in, and soon the Bohemians +came in, settling on the east side of Silver Lake and made nice homes +for themselves. Mr. Rice's family came the next year after we came. +There were five girls in their family. The two eldest soon married, the +other three entered school. Mellisa, Emma and Annie. They lived very +near to us and we girls were always fast friends. We walked to school, +picked berries in summer time, played, sang and worked together. And of +all the places we liked best to go was out to the "Company's Garden."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +There we waded the brook, picked the flowers and wild strawberries, and +sometimes we caught the horses that belonged to the Company, and +climbing on their backs we rode around the field, for it was only a +garden in name. It was used for a pasture field for the Company's cattle +and horses. Those were days to be remembered. The little water mill, as +it was called, had a horse car track laid from it down to the west dock +where the lumber was put on the car and the horse drew it to the dock +for shipment. Then what fun we all had to run down the track and get the +ride back on the car.</p> + +<p>The huckleberry plains, as they were called, were between east and west +Bay. There on Saturdays, when there was no school, almost everybody went +picking and took their lunches with them. Mrs. and Mr. Garland, one of +our neighbors, moved to Old Mission on a farm and new people took their +house.</p> + + +<h3>MY FATHER ADOPTING A LITTLE BOY.</h3> + +<p>The same year we went to Traverse City a family came from Chicago. The +next week the man's wife died, being very sick when she came. In six +weeks after the little baby died, leaving three more children. Mr. +Churchill was sick himself. Mother brought them all home. A neighbor, +Mrs. Hillery, took the oldest girl of nine and kept her all winter. +There were two little boys left, Frank aged seven, and George aged five. +Father and mother adopted little Frank, so I now had a little brother +for company. Mr. Churchill left the next June for Chi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span>cago, taking +Amelia and George with him, promising to write us often. We never heard +from him again, and always felt anxious to know what became of the two +children. Little Frank was very happy with us.</p> + +<p>Mr. Greilick and family now came. They built a steam mill near Mr. +Norris, about two miles west of Traverse City, on the shore. After we +were in Traverse City three years we moved to Greilick's mill. Frank and +I used to walk around to the city to school on the shore road. The road +was pleasant and very close to the water most of the way. There were no +churches in Traverse City then, but Sunday was kept just as sacred as +though the people had churches to go to. Sometimes religious services +were held by a minister that came from Chicago, going around among the +settlers. There were also no saloons in Traverse City. Mr. Hannah kept a +large number of men to do his logging in the camps in winter. No liquor +was sold nearer than Old Mission and very little being sold there. A +drunken man was seldom ever seen in Traverse City in those days. In the +camps there was always many accidents and deaths from falling trees and +accidents in the mills. Dr. Goodale being the only doctor was kept very +busy at times, my mother helping him often. The life at Traverse City +was a busy one for us all. We were very happy with our neighbors, often +going to Bower's harbor in summer time in our own boat to visit friends.</p> + +<p>Rumors many times reached us about the Mormons and their doings on +Beaver Island, and at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> one time everybody feared they were coming to +Traverse City to drive the Gentiles away. Mr. Hannah set watchmen to +guard the place by night for a long time, and the fishermen were more +unsafe than ever, and were making an appeal to the Government for +protection.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 650px;"><a name="ill180" id="ill180"></a> +<img src="images/180.jpg" width="650" height="369" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE OLD MORMON PRINTING OFFICE. NOW THE GIBSON HOUSE. AT +SAINT JAMES, BEAVER ISLAND, MICHIGAN.</span> +</div> + + +<h3>THE KILLING OF "KING STRANG."</h3> + +<p>I must now hurry over many things that happened while at Traverse City. +In June of 1856 news came that "King Strang" had been shot by his own +people. It was a long time before we could get the particulars.</p> + +<p>The fishermen and merchants had now made a strong appeal to the +government asking for protection, and this time Strang could not make +his plea strong enough to prevent the coming of the U. S. steamer +Michigan with officers to make an investigation of the matter. The king +met the steamer at Mackinac Island, hoping to gain a little more time to +prevent any arrests of his people. The U. S. steamer proceeded to Beaver +Island, landing at the village dock in the harbor. King Strang took +passage on her back to the island, and as soon as landing he immediately +went to his home not far distant from the dock. He was soon sent for by +the officers, as they wished to consult with him about the affair. He +started for the steamer, and when about half way on the dock two men +stepped from behind a pile of cordwood and both fired their revolvers at +once, both bullets taking effect. He was shot through the back twice, +but did not die until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> eleven days after. He knew his last hours had +come, and he begged to be taken to his wife Mary, his true wife. The +women he had with him now were no comfort to him. Dr. McCulloch dressed +the wounds and told him he feared the trip would be too much for him, +that he might die on the way. He said, "No, no, take me home to Mary, my +true wife. I cannot die here, doctor. I want to die with my wife and +children. Take me to Mary, I know she will forgive me." Dr. McCulloch +had him put on a mattress, carried on board a steamboat and taken to his +wife's home in Wisconsin. The death of Strang was a terrible blow to +most of his people, but a relief to those that were suffering such +persecutions from him. One woman at Bower's Harbor expressed great joy +when she heard it, but I could not understand why she should be glad of +any one's death. She said. "I will tell you just a little of what the +king made me suffer."</p> + + +<h3>THE STORY MRS. H—— TOLD ME.</h3> + +<p>I was born and raised in a dear little nook in York state. There were +four girls in our family, my oldest sister being deaf and dumb. After a +time she and sister next to her married, then myself and youngest sister +were left with father and mother. A young man came to our village to +teach the village school. We became acquainted and in time were married. +Mr. H—— built us a nice little home and we settled down to a very +happy life. Our home was just a short distance from my parents. My deaf +sister was married to a deaf<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> and dumb man. He had a high temper and did +not treat sister Nellie very kindly. After awhile Nellie came home to +live with our parents, bringing her little twin babies with her. We all +helped to care for them and then John, her husband, seemed more kind. +Five years rolled around, when one day three Mormon elders came to our +village, going around from house to house talking their doctrine, +calling themselves Latter Day Saints. They visited us. My mother being +in, she seemed greatly taken with their talk. They came again in a few +days. Mr. H—— was out in the fields, and when I told them they said +they would go out and find him. They did so and remained with us for +supper, staying the evening; then father came over to hear them talk. +One of the men was a fluent talker. He kept the attention of all when +speaking. I felt a great dread; I knew not why. Then they held services +in our little church in the evenings, which continued a week. Many were +greatly excited. My parents and younger sister, Sarah, my husband and a +number of our neighbors. The men left us promising to come again soon, +when they hoped many would join their religion. I could see as the days +went by Mr. H—— and my people, with others, were ready to follow these +men.</p> + +<p>I said all I could to discourage them, but it was of no use, I could do +nothing. Preparations were made to leave. Our home was sold at a +sacrifice and father's the same. At the time set the three elders came +again, holding more meetings. Our goods were packed; also father's and +mother's,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> and as Nellie and the babies could not be left, we took them +with us. One pleasant day in August we bade farewell to our dear old +home and kind good neighbors I had known my lifetime. And with many +tears of sorrow and regret on my part we started for the Promised Land.</p> + +<p>After a tedious trip we reached "Beaver Island." I need not try to tell +how disappointed many of us were, as everything was so different from +what it had been represented to us. The island itself was very +beautiful, just as nature had made it. But to us that had come from a +settled country with farms all cultivated, it was a great change. I saw +Mr. H—— was very low-spirited, and knowing we must make the best of +it, I tried to cheer him, saying, "Now we will soon make us another +home, and if all is well we shall soon be as happy as we were before. +But you know I can never enjoy this new doctrine." We also found when +reaching the island that the bright talking elder was "King Strange" +himself, and he well knew I had no sympathy or belief in his teachings. +However, Strang gave us our choice of a building spot and we chose as +pleasant a place as possible, with father and mother near us, just a +short distance from the pretty little Font Lake. We tried to make our +home like the one we had left behind. I went to work with a will helping +Mr. H—— to build the new home. That first winter I never like to think +about, the people suffered so much, but were always patient, never +complaining. The next spring I helped to make our garden, also our +flower garden, putting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> in the seeds I had brought from the old home. +That first winter we endured hunger and cold, but I tried to bear it +without complaint. I kept the best for my husband to eat and many times +went supperless to bed, fearing there would not be enough for his +breakfast, as he had to be out chopping wood during the day. A tenth +part of our income must be given to the King, and sometimes there was +little left, as there was always extras to help other expenses. We had +plenty of clothing when we came, but in a few months we had divided most +of it with our suffering neighbors. With hard work and scanty food, and +great anxiety about Nellie's sick babies, it began to tell on my health. +I scarcely knew a care in the old home, now it all seemed to fall on me. +When spring came I was much run down in health. When Mr. H—— would +sometimes blame himself I would cheer him up by telling him, "Never +mind, we have each other, and together we can endure almost anything." +We dared not talk much to others that we felt any disappointment. We +soon found the King exacted perfect obedience from his people. I knew in +my heart he did not like me because he could not win me over to his +belief.</p> + +<p>The third year we began to be a little more comfortable, and I found a +little more time to rest. I had been so busy with hard work trying to +make our home bright and cheerful I had not noticed what was going on at +the Tabernacle meetings. I soon began to hear rumors how the king was +preaching polygamy. I felt worried and I could see that other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> women +were the same, though we dared not talk much together about the King's +affairs. I spoke with my husband about it and he said, "Have no fears. +Strang can never make me bring another wife into our home." Soon a +friend told me she feared our husbands might be forced to obey the law +that the King had made. She was an elder's wife. She then told me my +husband was soon to be ordained as an elder. Again I spoke to my husband +about my fears. He took me in his arms, saying, "Have no fears Mary. We +have worked and suffered together and do I not know how you have endured +hunger and cold and gave up our pleasant home to come here with me? I +will never desert you or treat you so mean as to bring another into our +home. The King has urged me to do so, but I told him I could not obey +that command." In a few days several women came asking me to join them +in voting down Strang's new law. I said to them. "No, I dare not oppose +that man. I feel such a dreadful fear of him." In a day or two they came +again, saying, "Mrs. H—— you will be sorry if you do not help us try +to vote against this law. We believe if we women band ourselves +together, and now that we have the right to vote on this subject the +king may think better of it when he sees how we feel about it, and don't +you feel afraid your husband may bring home another wife?" I said, "Oh, +no, I am sure this cannot be." Then they left me. I felt like one in a +dream. This seemed such a strange life to live. I did so long to once +more feel free like I used to in the other days. I tried hard at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> times +to understand about this religion, but could not. I went very seldom to +the Tabernacle to hear the preaching so I knew very little about what +was said. Father and mother never talked about the old home any more. To +them it was as if it never had been. Mr. H——, too, never talked about +it, and sometimes I wondered had I dreamed that we ever lived in our +eastern home. It was very seldom I ever went to the harbor, as my +husband always brought me anything I wanted. I often heard about the +parties given there, but never attended any.