Goodbye, Nauvoo Read online

  Chapter 25

  The Celebration

  Since Martha could not be there to witness the marriage between Lydia and Worthy, she imagined the event in every detail as if she were there. She imagined the light of a lantern casting a warm glow on the couple as they discreetly said their wedding vows in the dedicated attic of the Nauvoo temple. She imagined them hand in hand, smiling sweetly to one another. The whisper of their “I do’s.”

  Samuel, who helped construct the attic, dutifully described the setting to Martha as a room that doubled as an endowment room, sealing room, Holy of Holies, and an office for the temple clerk. Tall canvas sheets were hung in the room to separate its numerous chambers, and it was carpeted and decorated simply yet elegantly. Although the attic did not sound as charming of a venue as Martha hoped it would be for a wedding, the thought of a marriage for time and all eternity transformed the attic into a romantic venue in her mind.

  Martha’s heart ached to be with her cousin on this special day, but there was nothing she could do about it. She kept her mind off the hurt by cooking in anticipation for Lydia’s wedding celebration, which would be a small gathering. She wanted to plan a larger party for the newlyweds at the Cultural Hall, but many families were afraid of large gatherings attracting Mobocrats and preferred to stay home from crowded events unless absolutely necessary.

  Martha baked a scrumptious wedding cake for the newlyweds earlier in the day. It wasn’t one of those expensive Scovil cakes that were advertised for $25 in the Nauvoo Neighbor, but it would be delicious nonetheless. Malinda helped Martha decorate it with white buttercream frosting while Martha’s younger children looked on in jealous wonder at the edible artwork. Malinda and Sarah also helped Martha peel potatoes and carrots in preparation for the stew. By the time Martha returned home from the temple, the stew finished simmering, its savory aroma drifting through the house. Martha banned her hungry clan from the kitchen. They would have to wait until the guests arrived to devour the fancy feast.

  Martha put the finishing touches on the wedding preparations just as friends and neighbors began to appear, including Faddy and Annie. They gathered in Martha’s parlor after shedding their thick coats and shawls and stomping their feet outside to shake off the snow. Faddy brought his violin, and after tuning it and rosining his bow, he began to play wedding tunes. People danced and sung to his joyful music. All that was left was to wait for the newlyweds.

  ✽✽✽

  The snow crunched under Lydia’s feet, its powdery substance a bright white, the same color as the endowment robe that Lydia wore inside the temple. “White symbolizes purity, cleanliness, and righteousness,” Sister Whitney, a temple worker, explained to Lydia as she helped drape the robe over her dress. Lydia was surprised at how patient the worker was, considering there were hundreds of other women behind Lydia waiting to get endowed. The temple worker also pointed out other symbolism inside the temple. The five pointed stars represented the wounds of Christ, and the spire, pointing Heavenward, signified where their minds should likewise be pointed.

  Lydia proceeded through the endowment alert and wide-eyed. Everything was so new to her, and there was so much to learn about Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, and His plan of salvation in the temple. Lydia wanted to take it all in. As she and Worthy left the temple and walked back to Martha’s home, Lydia replayed the sacred ordinances in her mind, trying to remember all the details. Once she left Nauvoo, she was unsure if she would ever enter a temple again. Who knew when the next one would be built, and where?

  Lydia stared up at a bare sliver of sky where stars twinkled through the clouds. It always amazed her to think that there was so much beyond this world. It was almost incomprehensible. She remembered what the Lord told the prophet Moses, that He created worlds without number, and to Abraham, He promised his offspring would be innumerable like grains of sand on the seashore. And as numberless as they may be, the Lord loved each and every one of His children He created, and provided a way for each individual to return to Him. The thought comforted Lydia. If God was so powerful to be able to create an infinite amount of worlds, how could He not provide a way for the Saints to continue in His work? Another temple would be built. Lydia was sure of it.

  All the way to Martha’s home, Lydia walked close by Worthy’s side, holding tight to him, basking in his warmth. Her heart swelled in gratitude. Worthy was placed in her life at the perfect time. He was the unknown answer to her prayers. And now they were sealed together for eternity. They talked of their dreams while they walked, planning their future. Lydia insisted on having a farm close to where John planned on settling, and Worthy consented, on the condition she could convince John to be amicable toward him. Lydia hardly noticed the cold, until they reached Martha’s home and were welcomed into the warm, inviting household.

  “Here’s the lucky couple now!” Samuel shouted as Lydia and Worthy stepped through the doorway. Cheers echoed through the room and people swarmed around them like bees to honey.

  “Congratulations are in order,” Faddy said as he slapped Worthy on the back and pecked Lydia on the cheek.

  “Come, let’s give them some room!” Martha cried, pulling Lydia into the house. “They must be freezing. Let them have a chance to warm themselves.” She led Lydia to a fire where Lydia gladly thawed herself.

  “How was the temple?” Martha asked giddily.

  “Beautiful,” Lydia gushed as she held her hands toward the heat. “It was magnificent. More wonderful than I ever imagined.” She was beaming. “I can’t wait for you to go, to see what it’s like.”

  “That’s all you’re going to tell me?” Martha asked with a frown. She grabbed hold of Lydia’s arm. “What about the endowment? What was it like?”

