ze-leafed nut-trees, whose shelter she had just left, the
woodpeckers were tapping and whistling to one another.

At length Smith sighed deeply, but without affectation. "Yes, I reckon
that's a good deal how it is. It ain't easy, Mrs. Halsey--I hope in your
thoughts when judgin' of me you'll always remember that it ain't easy to
be a prophet."

When he had gone, Susannah found herself laughing, but for Halsey's sake
the laughter was akin to tears.

CHAPTER III.

Ohio was being quickly settled. Within a few miles of Kirtland,
Cleveland and Paynesville were rising on the lake shore, and to the
south there were numerous villages; but the society of the Saints at
Kirtland was especially prosperous, and so sudden had been the increase
of its numbers and its wealth that the wonder of the neighbouring
settlers gave birth to envy, and envy intensified their religious
hatred. Twice before Smith had left Fayette he had been arrested and
brought before a magistrate, accused of committing crimes of which the
courts were unable to convict him. Now the same spirit gave rise to the
same accusations against his followers. About this time webs of cloth
were taken from a woollen mill near Paynesville, and several horses were
also stolen. The Mormons, whether guilty or not, were accused by common
consent of the orthodox and irreligious part of the community. Hatred of
the adherents of the new sect began to rise in all the neighbouring
country, as a ripple rises on the sea when the wind begins to blow; the
growing wave broke here and there in little ebullitions of wrath, and
still gained strength until it bid fair to surge high.

About Christmas time there were a number of cases of illness in
Kirtland. Joseph Smith healed one woman, who appeared to be dying, by
merely taking her by the hand, after praying, and commanding her to get
up. After that he went about with great confidence to others who were
stricken, and in many cases health seemed to return with remarkable
celerity. It is hard to understand why the report of this, going abroad
with such addition as gossip gives, should have greatly added to the
rage of the members of other religious sects. Perhaps they supposed that
the prophet arrogated to himself powers that were even more than
apostolic. They threatened violence to Kirtland on the prophet's
account, so that before the new year he took Emma and the child and
established himself with them in an obscure place called