number of unwelcome visitors in the place of one. Frederick Davenport
furnished young Collington with a half bushel of salt to be deposited in
the hole at night. By morning the water had dissolved the salt and
retained its briny flavor. Bottles were filled for exhibition, and the
stock of the converts in the peek-stone ran high until the trick was
discovered. It was claimed that the peek-stone also pointed out an
extensive silver-mine on the farm of Abram Cornell at Bettsburg, nearly
opposite Nineveh. No silver was found except that furnished by Josiah
Stowell, a not over-bright man whose little all went into the pocket of
Smith.

However much he might fail in discovering material treasures, Smith's
hold upon the religious infatuation of his followers grew more and more
strong. John Morse, an aged convert to Mormonism, had recently died, and
Smith was sent for to restore him to life. After looking at him Smith
declined, because it would be a pity to have him suffer rheumatism and
die again so soon! This was something like Brigham Young's refusal to
restore a lost leg to one of his Mormons, on the ground that if he did
it the man would be obliged to walk on three legs all through eternity!

Mrs. Marsh says that Joseph Knight and his sons were on one occasion in
her husband's hay-field, and boldly declared that Smith could perform
miracles. On being challenged for an example, Joseph Knight said, "The
prophet cast the Devil out of me. He looked like a black cat; and he
ran into a pile of brush." The prophet prayed for a deceased shoemaker
in Greene, Chenango county. This man had joined their Church, and the
Mormons needed his property to help them in leaving the country. The
widow refused to sign the property over until the prayers had been
offered for the return of her husband. The prayers having availed
nothing, the executor sought to recover the property. Thomas A. Johnson,
then a law-student and a brother of Mrs. Marsh, was sent to Harpersville
to get possession. Smith's followers were encamped in the barn of Joseph
Knight, and they threatened to shoot. By the advice of friends Johnson
compromised the matter by taking a valuable horse.

All accounts agree that Smith drank freely, both in the Susquehanna and
in the Harpersville neighborhoods. Mrs. McKune relates that one night
Smith volunteered to pray the frost away from the corn-field of his
brother-in-law, Michael Morse. The field was not saved, probably because
i