  “It was enlightening. I learned so much about Heavenly Father’s plan for us and received certain blessings.”

  “For example?”

  Lydia laughed and shook her head. “That’s nearly all I can say, Martha. It was a very sacred experience and I covenanted not to reveal those sacred things.” She patted Martha’s hand reassuringly. “You’ll understand when you go to the temple for your own endowments.”

  Martha sighed. “Well, if you’re not in the mood to talk...”

  Before Martha could finish her sentence, someone tapped Lydia on the shoulder. Lydia turned to find herself face to face with Worthy.

  “Pardon me for interrupting,” Worthy said politely to Martha, “but may I dance with my beautiful, new wife?”

  Lydia beamed at him and took his hand as he led her away.

  The rest of the wedding celebration was joyous. Martha’s stew was much enjoyed by everyone although the wedding cake was not. Malinda, who helped her mother mix the confection, added salt and ruined the frosting, discovered only after it was tasted by all in attendance. Lydia didn’t mind. She was glad enough to be surrounded by family and friends. She wanted to cherish her time with them, so she danced and sang and laughed as the celebration continued on through the night.

  “Excuse me,” a woman’s voice said as Lydia and Worthy said goodbye to guests.

  Lydia turned to find herself staring at Margaret. Lydia glanced at Worthy. She couldn’t tell if he was surprised or angered by Margaret’s presence at their wedding celebration.

  Margaret looked uneasily from Lydia to Worthy before she cleared her throat. “First of all, congratulations,” she said abashedly. “I wish you an eternity of happiness. Secondly, I’ve come to say sorry. To both of you.” She fidgeted uncomfortably with the gloves she held in her hands. “I apologize for any harm I might have done. I was wrong.”

  Lydia took Margaret’s hands in her own and gave her a tender smile. “It’s alright. We all make mistakes. But we forgive you. Don’t we, Worthy?”

  “Of course we do,” Worthy replied through slightly gritted teeth.

  Margaret looked relieved. “Congratulations again. Thank you for inviting me to celebrate this day with you.” She gave Lydia’s hands a squeeze before she turned
and walked away.

  “We didn’t,” Worthy said under his breath when Margaret was out of earshot.

  “I did,” said Lydia confidently. “I’ve learned my lesson about mercy and forgiveness. Margaret deserves forgiveness just as much as you or I do.” She took Worthy’s hand and held it tight. “I’m glad you forgave me.” She rose up on her tip-toes and gave Worthy a kiss on the cheek.

  “I suppose you’re right. And I’m glad you forgave me, too,” Worthy said, returning her kiss, but this time on the lips.

  Chapter 26

  A New Life

  Worthy’s little wood home suited Lydia just fine. It had pine floors and white plastered walls. There was a small bedroom, kitchen, parlor, and a pantry with a cellar. The moment Lydia stepped inside she decided it had not seen a woman’s touch in quite some time. There was a thin layer of dust covering the furniture, and the floor had not been swept in ages. There was a dishpan full of dirty plates and Worthy’s clothes lay in a crumpled mess on the floor instead of on the pegs along the bedroom wall. The day after the wedding, Lydia set to work right away cleaning and tidying the house, then afterward unpacked her trunk, delivered by Faddy the day before.

  It didn’t take long for Lydia to discover that she and Worthy now had a plethora of pots and pans and silverware. Lydia’s set couldn’t be parted with, however. She had received her set as a wedding present from her marriage to Danny, so she begged Worthy to let her keep them. Worthy’s pans were old and rusty and his silverware tarnished, so he was more than happy to oblige.

  Lydia placed her quilts from her trunk onto the bed and delicately hung up her clothes on the bedroom pegs. There was her green wedding frock, which she would save until spring when the weather was warmer, her mourning shawl, and a brown dress that Faddy gave her when Lucy passed.

  Finally, at the bottom of her trunk, Lydia found her drawings from her old cabin. She removed them reverently and held them up, staring at each picture intently. Lydia didn’t know what Worthy would think of her picture of Danny, but she had to keep it. She wanted to remember what Danny looked like.

  She touched Danny’s charcoal cheek as if it were made of flesh. Looking at his portrait made Lydia realize that it had been a year since Danny’s death. The memory flooded back to Lydia in a wave.

  It had been a dreadfully cold day in February like today. Danny was ill with lung fever, his jet black hair soaked in sweat and his face pale. His skin clung tightly to his bones, making his tall frame appear like a lanky skeleton. He didn’t look like the lively Danny that Lydia knew. Lydia had paid doctors to give him all sorts of treatments: leeches, laudanum, Peruvian bark, but nothing did any good. Danny told Lydia to not waste any more of her money on medicine, that he was going to die and he was ready for it. He was not scared to meet his maker. Lydia begged Danny to stay with her, but God had other plans. He died in the middle of the night, leaving Lydia relentlessly nestled against his cold, diseased body.

  Recalling that nightmare of a night, Lydia dropped the drawings into the bottom of the trunk and shut the lid tight.

  ✽✽✽

  Martha huddled close to Samuel to keep warm as they waited in line outside the temple. She was so giddy, it distracted her from the cold and her concern for her safety.

