William Hepworth Dixon, White Conquest: Volume 1

[207] his youngest wife, still owns eighteen obedient slaves. Poor man, his last adventure in the way of courtship turned out badly; for his nineteenth bride, Ann Eliza, a young and handsome hussy, after trying him for a year, has left his house, renounced her creed, and under Gentile counsel, has brought an action for divorce. She wanted more of his society and of his money. Finding her charms neglected, Ann Eliza sold his furniture, fled to New York, and opened a course of lectures on the secrets of his harem. She knew his ways, and made the Gentiles merry at his expense.

Such incidents cry out to Brigham Young that, though he holds the keys, and claims all power to bind and loose, he can no longer rule a woman's heart or check the licence of a woman's tongue. This cross is hard to bear. With Lucy by his side, he might forget the lost bride, but female smiles can hardly reconcile the pontiff to his loss of power. One flight from a prophet's household breaks the charm. “ My wife on earth, my queen in heaven,” sighs Brigham Young. “An old fellow,” snaps the lady, dropping her jargon of celestial laws and everlasting covenants, “ he is forty-five years older ”