</p> + +<p>One pleasant day in August, the eighth anniversary of our wedding, my +husband said to me, "I shall not be home to dinner as there is some very +important business to be done at the temple among the elders. Have tea +at five o'clock and I shall surely be home at that hour." I followed him +to the door saying, "Now remember, Mr. H——, this is our anniversary." +He kissed me saying, "I will remember it Mary and be home at five." I +sang at my work as I had not done before for months. I felt so happy. I +looked about the home and it seemed more like the old home in York +State: my flowers on each side the walk to the gate, in front the +mountain ash was lovely, and my climbing rose bushes all about, which +gave it all such a home-like look. I soon started for the woods to +gather wild flowers, mosses and trailing vines to trim the room with so +it would look nice when Mr. H—— came home. I met a neighbor and asked +her to go with me. She said. "No, my heart is too sad. I fear my husband +will soon bring home another wife. Are you not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> afraid Mrs. H——?" I +answered, "No I am not afraid, for Mr H—— would tell me so if anything +like that was to happen." She gave me such a sad look with her eyes full +of tears. Pulling her sunbonnet over her face she passed on. I gathered +my flowers and vines, returned home and trimmed my rooms. I put the +vines around my white muslin window curtains with the pretty lace I had +knit around the edge and the white bed curtains to match. I set my table +the prettiest I knew how, with the lovely wild flowers in the center; I +then ran over to mother, telling her all I had done. I saw her and +sister Sarah exchange looks, both saying they were glad I had done so. I +played with the children a few minutes, then ran home to prepare the +tea. I wore a pink muslin dress, the only one I had left from the old +home, and a pretty white apron, the last I had of the kind. Somehow the +day had been long, but I felt no fear, only a sadness for the neighbor I +had met. Her sorrowful face seemed always before me. Remembering my +husband was fond of warm biscuit, I made some, and just as the clock +struck five I heard the gate click and our faithful dog Tiger give a low +growl. I thought strangers must be coming, as he always barked with +delight to see his master. I hurried to the door. Mr H—— was coming up +the path with a woman holding to his arm. Before I had time to move or +speak they stepped past me into the house. Mr. H—— said to me, "Mary +let me introduce you to my wife to whom I have just been sealed in +spirit this day, and I hope you will welcome her and show her the +re<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span>spect which is her due from you." I stood still; I could not move; I +could not speak; my tongue would not move in my mouth. I tried to say +"husband, husband," but no sound came. Oh the agony I suffered! I could +only follow them with my eyes. I could not speak; I was dumb. The woman +gave me an insolent look, saying, "I guess I must have been expected. +The house seems to be pretty well fixed up, but she doesn't seem to be +very glad. She'll get used to it soon. We'll make her know that I am the +mistress here now. Won't we Mr. H——?" He smiled and nodded, saying, +"Come let's have some supper. Come Mary, pour the tea." I rushed from +the house, running to my mother's house. She met me calmly at the door. +"Oh mother, did you know of this?" She answered, "Yes Mary, we all knew +it all along and what is the use of making any fuss. It's God's +commands." I ran to my sister. She laughed, saying to me, "Well, you +must be a fool. You ought to be proud to know your husband is made an +apostle of the Church of Zion and already blessed with a spiritual wife. +Now do have some sense and don't disgrace us all." It just began to dawn +upon me my sister was just the rankest little Mormon alive. I then went +to my father, thinking I would receive sympathy from him. He said, "Now +Mary do be quiet. Your husband has talked this over with us. We all +thought best to say nothing to you about it and when you saw it could +not be helped you would just settle down. Your mother and I believe in +this doctrine, and we think it is right." I stayed to hear no more. +Wild<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> with grief I ran back home. Oh, my home no longer, to make a last +appeal to my husband, to be sure it was not a horrible joke just to try +me. I rushed in, throwing myself down at his feet, crying. "Tell me, +tell me this is not true! Tell me it is only a joke to try me." I very +soon learned it was only too true. They both threatened me with a +straight jacket, with bread and water diet until I would quietly submit. +I got upon my feet and staggered from the door down the walk to the +road. I was blind, my limbs refused to carry me, and just as I was +sinking down my dumb sister caught me in her arms. She had seen by my +face I was in great trouble, and she saw my mother did not sympathize +with me. She followed me, then looking toward the house saw the two +standing together. She seemed to understand what it meant, and the first +sound I ever heard her make aloud, she gave a hoarse cry and partly +dragged me away to a large log beside the road a short distance from the +house. It was a large tree that was upturned from the roots and +sheltered us from the passers-by. She rubbed my hands, smoothed my hair, +pressing kisses upon my face, and showing me she sympathized with me in +my trouble. Many times she showed anger, stamping on the ground and +shaking her fist toward the house. The moon had risen, and every time I +opened my eyes I could not bear to look at it. I wanted it all dark. +Dark as midnight. Dark as the world now seemed to me. After awhile the +neighbor woman I had met in the morning came to me. She took my hands +saying, "Mrs. H—— I am truly sorry for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> you. I wanted to tell you this +morning, but you seemed so happy I could not do it. I saw you had entire +belief in your husband's word. I blame him very much for not telling you +his intentions. You might have felt different about it. I, too, have +just one week of freedom, then my husband brings in another wife, as he, +too, was made an apostle today. But in my case I have been told of it +and have the privilege of choosing among the young women the one I think +I can best endure. I have chosen a friend of mine. We have agreed to +live as sisterly as possible. For my four children's sake I can endure +much and I don't see how I can help myself; but I must not be found +talking with you, as such things are forbidden." In a still lower tone +she said, "I will help you all I can in your sorrow." She pressed a kiss +on my face and was gone. I sat beside my dumb sister thinking. "Was it +for this I had suffered cold and hunger, leaving our comfortable home in +New York State? And of all the days in the year, the anniversary of our +wedding day he had brought home the most homely old grass widow to be +found on the island, that everybody detested." The king said afterwards +he did this to humble my pride. After the woman left us Nellie made me +understand she would go to mother's and get me a shawl. The dew was +falling, I had no wrap, my dress was muslin. She made me understand I +was to wait here until she came back. As soon as she left me I partly +crawled and dragged myself to little Font Lake, which was about a +quarter of a mile distant. I laid myself down on the moss cov<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>ered bank, +the darkness of despair rolled over me. My husband did not seem the same +to me now. He seemed only a great monster beast that I wanted to get +away from. I thought how happy our home had been before we knew anything +about these strange people, and the dear friends I had left to come to +this island. Then I thought of baby's grave far away in the old home. I +could endure it no longer. I would end it all by plunging into the +little lake where my husband and I had strolled so many times along its +green shores. I gave the leap that would end my earthly suffering. I was +held back by the dress and dear old Tiger whined, jumping up, licking my +face and hands and pulling me back from the water. This is the last I +remember until I felt the warm sunshine upon my face and old dog Tiger +was lying beside me. When he felt me move he began to whine and lick my +hands. I had no recollection of time any more as Tiger and I wandered +about through the woods. I ate berries and drank from the lake. All the +food I had was what my dog brought me. Bread crusts and meat bones. At +last my dumb sister found me by watching Tiger and following him. I knew +Nellie, although I was in a very weak condition. She tried her best to +get me home with her, but I would not go.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> 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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> 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.</p> + +<p>The people were divided, not all were pleased with the king and his +rule. The Gentiles were leaving as fast as they could, as there was no +safety for them or their property. Strang was losing much control of his +people. Then he concluded to extend his territory to the mainland, +Charlevoix and Bower's Harbor in Grand Traverse. Some had gone to Fox +Island. About this time Nellie's husband died very sudden. We never knew +the cause of his death. Nellie with her children went with me to +Charlevoix, staying there all winter, then went to Bower's Harbor. That +winter in Charlevoix we almost starved before spring came. The snow was +very deep and ice heavy in the lake. The latter part of March teams came +over from Beaver Island on the ice, bringing us provisions. They also +went to Fox Island, as the people there were in a starving condition. +This was not done by any of Strang's orders. There were some good people +who knew our provisions could not last us till the opening of navigation +and they came without orders and saved our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> lives from starvation. "Now +do you wonder I am glad of Strang's death?"</p> + +<p>The story was a sad one, but true. It had not been all pleasure in +Strang's kingdom. The doctrine they believed in and practiced beyond +limit stifled all the good there was in their hearts. There was no pity +felt or shown to those who went contrary to the "Divine Revelations" +which their king was supposed to have. Poor, deluded people, how +different would all have been for them had their leader used his +splendid talent for good and taught his people the way of life and +truth.</p> + + +<h3>MY BROTHER LEWIS VISITING US AND HIS STORY.</h3> + +<p>Another year had rolled round. The June days lingered with us still when +my brother Lewis came from Beaver Island to visit us. We had not seen +him since he left us at Charlevoix after he was wounded. The four years +had changed him from a boy to a man. He was now twenty-three years of +age. He had many things to tell us, he being one of the men chosen the +year before to help preserve law and order in the sending away of the +Mormons after the king was shot. He went to the island to help get the +people away on the steamboats that were sent to carry them from the +island.</p> + +<p>As soon as Strang was shot a great number of the people left at once, +having means of their own to help themselves with. There were others who +had small means. Their homes were all they had. Strang had preached and +taught in the temple that no bullet could pierce his body, and strange +as it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> may seem, there were a large part of his people who believed it. +And now when they knew their king was killed, and killed by the bullet, +they were prostrate with sorrow; many of them completely incapable of +thinking or doing for themselves. My brother said it was a sad sight to +look upon when they came to the harbor to go on board the boats. Their +sorrow was great. They seemed like a people without a hope in the world. +Many wrung their hands and wept with sad moanings, saying, "Our king, +our king is dead." Women fainted and were carried on board; children +were crying. Even men were sobbing, and two or three attempted to throw +themselves from the dock into the water to end their misery. All were +allowed to take their household goods, yet many did not do so. Some only +took their clothing and bedding. Poor suffering people! No doubt they +were afraid of the Gentiles, thinking great harm would be done to them. +The feeling had become so bitter between them that in a great many cases +justice was not done where it should have been. These people now had no +desire to remain on the island now that their king was dead, even when +going meant leaving their comfortable homes and all they had in the wide +world. Those that worked the hardest suffered most. The building and +making of their homes and improving their farms had occupied all their +time and attention. They loved their king and their hearts were loyal to +him, seeing him only in his best moods, as he was always kind and +pleasant to them in his visits about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> the island. They knew nothing +about the workings of the inner circle or private temple teachings.</p> + + +<h3>TEACHINGS OF MORMONISM.</h3> + +<p>Strang knew just how to manage these hardworking, faithful people, and +the reason so many were beginning to think favorably of polygamy was +because they were taught that only those who were faithful could be +sealed, and in this way were counted God's elect. But there were a large +number of women who came to the island that had been better taught than +to believe in such a doctrine, which was the reason of Strang's failure +to enforce the law.