  It seemed too good to be true. After years of watching the Nauvoo temple transform from a foundation to a wondrous, tall, white structure, Martha and Samuel had finally received an invitation to enter inside it to receive their endowments. Since there were still many Saints who had not completed their ordinances, President Young had extended the deadline for them to complete their temple work. Tomorrow was the last day that the temple would be open.

  Rumors had spread that federal troops were on their way to Nauvoo at the very minute, coming with weapons and a fervor to annihilate the Saints from Illinois once and for all. It was suspected that the troops would come first and foremost to stop the work in the temple by any means necessary. Already, there were officers from Carthage who came searching for church leaders inside the temple. It was for the safety of the temple patrons and officiators that the house of the Lord would close its doors to guests once and for all.

  Unfortunately, this meant that Martha would have no time to be sealed to her family in the temple. She and Samuel needed to be endowed first, and there was barely time for that. As Martha eyed the lines of Saints that snaked around the outside of the temple as they waited to get inside, she realized that she was lucky to even receive her endowments.

  After what seemed like hours moving at a snail’s pace, Martha found herself inside the temple, walking its halls hand in hand with her husband, following an officiator upstairs to the attic.

  She looked at Samuel with a glimmer in her eye. A strange, yet unforgettable burning sensation emanated from inside of her.

  “Can you feel the Spirit here, Samuel?” she asked in a whisper.

  Samuel nodded with a smile and gave Martha’s hand a squeeze.

  All at once, Martha’s heart filled with gratitude for everyone who made it possible for her to be there that day. Margaret was watching Martha’s children so she could share these precious moments in the temple with her husband. And were it not for the laborers like Samuel who toiled selflessly, the marvelous structure around her would not be standing. And then there were the temple officiators who toiled around the clock to assist the Saints in this spiritual work, taking few breaks. The gravity of the labor that was being accomplished was too great to rest long. Martha could tell from the heavy look in their eyes that these workers were tired and exhausted, but this did not stop them from treating each attendant kindly and patiently. Despite their weary appearance, the smiles they gave Martha as she walked through the doors of the temple were broad and unfeigned.

  Martha passed by a large stove, one of many that were used to heat the temple, and enjoyed the warmth it emitted. It wouldn’t be long now before they would be on the other side of the temple walls, walking home in the cold, away from the house of the Lord forever. Martha wanted to make every moment in the temple last.

  Later at the temple, Martha and Samuel experienced the endowment for themselves. As Martha explained to her children - they made covenants, or promises, with Heavenly Father that they would keep His commandments. In turn, they would receive special blessings that would help them in their journey home to Heavenly Father’s kingdom. Of course, Martha’s children would not fully understand what she explained to them, but she knew one day they would. The endowment ritual was sacred, so sacred she could not explain it in more detail to her children, but she was excited for them to be able to have their own experience in a temple one day.

  It will happen. I know it. This will not be the last temple built, Martha thought as she glanced about at the paintings and handcrafted furniture that beautified the inside of the temple. She wanted to take it all in, and she tried her best to do so, but it was nearly impossible. There were so many Saints who still needed their temple work performed. It was only considerate to think of those Saints and not dawdle staring at everything, even if it were the first and last time she would ever step foot inside of the sacred parts of the Nauvoo temple again.

  No matter how short her time was in the temple, Martha would always remember this experience as one of the most important, magnificent events in her life.

  Chapter 27

  The Wolf Hunt

  Lydia awoke to find that Worthy was up early, hastily moving about their bedroom.

  “What are you doing?” Lydia yawned, sleepily rubbing her eyes. She pulled her quilt over her shivering body as she tried to huddle away from the cold. The sun had not risen yet to heat the day.

  “Getting ready to leave,” Worthy replied as he fumbled with a stack of odds and ends.

  “Leave?”

  “Yes, of course, we’re leaving Nauvoo. I need your help packing.”

  “We’re leaving now? But it is not even dawn. Come back to sleep.”

  “There is much to prepare,
get up my sweet!” Worthy said, then gave his new wife a kiss.

  “Alright, alright,” Lydia said with a smile. The reality of his words still did not hit her. She dressed and lit a fire. Once it was hot enough, she cooked a meal of salt pork for her and Worthy.

  “Are we really leaving now?” Lydia asked again when she was less sleepy.

  Worthy’s blue eyes stared at her. “Yes,” he replied, his voice serious.

  “Why? It's the dead of winter. We’ll freeze to death on the trail.”

  “Because we have to. We have no choice. A mob is coming to burn our city,” Worthy said between bites of pork.

  Panic filled Lydia. She took a sip of cider in a tin cup, her hands shaking as she set it down. “How do you know?” she asked as she stared over her drink.

  “It was advertised in a newspaper. The mobs are organizing a wolf hunt, and we are the ones to be hunted. We need to be out by tomorrow night.”

  “Are you sure this is the right thing to do? We can’t go alone. I’m afraid of traveling in this weather, Worthy.”

  “We’ve got to leave, Lydia. It's not safe anymore. Not for me, and not for you.”

  “What about Martha and her family?”