All these rooms are similarly furnished. All are neat and clean. Harriet Cook, Ellen Rockwood, and Twiss, display more taste than the others in the arrangement of their little cages.
In addition to these articles, Harriet Cook has mahogany chairs, instead of oak, and a large cupboard, painted to represent mahogany. All the rooms are furnished with stoves, except three, which have fireplaces.
No books, except the Book of Mormon, Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and Mormon Hymn-Book, will be seen in any room except Eliza Snow's; she being a woman of considerable literary taste, and withal a writer,--having made a number of contributions to Mormon literature,--her room is indicative of the same, being well supplied with books and papers.
The internal arrangement of affairs at the Harem is very similar to that of a young ladies' boarding-school. Each woman having her own room, her affairs are all centred there. The culinary department is under the control of such of the wives as Brigham from time to time appoints. She is the stewardess, and carries the keys. A cook is employed,--generally a man,--and several servants besides, who are all under the control of the stewardess.
When the meals are prepared and ready, the bell rings, and each woman, with her children, if she have any, files down to the dinner-table, and is seated as before stated.
Each, on rising, has her children to attend to, and get ready for breakfast; this over, she commences the business of the day, arranges her rooms, and sits down to her sewing or other work, as the case may be.
A sewing-machine is brought into requisition, and one of the number appointed to use it. For the benefit of those who want a sewing-machine, it may be well to state how this one was procured. One day a man from St. Louis came to offer one for sale, stating that his price was ninety dollars. Brigham bought it, promising to pay the man whenever he should call. The man being poor, called in a few days. He did not get his pay. He called again, a number of times, with the same result. One of the wives became quite indignant, and said,--"If I was in his place, I never would ask it from one so high in the priesthood. He had better give it to him than to ask pay of him." The poor man never received his money, and as soon as he could get the means, left the Territory. This is the manner in which the Prophet becomes possessed of much of his property.