the shores of the river and its streams lie green levels;
from these the bluffs rise steeply for some one or two hundred feet to
tablelands of great fertility.

The site for the first Mormon temple was on the highest of these hills
overlooking the three valleys. Its foundations were quickly laid.
Around it upon the slope and tableland, up and down the valleys, and
upon the opposite hills, the wooden houses of the converts began to
spring up, not unlike in colour to a crop of mushrooms, and very like in
the suddenness of their growth.

Not long after Susannah and Halsey had reached Kirtland, Joseph Smith,
with a convert named Rigdon, went on, with missionaries who were
travelling farther west, in order to find in the wilderness the place
that was appointed for the building of Zion or the New Jerusalem. At the
same time all those men among the converts who were deemed fit were sent
out in couples to preach the new Gospel, some back to the eastern States
whence they had come, some to Canada, some to the south. To Joseph Smith
it was given to know who was to go and who to stay. Halsey was directed
to remain, to receive and establish the new converts who came, to tithe
their property for the building of the temple, and to found, according
to Smith's direction, a school of the prophets.

"And to thy wife, Susannah, it shall be given to teach the children such
worldly learning as she has herself acquired, until it may be possible
for us to appoint for them a more learned male instructor."

Joseph Smith spoke these words in the room which served him as business
office and chapel. He was drawing on his gloves, ready to go forth upon
the journey to Missouri.

Several of the elders and their wives were present, some busy on one
errand and some on another. Susannah, being with Halsey, received the
command in person, although it was not directly addressed to her. She
had observed that since her arrival at Kirtland the prophet never
addressed himself to her directly when in public. In many ways his
manners were becoming gradually more formal, and his relapses into his
native speech less frequent.

Susannah could not criticise keenly, so much she marvelled at the man.
His activities before starting on this journey were almost incredible.
Every hour he had made decisions, for the most part successful,
concerning the adaptability of men whom he had only seen, for labours of
which he knew as little. He had preached continually. He