</p> + +<p>The two men who shot Strang had their own wrongs to avenge. Bedford had +been whipped, he claimed unjustly. The other man, Wentworth, also had +much bitterness in his heart of treatment he had suffered from Strang. +So the two had planned to shoot him at their first opportunity. +Immediately after they shot him they ran to the U. S. steamer Michigan +and gave themselves up to the officers saying, "We have shot Strang and +are willing to suffer the consequences." They were taken to Mackinac +Island and put in jail, where they remained about one week. One dark +night the door was unlocked and a man said to them. "Ask no questions, +but hurry to the dock and go on board the steamboat that is there." They +did so. Nothing was ever done in the way of giving these men a trial. +Public sentiment was so great at the time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> against the Mormons it would +have been impossible to find a jury to convict them.</p> + + +<h3>FATHER AND MOTHER'S VISIT TO BEAVER ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>My brother remained with us three weeks. Father and mother thought they +would like to go back to the island with him to visit many of their +old-time friends, who had gone back to the island after the Mormons +left. Mr. Bower, at Bower's Harbor, owned a small vessel and was +anxious, as he said, "To go and see how the island looked with the +Mormons gone." So, with several more friends from Traverse City and Old +Mission, father, mother and Frank went to Beaver Island. They were gone +two weeks. I remained with Mrs. Hitchcock, my former teacher, Miss Helen +Goodale. She had gone to housekeeping in their cozy new home just built +on First street. I was very contented while they were gone never +thinking of such a thing that father would move away from Traverse City. +When they came back I could see mother was greatly pleased with the +island. There she had met so many of her old friends, and there she +could talk her own <ins class="correct" title="langauge">language</ins> again.</p> + + +<h3>A MOTHER LONGING TO SEE HER CHILDREN.</h3> + +<p>I could see when mother spoke of the island her heart was drawn to it. I +said to her, "Would you leave Traverse City and go to Beaver Island?" It +was dark and I could not see her face, but I knew by her voice there +were tears in her eyes as she said, "Well, I don't know Elizabeth, but +it seemed to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> me while I was there I was nearer to my boys, Charley and +Anthony, and now as both are sailing they might sometime come into the +harbor in a storm." I spoke with father about it. He said he knew mother +wanted to go back, but he did not want to take me from school. Frank, +too, said mother was anxious to go to the island, telling him there she +might see her two boys who were sailing and have her oldest son with her +all the time. There was nothing said to me again about it. I had +forgotten all about my talk with my mother.</p> + +<p>One morning the latter part of August Frank came and said to me, +"Elizabeth you must come home. We are going to move to Beaver Island." +At first I said. "No, this can't be so. I can't leave my school which +will soon now begin." But I hurried home to find it was true. Packing +was going on and all preparations were made to move. Mother was happy. +She was going to be near her boys as she so many times said when her +neighbors urged her not to go. My heart was heavy. How could I go and +leave all my dear companions and my dear school, which was my greatest +sorrow. Mr. Therian Bostwick had been our teacher the winter before and +would be again the coming winter. He was a highly educated man and he +and his wife wanted me to remain with them all winter and go to school. +Father said I might if I wanted to and then I could go to the island the +next spring, but I felt I could not do it. My winter in Ohio, where I +had been homesick, made me timid about being separated from my parents. +Dearly as I loved my young com<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>panions and Traverse City, I felt I was +needed by my parents. Father's health was failing, that I could plainly +see, and Frank not old enough to be much help.</p> + + +<h3>LEAVING TRAVERSE CITY.</h3> + +<p>With many tears of sorrow to think of leaving companions, friends and +Traverse City, the place where we had been so happy in the four years of +our stay, we bade adieu to our kind friends and neighbors and once more +were sailing away over the waters to Beaver Island. As we sailed toward +Northport it was not long before all traces of the little city had +passed from our view, and though I could not see it with my eyes, I +could see it with my heart, as I said to one of the gentlemen on board +our vessel. There were three summer people that had been at the island +since early June. They came over to Traverse City to see what the +country looked like and voted their preference for the island as a +summer home.</p> + +<p>We called at Northport, stopping to see several friends and wait for a +fresher breeze. There we met Mr. Dame, his wife and daughter, Mrs. Page, +and son Sebe, as we always called him. Mr. and Mrs. Smith and many more +wished us "God speed" on the way across the water to our "Island home." +We left Northport just as the sun was rising over the treetops. The +little town looked bright and pleasant in the morning sunlight. The wind +was fair and sea smooth. We soon were past the point, where we could +look upon Lake Michigan. North<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> and South Fox Islands at our left, +Charlevoix shore on our right, and soon Cat Head was left far behind, +with the "Beavers" growing larger every minute.</p> + + +<h3>LANDING AT THE ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>The day was fair; the sky was blue; the sea gulls soared about our +little ship, uttering their shrill cries in search of food. Soon the +land could be plainly seen along the island, and as we neared its shores +my thoughts went back to a few years ago, when I stood on the deck of +the steamboat Michigan watching so eagerly to catch the first glimpse of +the dear old island that was my home. And now as we passed Cable's dock +and saw the houses, and people walking about, how familiar everything +looked to me. I watched to see our old home, but father said to me, "It +is burned down." I looked at the place where it had stood and through my +tears it seemed I could almost see my little brother Charley and myself +strolling along the beach as we so often did in the old days, chasing +the plovers along the shore. Then again I could see ourselves hurrying +to get on board the little vessel with our goods left upon the beach and +the Mormon men pointing the guns at us. Father seemed to know what was +passing in my mind as he said. "There are only friends here now."</p> + +<p>We sailed along Big Sand Bay, and there were many little buildings left +where the fishermen lived. The Martin's and Sullivans place, with +Kilty's and others, all looked so familiar, then past Loaney's Point +with the big rock, and the homes looked just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> the same. In a short time +our little ship was sailing into the harbor, where something new greeted +my eyes, and that was the light house on the point, which was not there +when I was there last. Everything was so beautiful and fair to look upon +I could not help enjoying the lovely trip across the lake.</p> + + +<h3>HOTELS AT THE HARBOR.</h3> + +<p>My brother and other friends met us and took us to the Mormon printing +office, which had been turned into a hotel. When reaching there we were +met by ever so many old friends, nearly all speaking in French, and +their manner so hearty we could not help but feel their welcome. At +supper time the dining room was filled with a jolly crowd of fishermen +with a number of city people that were staying for rest and recreation +in the summer months. Several of them had been with the fishermen on the +lake that day watching the process of setting and lifting the nets, and +many were the jokes that were made at their expense. Next door was +another larger hotel, kept by Mr. David Lobdell and his wife. Mrs. +Lobdell came from Fremont, Ohio. This hotel had been full of summer +boarders, but many had gone to their city homes. This house had been +used by the Mormons as a dance hall and theater.</p> + +<p>The summer at the island had been a very gay one. About twenty families +had summered there, living in the deserted homes of the Mormons. There +were also two or three smaller boarding houses that were all filled and +doing a good busi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>ness. Fish were plenty, bringing a good price. +Everybody had money and used it freely. The fishermen were a good, kind, +jolly people as a class, borrowing no troubles for the morrow. In those +days there were no tugs used in the fishing business, neither were there +pound-nets used. There were many seines used. The fish caught were +usually very large in size, both whitefish and trout. The merchants did +a prosperous business. In winter the cord wood was chopped and brought +to the docks for the steamers' fuel during the summer season.</p> + + +<h3>THE FAREWELL RECEPTION TO FRIENDS.</h3> + +<p>The evening before we reached there a large party had been given as a +farewell to the many summer friends that were going to their city homes. +The two young Mormon sisters that Strang had chosen as Spiritual wives +were also going away. They were to have a great festival, or feast, in +July to celebrate the sealing ceremony of the King's marriage with the +two young sisters, but death had come and taken the King before the time +of the ceremony. These two sisters were very beautiful girls who were +orphans and had a home with their uncle, he being a staunch Mormon, but +a very good man. The summer people had been very interested in these two +young sisters. Their parents had both died while they were very young. +Being raised in the Mormon faith they thought it was right and +considered it a great honor to have been chosen by the prophet and King. +I was told by one who knew them intimately that they expressed great +joy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> that they had escaped such a fate. Since the shooting of Strang +they, as well as many others, had lost their faith in his religion.</p> + + +<h3>RETURN OF THE MERCHANTS.</h3> + +<p>We were soon settled in a comfortable house left by the Mormons. The +houses as a rule were placed close together in groups of three. Their +yards were nicely laid out and filled with handsome flowers, which were +now in bloom. When we reached there houses were plenty and we could take +our choice. Mr. C. R. Wright and family had returned to the island, +starting a large cooper shop and employing a number of workmen. Mr. +James Moore and family, T. D. Smith and family, and many others who had +left in 1852 had now returned. Mr. James Cable had taken possession of +his property at the head of the island and was again in business. Mr. +Peter McKinley had returned and was in business across the harbor on the +opposite side from the point at what was called the "Gregg property." +Mr. McKinley had been elected to the State Legislature at Lansing, so +did not return to the island until late in the fall. His brother +Morrison taking charge of the business. Peter McKinley was first cousin +to William McKinley, our late President of the United States.</p> + +<p>There was a very comfortable school house, built by the Mormons. It was +a frame building containing a large library of fine books which belonged +to the King. There were books of Greek and Latin, with histories and law +books. Our school was taught<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> that winter by Mr. Isaac Wright from +Illinois. The Mormons had always had good schools, as the king wanted to +have his subjects educated, but would not allow them to go outside to be +educated. The teachers being their own people.</p> + +<p>About a mile back from the shore on high, level land was Mr. Campbell's +farm. This was a beautiful location on the south side of the harbor. +This family had remained when the Mormons had left. They were glad to be +left in peace and had become tired of Strang's rule. They were my +neighbors for many years and proved themselves kind and true friends.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Campbell had been one of Strang's greatest enemies in preventing +his enforcing the laws of polygamy. She carried her family Bible to the +temple, and there with many other women read God's laws from its pages +faster than the king could explain it in his way. She told me all this +herself, and said many times when she started for the temple it was with +fear and trembling, not knowing sometimes whether she would ever return +to her home.</p> + +<p>She knew she was defying the King, and no one at the time could tell +what the outcome might be, adding, "But we knew we were right and were +fighting for our homes. We kept agitating and gained time. Strang began +to find his power was not absolute. We women banded ourselves together +and fought him with words so strong he had to stop to consider where he +stood. Before it was settled the king was shot."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>DR. McCULLOCH'S RESIDENCE.</h3> + +<p>At the harbor side, or St. James, was quite a village. Two docks, two +stores, with the two hotels and two or three boarding houses; further +around the bay was the old Mormon boarding house building that had been +run by the Mormon with four wives. It was built of logs smooth on both +sides. Mr. C. R. Wright converted that building into a large cooper +shop. There were about twenty houses back along the hill, reaching along +past the temple and Strang's cottage, with several more in the other +direction around the bay toward the point. Just back a short distance +from the street just opposite the dock stood what was called "Dr. +McCulloch's residence." A very pretty gothic story and a half cottage. +It was painted white with a white picket fence around it. Dr. McCulloch +was the Mormon doctor from Baltimore. A fine physician. Coming to the +island just to rest, he gained his health and liked the climate so well +he settled there. His wife was a highly cultured lady. While not wholly +Mormons, they were just enough so as to live peaceably with the King. +Mrs. McCulloch was the leader in much of their amusements, and she often +ridiculed Strang about his way of living and insisting upon the women +wearing short hair and bloomer costumes. She always wore her dresses +long when going on her annual trips home to Baltimore. But when on the +island she wore the regulation short dress, as she said, "Just for +fun."