I once more find a
few minutes on my hands and I take
pleasure in putting them to good
use in addressing a few times to you
though I have no particular news
to impart. Your ever welcome letter
of Oct. 23nd came duly to hand which
was read with much interest. Would
like very much to have ben at the
party but then I am quite satisfied
where I am for the present at any rate
especialy as it would enable me by being
deprived of those pleasures for a short
time to more fully appreciate them when
it is once more my happy to to meet
with friends and realtives. Father when
I read about the Elders labors in New
Zeland and see with what success their
efforts are being crowned. I feel as though
it would be a pleasure to suffer
privation, persecution or allmost any
Page 2
any thing if I could see the fruits of my
labors in return. But if there are many
more converts made in this country it
will have to be through some special
effort of the Almight, for the country is
being continualy flooded with misrepres-
entation about us as a people. Anti Morm
lecturers are doing their utmoast to
poison the public mind and close halls
and ears against us and this they have
succeded in doing very effectualy, for
the mere mention of Latter Day Saint
or "Mormon" has about the same
effect on them as the shaking of a red
blanket has on a wild bull. Men
who will converse very inteligently
on any other subject can hardly
talk rationaly on the subject of "mormonism
Only yeasterday while in Stockport I
saw published in the leading papers
and also placarded in themost conspicu-
ous places in the town the startling
Page 3
intelligence that a Stockport girl who
was being taken to Salt Lake against
her will had ben rescued from
the clutches of the horrible Mormons
and placed under the protecting care
of kind friends. Of course this report
and & will go the round of the press and
be gobbled up as a dainty morsel by those
who love a lie, and will be the means
of deceiving many an honest souls.
It was quite a lengthy article and would
be easily palmed of a credulous
bublic [public] as the truth. They will be more
apt to believe it from the fact that
a girl of the same name (Coop) did actu
aly go from Stockport with the last
company but one. I was acquainted with
"her myself. I am still traveling alone
but am going into Manchester to morrow
to our council meeting, on Thursday
and may have a change next month
but it makes no difference to me which
way it is. I went the other evening to
Page 4
see a Mr Taylor an Oappostate to try
and arrainge for the purchase of some
old Stars which he has in his poss-
ession but he asked sutch an exorb-
itant price for them that I decided not
to get them. He wants 24 shillings for
the first three volums bound in one
cover claiming this to be the cost price.
Dont you think this too high? he also
has some of the Seers and Times & Seasons
Are they not very scarce at home?
Elder Eddie Woolley is going to Turkey
on a mission so I was told this mor-
ning by some of the saints and I
guess it is true for he was expecting
it. I have not seen Pres Williams for
two months but expect to on Thursday.
My health is good enough to walk
thirty two miles in nine hours with
only on stop in the entire distance and
that gjust long enough to drink a bowl
of buttermilk which I ask for at a farm
house, so you can see I can still keep a
moving thank the Lord. This feat was
accomplished a week ago Sunday when
Page 5
5
I walked from Audley in Stafford-
shire to Saltney in Wales three miles
from Chester where I tarried for two
nights under the hospitable roof of
a Mr Hemmings not now a memeber of
our church though he was formerly
That was the longest Sabath days
journey that I remember having
taken. For some time I have had
a longing desire to pay a visite to
that rare old city of Chester with its
many interesting historical asso-
ciations and as my favorite mode
of locomotion was the cheapest by
far I chose it in prefence to all
others, and left well repaid for
my trouble. The buildings are very
quaint and curious; the second story
of most of the houses is thrown
Page 6
6
forward some feet and looks as
if it was about to tumble off, some-
times it projects so far that it has
to be supported by posts in the side-
walk. "Soon this becomes a frequent
and then a continuous arrangement;
the posts are generaly of stone, forming
an arcade, and you walk beneath
them in the shade or out of the rain.
Sometimes, instead of posts, a solid
wall supports the house above.
You observe, as would be likely in
an old city, that the surface is
irregular, that we are ascending
a slight elevation. Notwithstanding
the old sturcture overhead, and
the well-worn flagging underfoot,
we notice the shop fronts are filled
with plate glass, and with all the
Page 7
brilliancy of the most modern
art and taste. Turning, to make
the contrast more striking, by
looking at the windows and rude
carvings of the houses opposite,
we see a banister or handrail
separates the side-walk from the
carriage way, and are astonished
in steping out to it, to find the
street is some ten feet below us.
We are evidently on the second
floor of the houses. Finding steps
leading down, we descend into the
streets, and discover another tier
of shops, on the roofs of which
we have ben walking." The streets
are most of them excevated out
of the solid rock on which the
town is built. The Town is sur-
rounded by a rock wall about two
miles in extent origninaly built for
defense but now kept in repair to
Page 8
add to the attraction of the place
as it is a town frequented by tourists
far & near. A flagg walk extends
along the top of the walls from which
can be obtained splendid views of
all the places of interest in the town
Orriginaly the only entrances was
four massive gates, one on either
side and opening on the two princip-
le streets which extend through the
city interesecting ea[ch] other at wright
angles. Was you ever in Chester?
I wrote a letter to Bro Weber at the
Co-op last Friday, which I would like
you to read if you get an appartunity
I came in here this afternoon
and found awaiting me a letter
from Pres Smith notifying me that
I was ^am^ appointed to the London Conference
Have just recieved your letter of
Nov 7 [18]84. Send to the same address
until further advised. Asahel.