[From Manx Quarterly #10, 1911]

Manx Lady among Mormons.

INTERESTING LETTER.

Here I am amongst the Mormons, in Salt Lake City — Zion the Holy, the New Jerusalem! And a beautiful mountain-walled city it is. I never imagined it was anything like this. If you could only see it, with its mountain peaks almost touching the sky and all the flat ground touched with snow. We have bright, lovely weather, and up to this week just like one long summer's day. But now the mountain sides as well as peaks have put on their winter's white dress, and very beautiful they look with the sun shining on them, and they glisten like icebergs. Three thousand miles farther from you since last I wrote: so far, so very far from Peel. Well, I shall have to stay a long time yet before I see the faces I love so well, and the Hill, Castle, and sea.

Now, I must tell you what has driven me so far away. Simply, I had nowhere else to go, and it was so much cheaper to do this way. Now for about two years I have not been well, and this last year has been full of hard work, and so I was just done up. All my gear out of order. My doctors said I must really give up and take a long rest; otherwise I should be a nervous wreck. My eyes were very bad, and I had to go to New York to the best specialist and have glasses made for me. So here I am. " Go out West," the doctor said, " and live out of doors." So at last I picked up my belongings, started first for Kansas City, Kansas, to H_, who has married a German girl and has a baby about a year old, who rejoices in the name of Greeba Quane. Well, ,I stayed there nearly three weeks, and then the lot of us set sail for Nebraska City to R_'s, and I stayed there until the end of October; and then came here. The Nebraska folks begged me to stay the winter with them and showed me every kindness, but I had a big longing in my heart to see J_; after six years, I have met her again. She is thin and has a cold, but is getting better. The hot summers try everyone so much.

I spent my summer, up to the 6th July, with a patient I had nursed the year before, and I had not so much heat. We were up in the Connecticut Hills. Get your map and find Hartford; well we were about 20 miles from that city. She is a delightful old lady, and insisted all the time that I should rest out on the porch after I had attended her. She is sweet. She then advised me to have a rest and go West. Now, have I not given a bright side. Since I came here I have improved in every way, only in one -- my purse. But health is the greatest blessing in life; and I walk miles every day. My health and appetite are much better. J_ has trotted me round everywhere, and I have lost three pounds of my superfluos flesh. It is good for me, and soon I shall be as slim as a fashion plate. You can imagine our delight two days ago to get your delightful letter; really your letters take the prize, and thank you so much. J_ was charmed beyond measure, and said " That's the right kind of a letter."

I shall send you views of this City and that will tell you of its beauties better than I can. Some of the mountains are twelve thousand feet high, standing like sentinels guarding this lovely valley. Mormons! Yes, Mormons galore, and lots of Manx Mormons. One sweet old lady, aged 85, is our chief friend. She came from Rhenass, a cousin to C_ (schoolmaster), and married a brother of J_ C_, in Douglas-street, Peel. is one of the early pioneers, can talk fluently, and remembers all sorts Manx people, their histories, and no end of buggane and fairy stories. She is a lively old dear. I have never had so many invitations in my life, and I have done nothing but visit, dine, walk, and since I came. This old lady's son is the United States Internal Revenue Collector, and her grandson Secretary to Senator Smoot. He lives in Washington, the capital. The tabernacle is an immense church, holding 10,000 people, and has the largest organ in America. I have been to hear the organ recitals — the best music I've heard since I heard the St George's Hall organ in Liverpool. The beautiful temple is a splendid building, but the foot of a Gentile has never crossed its threshold. All baptisms and sacraments are held there for the faithful alone; the men with a number of wives, etc., etc. They beat the rest of the universe. although it is not permitted by the U.S.Government. " But you'll get lave"!" I have seen almost everything of interest but Salt Lake, the Great Lake, with its Island and pavilions. The lake is 300 miles long and very beautiful.

We dined at the home of a former member of Congress. He was member for 12 years. He is a Mr John S. Cain [sic John Thomas Caine], born in Peel, went to school to Mr Goodwin, the elder. He is 82 years old and his wife 78. They are 60 years married, and, to the honour of Peel, he has just had one wife. I have met a Mr Angus Cannon, another Peel man. It would take a whole week to tell you about them and all their kindness to us both. All these people are Mormons, but we keep going stedfastly to the Church of England.

K_ Q_ (whose mother kept the greengrocer's store in Peel) lives in Logan, a hundred miles from here. She was staying with J_ a few days before I came here. I expect to see her at Christmas, and I look forward to the meeting. I am sure Mrs Ridge will enjoy her winter in California. I should like to see that part of the Continent. But if I do not get well enough for work, I shall never get home, and that is my desire and wish — if it is only one lil, lil room to lay my head in. There is so much to tell you, but I must not write any more. I have to be careful of my eyes and all the rest of my constitution.

As ever, yours, M.[M Kelly]

2 Rigby Court,
Salt Lake City,
Utah, 20th Nov., 1910.