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span></p> + +<p>The year we returned, in 1857, a Mr. Burke, a merchant from Buffalo. N. +Y., had been that summer at the island with a stock of goods, leaving in +the fall, selling his goods to Mr. George R. Peckham, of Toledo, Ohio, +who carried on the business a few years alone, after which C. R. Wright +went partner with him; then for a number of years the firm of Peckham & +Wright was known. Later George Peckham sold his interest to Mr. Wright, +and then the firm was known as C. R. Wright & Son. The business grew, as +thousands of barrels of fish were caught and shipped every season. It +soon became equal to the fish market at Mackinac Island, it being nearer +to most of the fishing grounds. In a few years the property at the point +was bought by the firm of Dormer & Allen, of Buffalo, N. Y. A large +store and warehouse was built, with the dock improved, and the business +was carried on at the point with success by that firm for a number of +years.</p> + + +<h3>THE KING'S HIGHWAY.</h3> + +<p>At Cable's dock Mr. John Corlette, of Ohio, had settled, and after a +fair success in business of several years he moved to Cheboygan, Mich., +with his son-in-law, Mr. Andrew Trombley. Captain Appleby, of Buffalo, +N. Y., took Mr. Loaney's place as keeper of the light-house at the head +of the island, where his nephew, Frank Blakeslee, assisted. After a few +years Mr. Harrison Miller took Capt. Appleby's place, remaining eleven +years or more, assisted by his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> nephew, Edwin Bedford. Mr. William +Duclon succeeded Miller, and after about eight years was transferred to +Eagle Bluff light-house, where he still continues at this writing. Mr. +Harrison Miller, after leaving the light-house, was appointed keeper of +the life saving station at Beaver Harbor, and was transferred to Point +Betsey life-saving station. Mr. Owen Gallagher succeeded him at the +Beaver Island station.</p> + +<p>The Mormons laid the roads out very convenient for the settlers that +were in the interior of the island. One road went direct from the harbor +across to Bonnar's landing, a distance of five miles. This road passed +through many fine farms, and there were roads branching from this one +leading to all parts of the island, with the king's highway leading +direct through from the harbor to the head of the island. The king's +highway was very beautiful with its wild scenery. Many of the roads were +built with small logs cut the width of the road and laid down firmly +close together. These were called cause-ways or corduroy. This kind was +built where it was swampy and low land to go through. These cause-ways +were very beautiful in summer time with their branches arching overhead +in many places, with beautiful evergreens mixed in with willows, green +mosses and flowers.</p> + + +<h3>HORSEBACK RIDING ABOUT THE ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>I soon became acquainted with Mr. Campbell's daughter. She was a bright, +jolly girl just two years older than I. They had horses, so Mary and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> +used to ride horseback almost every day until she had taken me almost +all over the island. Oh, those delightful rides! There were roads and +bridle paths going in every direction. I would soon have been lost, but +Mary knew them all, and when she had any doubts about the way out from +the deep woods those two horses never failed to take us right. Mary was +a pleasant companion. She knew the names of all the people who had lived +on those now deserted farms. Every house we came to was vacant. The +little gates were broken off their hinges in several places, and in some +of the houses the curtains were still at the windows. Weeds were growing +all about the doors, flowers were still in bloom, with weeds mixed in +among them, barns were empty with some of their doors open. There were +broods of chickens around many of the barns, and one yard we rode into +some pretty little kittens ran scampering under the barn. Mary was +talking all the time, saying, "Such a man lived here; they were very +good people. Just see how pretty the flowers grow and the lovely currant +bushes. Ma and I came and picked the most of them this season, as Mrs. +M—— told us to. Oh we did feel so sorry for her to have to leave her +home. Now these people were awfully queer. They never talked to anybody; +and just see the lovely hay in this field all going to waste." We rode +along where there were several houses built close together with a large +barn, and the flowers were beautiful. Roses climbing about the windows. +"Yes, this is where one of the apostles lived. We didn't like him a bit. +Ma says<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> he made Strang do lots of things he didn't want to and wanted +to put father high in office and have him sealed to some more wives, but +Ma would not allow it. She went to the temple and did all she could do +to stop it, and I believe Strang was afraid the women would mob him. At +any rate he let us alone. We liked that apostle's wife. She was a kind +little woman." I enjoyed the riding, but it made me sad to see all those +deserted homes. I could see how much hard work had been done to make +everything so comfortable.</p> + + +<h3>THE HOME WHERE THE WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVEN OUT.</h3> + +<p>One day, on our last ride, we rode directly across to Bonnar's landing. +Mr. and Mrs. John Bonnar had bought and settled on a very fertile piece +of land. At that time there was not much cleared; later they had a +beautiful home. Mr. Ray Peckham and wife also had bought a good farm +near Mr. Bonnar's. This day Mary and I rode around all the homes out on +that road, then came down and took the road leading out to Long Lake, +near Font Lake. Our horses were walking, Mary was pointing out and +telling me about the people that lived on this road. We soon came to a +home that it seemed to me I had seen before. I said, "Mary, who lived +here?" "Oh, this is where Mr. H—— lived; the man who treated his wife +so badly because she did not like it when he brought home another wife." +We tied our horses and walked about the yard. Yes, here was the home. +There were the rose bushes about the windows, the flowers down the walk, +a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> mountain ash with its red berries, the vegetable garden at the back +of the house with the currant and gooseberry bushes. I looked a long +time, seeing it all in my mind as the woman had told me her story. I +could see the man and woman standing together in the door while the wife +was hurrying away to her mother for sympathy. I could not keep the tears +back. Mary saw I felt sad and said, "Why do you cry? Are you lonesome +for the friends you have left in your old home?" I said, "No, I am +crying because I have heard the story about the woman. She told it to me +herself." "Oh yes, I remember hearing ma tell me about this woman. She +says she thinks it was the most cruel joke Strang ever planned." (Strang +always called such things jokes.) Over there is where her father and +mother lived and way over there (pointing to the woods) is where that +deaf and dumb sister of her's lived. We walked over to the woods. The +little log cabin stood almost hid by the trees and bushes. It had a more +deserted look than the rest of the houses. Bushes and weeds were right +up to the door. Mary said no one had ever lived in it since the deaf and +dumb man had died and his wife and children had gone away. We hurried +away. It gave us such a gloomy feeling. We were glad to come back where +the sun was shining.</p> + + +<h3>TIGER'S GRAVE.</h3> + +<p>Mary said, "Come, I will show you old Tiger's grave, where the woman and +her deaf and dumb sister buried him after Mr. H—— shot him for his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> +faithfulness to his mistress." We stood beside the spot where the +wronged wife had buried her faithful dog. She had planted a rose bush +beside it. There were many beautiful roses on the bush that season. +Tiger's grave was near the shore of little Font Lake at the place where +he pulled his mistress from a watery grave. We then rode down through +Enoch, and there Mary pointed to a grave with a beautiful lilac bush at +its head with a white picket fence about it. That is where the mother of +four young girls is buried. It almost broke their hearts to go away and +leave their mother's grave. They had asked Mary to see to it sometimes, +which she had promised to do.</p> + + +<h3>THE JOHNSON HOUSE.</h3> + +<p>Mary said, "Now just one more place to go and see before we go home." We +rode around pretty Font Lake, soon coming to a large two story and a +half house, built very near the sloping shore of the lake. We tied our +horses, walking down the path to the water. There were seats in among +the small cedars, which grew thickly about. The house was still in good +repair. "This is the Johnson House. The people were rich. He was a +merchant living in Buffalo. The King and 'Douglas' went to their home +and soon persuaded them to sell and come here. They built this house, +and out there you can see the large barn. They brought their horses and +carriages. They brought their dead daughter's body and buried it out +there on that little knoll." I looked and saw the white railing about +the lonely grave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> with rose bushes at the head. We went up stairs and +saw the large dancing hall with its waxed floors which were still +glossy. She told me how beautifully it had been furnished. The parlors +and all the rooms were large. Rose bushes grew near the windows, flower +gardens with blooming flowers. The setting sun was shining through the +windows; the house was clean and it seemed the occupants had just +cleaned house and not yet arranged the furniture. It had such a bright, +cheerful look. Some city visitors had lived there all summer. Yes, these +people were another disappointed family. They had a very handsome +daughter highly educated and a fine musician. Strang and "Douglass" used +to go there to the parties given, the family not knowing at first that +"Charles Douglas" was a woman, that being another one of the king's +jokes. Mr. Wentworth married this daughter and the king's visits became +disagreeable to the young wife. This caused hard feelings and may have +been one of the reasons for Wentworth's shooting the king. We hurried +home as the sun was sinking in the west, and I wanted to get away from +all these empty houses, for every one seemed like an open grave. I staid +with Mary all night and her mother told me many things about their life +on the island.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 650px;"><a name="ill214" id="ill214"></a> +<img src="images/214.jpg" width="650" height="364" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">FONT LAKE, BEAVER ISLAND, WHERE KING STRANG BAPTIZED HIS +PEOPLE.</span> +</div> + + +<h3>MRS. CAMPBELL'S STORY.</h3> + +<p>"We had a comfortable home in New York State near to where many more of +our neighbors who came with us lived. Strang himself, with two more +apostles, were traveling through the country<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> preaching and telling +about the rich beautiful country they had found. We went to hear them, +and, like many others, were greatly pleased. Strang did most of the +talking himself. He was a brilliant talker. He had such a bright, +cheerful manner we were won from the first. We sold our home, the other +neighbors doing the same, and in a short time started for the 'Promised +Land.' When we reached here we found nothing as it had been represented +to us. The island was in its wild natural state. A few had cleared some +land and were struggling along the best they could. Our first winter was +a hard one, and I cannot bear to think how sadly we were <ins class="correct" title="disapointed">disappointed</ins>. +When I asked Strang why we had not been told the truth he always turned +it off in some way, talking so encouragingly and always making us see +the brightest side. Life became busy, as we had a large family dependent +upon us. We had some money saved and bought this land and built this +house, which you see is large and comfortable. Our children were sent to +school and we were beginning to feel quite contented. I often went to +hear Strang preach, but I did not feel satisfied, his doctrine did not +sound the same as he told it to us before we left our old home, and he +was having so many 'New Revelations' that I soon lost what little belief +I had ever had in the doctrine. Somehow it was different from what my +old family Bible taught me, but I said very little about it at first, +although a few of us women used to say Strang had too many revelations +to be true. He never spoke anything to me about them, but often<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> spoke +to other women he called upon. Very soon he preached in the temple that +he had a new revelation that all the apostles and officers in the Church +of Zion must take more wives, and had already taken more himself. This +preaching stirred us women up, as he had preached before against +polygamy, and about this time I found the king was urging my husband to +accept a high office in the church. I called upon the king, asking if +this was all true that we heard. He answered in a very decided tone, +'Yes, it is true, and the law will be enforced if you do not quietly +submit.' I told him I would never submit or consent to another woman +coming into my house while I lived. He said, 'You are not yet high +enough in the faith to understand the true meaning of being sealed to +spiritual wives.' Well, I tell you I was mad. I went home, and in a few +days I joined with several other women. We went to the temple, I +carrying my family Bible, and there we faced the King. We women talked +faster than he could. He tried to have us stopped but could not. You +know how it all ended; I was sorry to see him killed, yet I knew +something terrible would happen to him and I told him so when I talked +that day. I said such things cannot go on any longer. All these homes +would not be empty had Strang lived according to the doctrine he +preached to us before we sold our old homes and came here; we would have +been a happy, contented people, but his teachings were all false from +beginning to end, and he has suffered the same fate of Joseph Smith, +whose example he followed. I know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> there were bad men influencing him to +do all this. It might have been for the purpose of getting rid of him so +they themselves could take his place. It is all ended and I am glad I +never knew anything more about Mormonism than I have since I came here."