the last title seemed to inflate him; his hands
ceased to tremble. A flicker of amusement lighted the gravity of
Susannah's mind.

Joseph read, "'The city is laid out in streets of convenient width,
along which are built good houses, and around every good-sized house are
grounds and gardens. It is incorporated by charter, and contains the
best institutions of the latest civilisation.'" He gave this the
emphasis of pause. "Is that true. Sister Halsey, or is it not?"

She smiled as upon a child. "Yes, Mr. Smith, it is true."

"'Most conspicuous among the buildings of the Holy City is the temple
built of white stone upon the hill-top. It is intended as a shrine in
the western wilderness whereat all nations of the earth may worship, for
on March 1, 1841, the prophet gave it as an ordinance that people of all
sects and religions should live and worship in the City if they would,
and that any person guilty of ridiculing or otherwise deprecating
another in consequence of his religion should be imprisoned.' Is that
true?" Smith inquired again. His questions came in the tone of a pompous
refrain.

"Except in the case of those who have joined you and gone back from your
doctrine," she said, but not thinking of herself.

He read on: "'Here, as elsewhere, Mr. Smith has attended first to the
education of his people. The president of the Nauvoo University is
Professor James Kelly, a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and a ripe
scholar; the professor of English literature is Professor Orson Pratte,
a man of pure mind and high order of ability, who without early
advantages has had to educate himself amid great difficulties and has
achieved learning. The professor of languages is Professor Orson
Spencer, graduate of Union College, New York, and of the Baptist
theological seminary of that city. No expense has been spared upon
school buildings for the youth of both sexes, and the curriculum is
good.' Is that true?"

"Yes," she replied.

He read on: "'The population is made up chiefly from the labouring
classes of the United States and the manufacturing districts of England.
They have been grossly misunderstood and shamefully libelled. They are
at least quite as honest as the rest of us, in this part of the world or
any other. Ardent spirits as a drink; are not in use among them;
tobacco is a weed which they almost universally despise. There is not an
oath to be heard in the city; everywhere the people are cheerful and
polite;