</p> + + +<h3>BURNING OF THE MORMON TEMPLE.</h3> + +<p>At the time the Mormons left the island the temple was left standing. +The excitement was so great and the Gentiles feared the Mormons might +return with another leader in Strang's place, so they thought best to +burn the temple. It was of the exact pattern as the one at Kirtland, +Ohio, as Strang had built it after the same plans. The building was all +up and inclosed, but not yet finished. The large room used for preaching +was also used for the council room.</p> + + +<h3>ROCKY MOUNTAIN OR INDIAN POINT.</h3> + +<p>In my rides about the island there were many narrow paths in every +direction and the young growth of trees made it almost impossible to +pass through. We would come upon many little log cabins in the dense +woods with no clearing except a small yard and I wondered why this was +so. I was told these were some of the places where they used to secrete +stolen goods, it being such an out-of-the-way place and in the dense +woods no one would expect to find a house. One of the band of "Forty +Thieves" who lived with us a few months after I was married and keeping +house, told us there were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> many such places about that locality of Rocky +Mountain, or Indian Point as it has always been called late years, where +goods could be hid and they could hide themselves so as not to be found +by any stranger. The very mention of the band of "Forty Thieves" struck +terror to people's hearts in the days of Mormon rule. There were rumors +of many dark deeds done by that band of highwaymen, or pirates as they +were sometimes called. It was common talk among Gentiles, and told us by +some of their own people who were not very loyal to the king, that +vessels were plundered and the crews never heard from. Of course this +none of us knew to be true, yet a great many things happened to lead us +to think that it might be a possibility. When my people came back to the +island there was still a great quantity of goods left stored away in +some houses up in that part called "Enoch," about one mile distant from +the harbor. There were several boxes of shoes, some crates of dishes +partly full, screen cupboards, furniture, chairs and tables. One small +house was almost full of stoves. All these goods were new and did not +seem to have been damaged. The people who came had helped themselves to +all they wanted and wondered where all the goods came from. This helped +to make the rumors prove more true that vessels had been plundered and +the crews killed. One of our lake captains told me he had a brother who +was last seen at Beaver harbor. The vessel and crew were never heard +from and no one knew their fate. Of course when Strang's people were +getting so bold, doing what they did, tak<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>ing everything from the +fishermen, it could easily be believed they would plunder vessels if a +good opportunity came.</p> + + +<h3>THE SECRET SOCIETY.</h3> + +<p>Many have been the hours spent, and days even, by people hunting to find +the hull of a schooner which was said to have been sunk off Little Sand +Bay, myself among the rest, and several times we were sure we could see +the hull of the vessel lying at the bottom of the lake several rods from +shore. We often went rowing and sailing in that direction and we were +sure to say, "Let's look for the wreck." I asked the young man that +boarded with us about it, as he had once been a member of the "Secret +Society." I said, "Is it true? Has there been such things done?" He +said, "If only these stones could talk they would tell you of some +things that would horrify you, and though I am free from Mormon rule, I +would not dare to tell you some things which our band was sworn to do. +We were trained for our work and were known among ourselves as the +'Secret Society.' It meant sure death to any of us to betray anything +pertaining to our business." He was only eighteen at the time he joined +the "Secret Society." He often had spells of great sadness and many +nights walked the floor because he could not sleep. Once I said to him. +"Did the King ever give you orders what to do?" He said. "At first the +orders were given our captains by the King, but it was not long before +we never waited for orders from headquarters. We did what we found to +do.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> It was the intention that Strang should own and rule the whole +territory about these islands and mainland as fast as he could get his +people scattered about to possess the whole. Strang got too busy making +laws that did not suit many of the women, which was one cause of the +ill-feeling among his people."</p> + + +<h3>PAGE TOWN.</h3> + +<p>In one of my rides with Mary we went to the place called "Rocky Mountain +Point," where the forty thieves had their rendezvous. It was a lonely +place, with the waves rolling in over the rocky shore where we went to +the beach and the woods were dense. I had heard so many stories of the +Mormons' doings there I felt afraid and told Mary I wanted to hurry +away, which we did as fast as our horses could travel through the path. +When we came to "Page Town" then the spell was broken. No one could look +upon this beautiful place and feel fear. The view is grand out over the +water to the neighboring islands and the evergreens are most beautiful. +"Page Town" is just on the Lake Michigan side of Font Lake. We could see +the Johnson House as we rested on the bank of the lake. There were about +a dozen houses scattered about, some right near the bank and others back +in among the evergreens. It was named in honor of Mr. Page, who first +built his house there with several of his relatives. The location is +most beautiful. At this spot Lake Michigan is not quite a half mile from +Font Lake.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span></p> + +<p>The land is a little rolling going out to Font Lake, which gives it a +most beautiful view all about. The road was good to the portage. We rode +around by the Station Hill, a station put there for government survey, +and is a most beautiful place for a look-out, with its white sandy beach +and clear water sparkling in the sunlight. During my stay on the island +that was always a favorite place to go for a quiet, restful stroll, and +our summer visitors never failed to visit Station Hill. There Garden +Island, with its lovely green trees, was a pleasant view.</p> + + +<h3>VISITING THE LIGHT KEEPER AND HIS WIFE.</h3> + +<p>From there Mary and I turned our horses' heads toward the point to visit +the light keeper and his wife. They were a dear old couple. They would +not let us go before we had tea with them. Their children were all +married but one daughter. She was visiting with her sister, Mrs. E. +Kanter, in Detroit, and expected to remain there for the winter. The old +couple had a young boy named Anthony Frazier living with them. Their +home was a marvel of neatness. Their name was Granger. He had been +light-keeper at Bois Blanc, near Mackinac Island. His son had taken his +place and Mr. Lyman Granger had come to take charge of Beaver Island +harbor light, just erected the year before. They took us in the tower to +see the lamp It was in beautiful order. Mrs. Granger seeing to the +polishing of the lamp and fixtures herself. A few years later I was +married and lived neighbor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> to them until they left the light-house. +Then Mr. Peter McKinley was appointed keeper, where he remained nine +years with his two young daughters, Effie and Mary. He lost his health +soon after his appointment, but the girls took charge of the light house +and were faithful to their charge during the whole time of their stay, +finally resigning to go away.</p> + + +<h3>OUR SCHOOL TEACHERS.</h3> + +<p>There were always good schools at the island, having several teachers +from the city at different times. I will mention a few of our city and +island teachers. The city teachers were Miss Ann E. Granger, Detroit; +Clara Holcomb, Fremont, Ohio; Miss Belle and Hattie Buckland, Buffalo, +N. Y.; Miss J. Voas and Miss J. V. Wilkes, both of Buffalo, N. Y. Our +island teachers were C. R. Wright, Michael F. O'Donnell, Miss Effie +McKinley, Miss Sarah O'Malley, Miss Sarah J. Gibson, Miss Annie Gibson, +and many others. There were two brothers. Charles and George Gillett, of +Detroit, Mich. They came several summers. Both were fine musicians. They +were sure to be on our first boat in the spring, remaining until fall. +One spring Charles came alone. The younger brother had died during the +winter. We missed his pleasant face and sweet music. When the other +brother returned home that fall he took a bride with him, marrying Miss +Clara Holcomb, of Fremont, Ohio. Life on the island was never dull. Our +summer friends were pleasant, friendly people, making the life happier +by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> their coming. Good books were sent us for winter reading, and many +little tokens of remembrance were often sent us. We gladly hailed the +first boat in the spring because it always brought some friends from the +outside world.</p> + + +<h3>GOING TO MACKINAC ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>I was again on board the steamer Michigan. The same captain, the same +crew; Jane, the cabin maid was there with her pleasant smile. There were +several passengers from Green Bay going to Mackinac Island, for it was +payment time. Among the passengers was Mr. Scott, of Green Bay, who once +lived at Mackinac Island. Another was Mr. Michael Dousman, he being +another that had lived many years on Mackinac Island. His home then +being in Milwaukee. When we landed at Mackinac Island the entire beach +from Mission House Point to the place where the "Grand" now stands was +filled with a row of Indian wigwams.</p> + +<p>There were Indians wearing their blankets and the women dressed in +bright gay colors with their papooses strapped on their backs in their +Indian cradles. The cradles were trimmed with gay colored ribbons. Dogs +and children were all mixed up together. Many squaws were pounding +Indian corn to make soup for their supper. The streets near the water at +Mackinac looked very bright in their gay colors. Indian women and their +children were strolling and chatting together looking at the bright +colored goods, while the men were most of the time walking about the +streets wrapped in their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> white blankets, they talking together in low +tones. Perhaps telling about how their grandfathers had met for councils +of war at this same place so many years before.</p> + +<p>The island was just as beautiful as ever. It was early spring time when +I saw it last with the straits full of floating ice. Now the grass was +green and the trees were in autumn dress with the beautiful evergreens +mixed in among the pretty colored leaves of maple and birch. The crisp +autumn air gave new life after a hot summer. It had been a busy season +with summer visitors and a few had lingered for payment time.</p> + + +<h3>MY RETURN TO BEAVER ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>My visit of a month was greatly enjoyed and I returned to Beaver Island, +entering school at once. Our winter was a cold one, with heavy ice in +the lake, but the next spring we had the steamer Michigan in our harbor +on April first. There was still drifting ice, fishing soon began and the +summer was a busy one, with many summer visitors. Our island people were +very happy not to be disturbed any more by the Mormons or have their +property stolen.</p> + +<p>There were several Irish families that came as soon as the Mormons left, +and more soon followed. They bought the land and made themselves homes. +Among those that came was our genial friend Capt. Roddy, so well known +all over Northern Michigan. He was a true sailor, owning several sailing +crafts at different times, also owning a very fine farm on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> the island. +He lived there a number of years. He died leaving his family very +comfortable. Many of the people who came to the island bought land and +took some of the houses the Mormons had left that were around the harbor +and moved them to other locations, so that in a few years the island was +changed in its appearance by the buildings being taken away from where +they had been. Soon there were enough people to support a church, then a +Catholic Priest came, and by subscription a church was built, the +Protestants helping. Rev. Father Murray was the first priest stationed +there. He was a very social and kind hearted man. After him came Rev. +Father Gallagher, a young student just from college. His former home was +Philadelphia. He made many improvements to the church building, devoting +his whole time to his people. He was a jolly social man and a great +entertainer. He passed away after a useful life of thirty-two years +service. His remains were taken to his native city, Philadelphia, for +interment.</p> + + +<h3>THE GIBSON HOUSE.</h3> + +<p>Mr. Robert Gibson and wife came to the island the spring of 1858, buying +the property of the old Mormon printing office, converting it into a +hotel known ever since as "The Gibson House." Its doors have been open +to guests up to the present. Mr. Gibson died some years ago, since which +time his widow, Mrs. Julia Gibson, with her family, have continued the +business with success.</p> + +<p>The "King Strang Cottage" has gone to ruin.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> What little there was left +of it after summer visitors had carried away pieces as relics took fire +and burned.</p> + +<p>Capt. Bundy with his gospel ship "Glad Tidings" often came to our harbor +and sailing around other parts of the shores and islands in later years +holding religious services among the people.</p> + + +<h3>THE NURSE'S STORY.</h3> + +<p>Soon after our return to the island after the going away of the Mormons +I became acquainted with a lady that had come to the island just a few +weeks before Strang was shot. She came to visit her brother. She was a +nurse. She told me what a sad time it was to those people when their +king was shot. Some would not believe until they saw him. Soon after +Strang was carried home the doctor sent a messenger to this lady to come +and take charge of the sick room, as no one else could be found capable, +all being in such an excited state of mind. She said, "When I reached +Strang's home I found him resting under an opiate. His wounds had been +dressed. The doctor was sitting beside the bed. I knew him well and he +motioned me to a seat. I went across the hall into another room, hearing +the sounds of crying and sobbing. There I saw the four wives with +several neighbor women all in a sorrowful state of mind. There was one +that sat by herself by an open window looking out over the water. She +was silent and quiet with a far away look in her eyes. I motioned to the +rest to be quiet, as I feared it would disturb the sick<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> man. I went +close and spoke to the quiet woman. She was the one called 'Douglas,' +the favorite wife. Strang often called her Charley. I told her why I had +come, that I had been sent for. She roused herself up, saying, 'Oh yes, +now I remember some one is needed in the sick room.' She seemed to be +almost in a dream. I said to her, 'This may not be so bad. He may get +well.' She shook her head, her lips quivered, then she spoke in low +tones to me, saying, 'No, he says himself he can't get well and he wants +the doctor to take him away from the island.' She stopped a moment and +then went on, 'He wants to go to his wife in Wisconsin. He says he must +go. The doctor told him he had better not go, but his mind is made up to +go. And I think it is best, but the rest don't think so,' meaning the +other three women. She told me where I could find everything I needed. +There were soon large crowds gathering about the house, women were +wringing their hands and sobbing aloud. The quiet woman went out among +them, telling them they must be quiet and not disturb the sick man, but +they did not seem to know what she said. They acted as if they were +dazed. The doctor went out and explained to them that they must be +quiet. Some of them went away, others sat down on the grass, sobbing +quietly, seeming almost heartbroken. I was in the room when Strang +awoke. The doctor was near him. The first words he spoke were, 'Doctor +can I go? Will a boat soon come to take me home to my wife?' His voice +was strong. The doctor answered, 'We will think about this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> later.' 'No +doctor I must go, I cannot die here on the island. I must go to my wife +and children. I must see her before I die. I can't get well, I know it, +and I know she will forgive me.' His voice was pleading. It was hard for +the doctor to know just what to do or say to him. I soon went to him +with some drink. He looked straight in my face saying, 'Tell the doctor +I must go home to my wife and children. I am going to die.' Then after a +few moments of quietness he exclaimed, 'If I had only heeded her counsel +this would not have happened.' His pleadings never ceased until the +doctor said. 'Yes. I will take you.' Such a look of joy came over his +face and the great tears started from his eyes. The quiet woman came and +took his hand and wiped away the tears, but he seemed not to see her. He +repeated several times, 'I am going home to Mary.' His eyes had a far +away look and his mind was not dwelling on the daily cares, and he took +no interest in anything about the house. He never mentioned anything +about the business of the temple, as his only desire was to live until +he reached his wife. This quiet woman that seemed so much to him before +was nothing to him now. Her sorrow was great but she bore it quietly and +helped in the preparations to make him comfortable on his journey, +knowing she would never see him again in this life. Four days after he +was wounded he was carried on board the steamer. The scene was a +sorrowful one; everybody came to see their King who had taught them no +harm could come to him. Strang was calm and quiet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> through it all, for +to him they only seemed as passing friends. His thoughts were not of +earth and his lips moved often as if in prayer. He stood the journey +well, and the kind and loving wife freely forgave him as he died in her +arms. He suffered much, but bore it bravely, seeming perfectly satisfied +to be at home with his true wife."</p> + + +<h3>MARRIED AND KEEPING HOUSE.</h3> + +<p>The light-keeper Mr. Granger, had given up his position as a keeper, Mr. +Peter McKinley succeeding him. I was now married to Mr. Van Riper and +living very near the light-house. My husband had come from Detroit for +his health. After we were married he started a large cooper shop at the +Point, employing several men in the summer season. My father had now +moved into the "Strang House," as the King's house was always called by +the islanders. Up to this time no one had ever lived in it since the +King's death. Somehow no one cared to live in it, but father and mother +found it very comfortable and pleasant. There were more people coming to +the island all the time to settle, buying farms. The "Johnson House" was +now taken down and moved on some farm. All the houses between Strang's +house and Enoch had been taken down. We found the light-keeper and his +daughters very kind neighbors. The two girls and myself were like +sisters as time went on.</p> + +<p>There was no doctor at that time on the island. When anything serious +happened the people had a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> doctor come from Mackinac Island and later +from Charlevoix.</p> + +<p>Our mails came by ice in winter from Mackinac Island, a distance of +fifty miles. When our mail carrier came with the pouches full we were +like a hungry lot of people, as often we were without mail for a month +or six weeks. Work was laid aside until the letters and papers were +read, then for several days news was discussed among us. Good news was +enjoyed by everybody and sad news was sadness for all. In later years +our mail route was changed in winter to Cross Village, distant about +twenty-five miles. Both Indians and white men were engaged in carrying +it, using dogs with sleds as the mail grew heavier, with more +inhabitants coming. Winter was the time for social amusements. We +usually had fine ice for skating, which was enjoyed by both old and +young, women, as well as men.</p> + +<p>The merchants laid in a good stock of everything necessary in the fall, +but many times people ran short of provisions, then other neighbors +divided with them.</p> + + +<h3>TRAVELLING BY WATER.</h3> + +<p>In the sixties Charlevoix people came to Beaver Island to do much of +their trading, going back and forth in small boats. All travelling had +to be done by water. People felt no fear. We were going from island to +island in summer time. In those days at Little Traverse, now Harbor +Springs, there were just a few white settlers, with one or two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> stores. +In the early fifties Mr. Richard Cooper started a store and another was +kept by the "Wendells" of Mackinac Island. Many Mackinac Island people +took their families every summer for several years to the Gull islands, +that being a fine fishing ground. Thousands of dollars worth of fish +were caught there. Beaver Harbor was then the center for trade. Near to +reach. "The boats were our carriages, the wind our steeds." Sometimes +there were accidents and many were drowned, still people had to live, +and their work was on the water most of the time.</p> + +<p>The winter of 1861 my husband and I went to Milwaukee to spend the +winter. Mr. C. R. Wright was elected to the State Legislature at Lansing +that winter, his family spending the winter in Fairport, Ohio. We all +returned to the island in springtime. My parents had now gone back to +Traverse City to live. Frank, my adopted brother, had enlisted as a +drummer boy at the beginning of the Civil War.</p> + + +<h3>OUR INDIAN SCHOOL AT GARDEN ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>In July of 1862 my husband was appointed as a Government school teacher +to the Indians at Garden Island. The school was a large one as there was +a large band of Indians. Our school continued for two years, then was +discontinued for several years before another teacher was sent among +them. That two years was a busy life for us both. The Government +furnished seeds of all kinds for their gardens, flower seeds as well to +beautify their homes. We were expected to teach them how to plant and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +cultivate their gardens and farms. They learned rapidly to make their +gardens, to plant corn and vegetables, but these little flower seeds, +they could not manage them. Chief Peain was a very social, intelligent +man. He watched the process of making the flower beds and the putting in +of the small seeds. Then he said, "Too much work for Indian." He then +took many of the boys and girls with some of the older ones to help +clearing off three or four acres of land, put a brush fence around it, +they then took the flower seeds of the different kinds, sowing them like +grain and raked them in. Well, such a flower garden was never seen! +There was every flower in the catalogue growing up together, and never +were flowers enjoyed as those Indians enjoyed that flower garden. Every +day at all hours could be seen both old and young going out to look at +the bright flowers. Old grandmothers with the little grand children +would sit in the shade near the flowers and work the pretty beads on the +deerskin moccasins while the children played and amused themselves. As +soon as school was over then the race began for the flower garden. And +it was a pleasure to us to see them so happy. It was called "The Chief's +Garden." He was greatly pleased with the bright flowers, and had us +write a letter of thanks to the Indian agent for him.</p> + +<p>We always had several friends visiting us from Milwaukee and other +cities, which made the time seem all too short. I often look back to +that two years of my life and feel that my time was not wasted.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>WENTWORTH'S VISIT TO HIS ISLAND HOME.</h3> + +<p>Soon after I was married Alexander Wentworth, one of the men that shot +Strang, boarded with us for several weeks. He came back to the island to +visit and see how things were prospering. He was a fine looking and +intelligent man, very quiet in his manner. We had several other boarders +at the same time, people who came to see King Strang's Island. Alec, as +they always called him, was their guide to show them the best fishing +streams and take them to hunt ducks and wild pigeons. I often talked +with Wentworth about the shooting of Strang, asking him if he had any +regrets about what he had done. He said, "I have never yet regretted +what I did. The Mormon life was bad, and there was no good in it as I +can see and I would not live it over again for anything." The place he +liked to go best was to little Font Lake to the "Johnson House," his +wife's old "Island Home." This had been the second season he came. After +that he never came again and we never heard from him any more.</p> + + +<h3>MY HUSBAND APPOINTED LIGHT-KEEPER.</h3> + +<p>The winter of 1865 we spent a very pleasant winter in Northport, the +next winter in Charlevoix, where we had built us a new home on Bridge +street. We sold and returned again to the island, engaging in the +fishing business quite extensively for a few years.</p> + +<p>In August of 1869 Mr. Peter McKinley resigned his position as +light-keeper, my husband being appointed in his place. Then began a new +life, other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> business was discontinued and all our time was devoted to +the care of the light. In the spring of 1870 a large force of men came +with material to build a new tower and repair the dwelling, adding a new +brick kitchen. Mr. Newton with his two sons had charge of the work. A +new fourth order lens was placed in the new tower and the color of the +light changed from white to red. These improvements were a great +addition to the station from what it had been. Our tower was built round +with a winding stairs of iron steps. My husband having now very poor +health I took charge of the care of the lamps; and the beautiful lens in +the tower was my especial care. On stormy nights I watched the light +that no accident might happen. We burned the lard oil, which needed +great care, especially in cold weather, when the oil would congeal and +fail to flow fast enough to the wicks. In long nights the lamps had to +be trimmed twice each night, and sometimes oftener. At such times the +light needed careful watching. From the first the work had a fascination +for me. I loved the water, having always been near it, and I loved to +stand in the tower and watch the great rolling waves chasing and +tumbling in upon the shore. It was hard to tell when it was loveliest. +Whether in its quiet moods or in a raging foam.</p> + + +<h3>VESSELS SEEKING SHELTER FROM THE STORMS.</h3> + +<p>My three brothers were then sailing, and how glad I felt that their eyes +might catch the bright rays of our light shining out over the waste of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> +waters on a dark stormy night. Many nights when a gale came on we could +hear the flapping of sails and the captain shouting orders as the +vessels passed our point into the harbor, seeking shelter from the +storm. Sometimes we could count fifty and sixty vessels anchored in our +harbor, reaching quite a distance outside the point, as there was not +room for so many inside. They lay so close they almost touched at times. +At night our harbor looked like a little city with its many lights. It +was a pleasant sound to hear all those sailors' voices singing as they +raised the anchors in the early morning. With weather fair and white +sails set the ships went gliding out so gracefully to their far away +ports. My brothers were sometimes on those ships. Many captains carried +their families on board with them during the warm weather. Then what a +pleasure to see the children and hear their sweet voices in song in the +twilight hours. Then again when they came on shore for a race on land, +or taking their little baskets went out to pick the wild strawberries. +All these things made life the more pleasant and cheerful.</p> + + +<h3>DEATH OF MY HUSBAND, THE LIGHT-KEEPER.</h3> + +<p>Life seemed very bright in our light house beside the sea. One dark and +stormy night we heard the flapping of sails and saw the lights flashing +in the darkness. The ship was in distress. After a hard struggle she +reached the harbor and was leaking so badly she sank. My husband in his +efforts to assist them lost his life. He was drowned with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> a companion, +the first mate of the schooner "Thomas Howland." The bodies were never +recovered, and only those who have passed through the same know what a +sorrow it is to lose your loved one by drowning and not be able to +recover the remains. It is a sorrow that never ends through life.</p> + + +<h3>MY APPOINTMENT AS LIGHT-KEEPER.</h3> + +<p>Life to me then seemed darker than the midnight storm that raged for +three days upon the deep, dark waters. I was weak from sorrow, but +realized that though the life that was dearest to me had gone, yet there +were others out on the dark and treacherous waters who needed to catch +the rays of the shining light from my light-house tower. Nothing could +rouse me but that thought, then all my life and energy was given to the +work which now seemed was given me to do. The light-house was the only +home I had and I was glad and willing to do my best in the service. My +appointment came in a few weeks after, and since that time I have tried +faithfully to perform my duty as a light keeper. At first I felt almost +afraid to assume so great a responsibility, knowing it all required +watchful care and strength, with many sleepless nights. I now felt a +deeper interest in our sailors' lives than ever before, and I longed to +do something for humanity's sake, as well as earn my own living, having +an aged mother dependent upon me for a home. My father had passed +beyond. Sorrows came thick and fast upon me. Two brothers and three +nephews had found graves beneath the deep waters, but mine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> was not the +only sorrow. Others around me were losing their loved ones on the stormy +deep and it seemed to me there was all the more need that the lamps in +our light-house towers should be kept brightly burning.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Let our lamps be brightly burning<br /></span> +<span class="i2">For our brothers out at sea—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then their ships are soon returning,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Oh! how glad our hearts will be.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">There are many that have left us,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Never more will they return;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Left our hearts with sorrows aching,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Still our lamps must brightly burn.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<h3>TRIBUTE TO THE SAILORS.</h3> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Oh sailor boy, sailor boy, sailor boy true!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The lamps in our towers are lighted for you.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Though the sea may be raging your hearts will not fail;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">You'll ride through the rolling foam not fearing the gale.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And God in his mercy will lead you aright.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As you watch the light-house with lamps burning bright.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The wind your lullaby, as the raging seas foam;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oh sailor boy, sailor boy, we welcome you home.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Oh sailor boy, sailor boy, sailor boy true!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Your dear darling mother is praying for you;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Your sweet bride is weeping as her vigil she keeps,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Not knowing your ship has gone down into the deep.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">As she walks on the shore, her eyes out to sea,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"Oh husband, my sailor boy, come back to me!"<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The wild waves dash up at her feet in a foam,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They answer, "Your sailor boy no more can come home."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">In sorrow she kneels on that wave-beaten shore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"Shall I never, see my dear sailor boy more?"<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The waves whisper softly, their low moaning sound,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"You'll meet your dear sailor boy, in Heaven he's crowned."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<h3>LIGHT-KEEPERS AND THEIR WORK.</h3> + +<p>Our light keepers many times live in isolated places, out on rocks and +shoals far away from land and neighbors, shut off from social pleasures. +In many places there can be no women and children about to cheer and +gladden their lonely lives. There is no sound but the cry of the sea +gulls soaring about or the beating of the restless waters, yet their +lives are given to their work. As the sailor loves his ship so the +light-keeper loves his light-house. Where there are three or four +keepers at one station they manage to make the time pass more +pleasantly. They must in many cases be sailors as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> well as +light-keepers, as it requires both skill and courage to manage their +boats in sailing back and forth between their lights and the mainland, +where mail, provisions and other necessaries are procured for their +comforts. Often they are drowned in making these trips. The passing of +the ships near their stations are like so many old friends to them. They +learn to love the passing boats and vessels, and it is a pleasure to +know our lights cheer and gladden the hearts of the sailors as the waves +run high and the wild winds blow on dark, stormy nights. May the hearts +of the light-keepers, as well as the life savers in the life saving +service along the great lakes and coasts, be strengthened and cheered in +the grand and noble work.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i3">As we lie in our beds so snugly and warm.<br /></span> +<span class="i3">The sailors are on the sea battling the storm.<br /></span> +<span class="i3">As the sailors are tramping their decks in the midnight hours,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We are trimming our lamps in our light-house towers.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<h3>GALES ON OUR LAKES.</h3> + +<p>There were many wrecks towed into our harbor, where they were left until +repaired enough to be taken to dry docks in cities. Sometimes in spring +and fall the canvas would be nearly all torn off a schooner in the +terrible gales which swept the lakes, many of which I have been out in, +in my trips on the lakes and among the islands.</p> + +<p>One of our pioneers, Capt. Robert Roe, of Buffalo, N. Y., had settled on +South Fox Island in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> 1859. He put out a dock, built a comfortable house, +and bought the land the Mormons had occupied. He farmed, and furnished +cord wood to lake steamers for many years. Many were the gales he sailed +through in his trips passing from the island to main land. His brother +was keeper of the light-house several years at South Fox Island.</p> + + +<h3>STEAMER "BADGER STATE."</h3> + +<p>Of all the many steamers that came to our harbor as the years passed on, +and there were many, the "Badger State" of the Union Line of Buffalo, N. +Y., gave us the longest service, running for ten years into Beaver +Harbor, never once missing a trip and most always on time. Capt. +Alexander Clark was master. No matter what the weather might be, how +heavy the gale, the good ship "Badger State" never failed us. Thousands +of barrels of fish were shipped on her to city markets, bringing the +merchants' goods and merchandise. She also carried our summer mails and +being a popular boat was always filled with passengers. From the spring +of 1873 to the summer of 1883 the "Badger State" was a faithful friend. +No one but those who reside on an island can appreciate the steamboat +service or what it means to the people. We learn to love the boats, the +sound of the whistle even in the midnight hours was music in our ears +and brought cheer and comfort to our hearts.</p> + + +<h3>CAPT. E. A. BOUCHARD.</h3> + +<p>Capt. E. A. Bouchard, of Mackinac Island, commanded several steamers +around the lakes and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> islands of Northern Michigan and Green Bay. +Steamers Passaic and Canisteo of the Green Bay line and the Grace +Dormer, which burned in our harbor, where one man was burned and the +captain and his wife had a narrow escape with their lives.</p> + +<p>In the early days Capt. E. A. Bouchard sailed a small steamboat called +the "Islander," and oftentimes when we saw the craft coming it looked as +though it might be one of the small islands broke loose from its +moorings floating along the water. And it really seemed the captain +loved his little craft, for his face always wore a pleasant smile when +he greeted us. It mattered not for the "Islander's" beauty, she brought +our mail and many friends, who came to enjoy a summer vacation on our +beautiful island.</p> + +<p>In the sixties we had the steamers Galena, Capt. Stelle, master; Queen +of the Lakes, Capt. Lewis Crarey, master; Mayflower, Capt. Woodruff, +master; S. D. Caldwell, Capt. Hunt, master; Fountain City, Capt. Penney, +master; Dean Richmond, Cuyahoga, Norton, and many others. In the year +1883 steamers Lawrence and Champlain made regular trips until replaced +by the newer and larger boats of the Northern Michigan Line.</p> + + +<h3>OLD NEIGHBORS LEAVING THE ISLAND.</h3> + +<p>About the year 1876 Mr. James Dormer, who had done an extensive business +at the Point, retired and went to his home in Buffalo, N. Y., renting +his property to Mr. John Day of Green Bay, Wis. Later Mr. C. R. Wright +and son, also one of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> old pioneers of the island who had carried on +the fish business so many years, sold his dock property and store +building, moving to Harbor Springs, still continuing in the dry goods +business. About that time others of our island people moved to the main +land, settling in different parts, making new homes. Several of the +young men filling responsible positions as captains, mates and clerks on +the lake steamers, and several of the young women being trained nurses +in city hospitals.</p> + +<p>I now married again, still holding my position as light-keeper. Since my +marriage my official title has been Mrs. Daniel Williams. Having a +desire to change my residence from the island to the mainland I made the +request to be changed to a mainland light station. I was soon +transferred to the Little Traverse light-station at Harbor Springs, +Mich. The light-house just finished, the lamp being lighted the first +time September 25th, 1884. The light-station is situated on the extreme +end of Harbor Point, at the entrance of Little Traverse harbor.</p> + + +<h3>SAD THOUGHTS ON LEAVING MY ISLAND HOME.</h3> + +<p>Preparations were made, goods were packed, the steamer "Grace Barker" +with Capt. Walter Chrysler as master, had come to take us to our new +home. So often before had I left the island, passing several winters in +other parts, but always returning again, and happy to get back to my +neighbors and pleasant island home, with its fresh, pure air. But now I +knew this was different. There would be no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> more coming back to live, +this time was to be the last. The dear old island and I must part. I had +always thought it beautiful in the many years I had called it my home; +but never before had I realized what it had been to me until now. I was +leaving, perhaps never more to return.</p> + +<p>Recollections came of my childhood days when free from care and knowing +no sorrow, I had wandered through the pleasant paths strewn with +flowers, sending their sweet perfume upon the air, as my brothers had so +often taken me with them on their hunts; and the beautiful white beach +where the blue waters came rolling in where so often we had wandered +together, chasing the waves as they came tumbling in upon us, or as we +paddled about the shores in our canoes, and where I so often had watched +to see their white sails returning to land when I had not gone with them +upon the water. As all these thoughts came passing through my mind I +wondered if I could leave all these memories behind, or could I carry +them away to the new home, the new land as it almost seemed. Though our +family was broken and no more could we gather around the hearth at +evening time, some had passed over into the beyond, yet there was no +place on earth where we all seemed so close together as on the island +shores. We had passed through many storms, both mental and physical, but +had felt the mighty power of him who rules all things to give us peace +and strength. And the "light-house!" That had been my home so many +years, I loved the very bricks within its walls. Under its roof<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> I had +passed many happy years as well as some sorrowful ones. It was filled +with hallowed memories. Then came the separation from the friends and +neighbors. Could their places ever be filled?</p> + +<p>The sun shone bright, the day was fair as we stepped upon our steamer +that was to bear us away from our island home. As we steamed so fast +away, we looked back to watch its white shores with beautiful green +trees in the background and the pretty white tower and dwelling of our +light-house, which soon could be seen no more only in sad, sweet +memories.</p> + +<p>Just a few hours passed when we steamed into Little Traverse Harbor, and +the "red light," just like the one we had left, was flashing its rays +over the waters of Little Traverse Bay for the first time. The water was +calm and still. The "red light" shone deep into the quiet waters, and +many eyes were watching the bright rays from the light-house tower, and +the wish of their hearts had been gratified in having a light house on +Harbor Point to guide steamers and vessels into the harbor. The evening +was clear and the picture was a lovely one as we rounded the point so +near the light. Some passengers said to me. "Here is your home. Don't +you know the red light is giving you a welcome?" Yes, it was all one's +heart could wish, yet I felt there was another I had left in the old +home that was now just a little more dear to my heart.</p> + + +<h3>IN THE NEW HOME.</h3> + +<p>We were met by friends and taken to their home<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> for the night. Next +morning we drove through the resort grounds to "Harbor Point Light +House," as it is known by the land people, but to the mariner it is +"Little Traverse Light House." We were soon at work putting our house in +order, and the beautiful lens in the tower seemed to be appealing to me +for care and polishing, which I could not resist, and since that time I +have given my best efforts to keep my light shining from the light-house +tower. Many old-time friends came to see us in our new home on Harbor +Point, and though we greatly missed our island home and island +neighbors, we soon felt an interest in our new surroundings. What I +missed here most was not to see the passing ships and steamers, as they +were constantly passing where we could see them from the island.</p> + +<p>There were a number of steamers, both large and small, running on our +bay. Steamers City of Grand Rapids, T. S. Faxton, both owned by Mr. +Hannah at Traverse City, that ran as far as Mackinac Island, steamer Van +Raalte, owned by Mr. Charles Caskey of Harbor Springs. She was put on +the Manistique route, calling at St. James, carrying the mail, with +Capt. E. A. Bouchard as master; Clara Belle, another small steamer, with +several tugs. Northern Michigan line was Lawrence, Champlain, City of +Petoskey, and City of Charlevoix. At this writing the same company have +the Kansas, and the two staunch new steamers, Illinois and Missouri. We +also have the large passenger S. S. Manitou with Steamer Northland, and +the Hart line boats of Green Bay.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 650px;"><a name="ill248" id="ill248"></a> +<img src="images/248.jpg" width="650" height="356" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption">LITTLE TRAVERSE LIGHT HOUSE, AT HARBOR POINT MICHIGAN</span> +</div><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>VISITING AT TRAVERSE CITY.</h3> + +<p>Since coming to mainland I have visited my old Traverse City home. There +I met many friends of my childhood days, my teacher among the rest, with +her sister Agnes. For a couple of weeks I was entertained by my old +friends, Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Campbell and family. While there I visited +all the old haunts and located the spot where the little log school +house had stood, and the crooked tree which we school children loved so +much to climb into and sit while our companions played about among the +green pines and oaks. I strolled around to Bryant's where the road turns +off to Old Mission. The old Bryant home looked just the same, nestling +among the green trees, as in the years of long ago. Close beside it was +the beautiful home of my school days' friend, Mrs. Frank Brush, where I +was very cordially entertained by herself and family. I visited with my +old friends in their handsome country home, Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Gunton, +then around the bay to Greilick's. It seemed but yesterday since I had +left it, and yet I missed so many of the old familiar faces. There was +much sadness mixed in with the pleasure of meeting with old friends.</p> + +<p>The city had changed, no traces were left of my old home. The mill pond +was filled in and streets and buildings were in its place. Strangers +were in the places where once we children had run our races down the car +track to the dock. The house where I had last visited my father, had +been removed and another built in its place, but the little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> gurgling +brook was still singing its cheerful songs and the flowers were blooming +on its mossy banks. The beautiful forest trees had been cut down and a +city was made where once the wild strawberries and June roses grew, even +the Company's garden where we school children used to go and ride the +horses around the field, was all changed into a city. While there I +found where my three school friends were, the Rice girls. I had thought +them dead, but happy was the meeting after thirty-six years of +separation, and every summer since they never fail to make a little +visit to the light-house, where we again live over the old days. +Although there are silvery threads among the gold of our hair, we feel +our hearts are young when speaking of the old school days.</p> + +<p>Since I left my island home I have never returned but once. The short +time I was there were precious hours to me, and though I cannot go I so +often see it in memory as it was when nature had put on her most lovely +garments of green; when June roses were in bloom filling the air with +fragrance with the friends of my younger days. Such pictures can never +fade from memory.</p> + +<p>I always feel a deep interest in the prosperity and welfare of the +island people. My present surroundings are all that could be wished for, +and the light-house on Harbor Point is the place that is dearest to me.</p> + +<p>A few of the old pioneers of the island are Capt. Manus Bonnar, who owns +and runs the Hotel Beaver; Mr. and Mrs. James Dunlevey have a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span> fine, +large dry goods store; Mr. James McCann has another with general +merchandise; Mr. William Gallagher is the pioneer pound-net fisherman of +the island; Mr. William Boyle and several others are in business. +Several outside people have invested in land and in the near future +expect to have a resort with daily boats running to main land in the +summer months. No more healthful place can be found for rest and +recreation than the fair and beautiful Beaver Island.</p> + + +<h3>RESORTS AROUND LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY</h3> + +<p>The growth of many resorts around little Traverse Bay have been +wonderful since my coming to Harbor Point light-house. Bay View with its +summer schools of music, paintings and works of art, with its splendid +gospel teachings and quiet restful places where people come to rest the +tired brain from a busy city life. It is an ideal place for summer rest.</p> + +<p>Petoskey is a beautiful little city built upon a hillside. It has many +advantages of pure air, beautiful views of the water on the bay and Lake +Michigan. With its boats and railroads nothing more is needed for +comfort.</p> + +<p>Roaring Brook, a picturesque spot of nature which must be seen to be +appreciated. One must listen to the roaring of the brook to understand +the meaning of the gurgling sound. One never tires in rambling about +through the quiet, shady, green mossy nooks where the birds sing sweetly +among the cedar trees.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span></p> + +<p>Wequetonsing, how fair to look upon. With its handsome cottages, green +lawns, flowing water clear as crystal. Surely no drink can be sweeter +than this pure water! It has a beautiful view of the bay, with Petoskey +showing so prettily across the waters, and the light-house point with +its green trees making delightful scenery for the eyes to rest upon.</p> + +<p>Then the pretty town of Harbor Springs nestling so near the high bluff +with its many pretty buildings on the heights from which the view is +perfect. On clear days Fox Islands and Beaver Island can be plainly +seen.</p> + +<p>And beautiful Charlevoix. Her natural beauties with works of man have +made her fair to look upon. I love to remember the beautiful scenery as +I saw it when a child, with its lovely forest trees growing down to the +water's edge, wild birds warbling in the branches, wild ducks swimming +upon the quiet, calm waters of little Round Lake. There are many other +resorts scattered all about the bays and shores where people find rest +and strength.</p> + +<p>Last, but not least, is beautiful Harbor Point. A narrow point of land +which helps to form the harbor with water on both sides and a heavy +growth of trees of many different kinds making lovely, natural, shady +parks, with many fine summer homes and beautiful drives. On the end of +the Point stands the lighthouse with its red light flashing out at night +over the waters, looking like a great red ruby set with diamonds as the +electric lights are shining<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> around the bay and harbor. What more is +needed of nature's beauty to make the picture complete?</p> + +<p>The sun has sunk in the west, leaving the sky all purple and pink. The +moon, just risen, sheds her soft, mellow light over the earth; all +nature is resting. The birds are in their nests, the whip-poor-will has +ceased her plaintive notes, the sea gulls are soaring away to their +nightly rest. No sound is heard save the soft, low murmurings of the +waves upon the shore.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 632px;"> +<img src="images/253.png" width="632" height="384" alt="FINIS." title="" /> +</div> + +<div class="tn"> + +<h3><a name="TC" id="TC">Transcriber's Corrections</a></h3> + +<p>Following is a list of significant typographical errors that have been corrected.</p> + +<ul> +<li> Page <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, "morroco" changed to "morocco" (little red morocco shoes).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, "is" changed to "its" (from its tower).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, "cant'" changed to "can't" (Me can't stay).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, "swoolen" changed to "swollen" (still badly swollen).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, "you" changed to "your" (your mother on my back).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, "to" added (happened to grandpa).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, "and" added (and also held their yearly feasts).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_88">88</a>, "it" added (it has gone to decay).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_136">136</a>, "somthing" changed to "something" (There was always +something).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_178">178</a>, "langauge" changed to "language" (her own language again).</li> + +<li> Page <a href="#Page_194">194</a>, "disapointed" changed to "disapointed" (we were +disappointed).</li> +</ul> + +</div> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Child of the Sea; and Life Among the +Mormons, by Elizabeth Whitney Williams + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHILD OF THE SEA *** + +***** This file should be named 34769-h.htm or 34769-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/7/6/34769/ + +Produced by Heiko Evermann, Patrick Hopkins and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from scans of public domain works at the +University of Michigan\'s Making of America collection.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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