A Prophetic Incident

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PROPHETIC INCIDENT. BY HEBER Q. HALE, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION, LABOR AND STATISTICS OF THE* STATE OF IDAHO. When Captain Lot Smith had his company of volunteers with their teams lined up in front of the Lion House, in Salt Lake City, to be reviewed by President Brigham Young, before embarking on the perilous expedition of the spring of 1862, it was discov- ered that his organization was not complete—he lacked a wagon- master. When questioned by the President as to whom he-would like for the position, the captain replied, "I want Sol. Hale." A man from the line spoke up, stating that he had just seen Mr. H-xle drive into town. J. Q. Knowlton was immediately dispatched to bring him before the President, in his office. When Mr. Hale entered, President Young informed him that he was organizing a company to go east and set in order the stage lines and stations which had been much interfered with and, in many instances, burned by the Indians, and to protect in- coming immigrant trains, and that he was wanted to go with the company as its wagon-master. "Now, can you go?" interrogated the Pres- ident. The young man replied, "President Young, I have given my promise to old Father and Mother Austin that I would go in search of their son, Ed, who is reported by parties who arrived yesterday as having been killed by the Indians, near Beaver, on his return from San Bernardino with a band of horses, and his brother and I have our wagon and horses in readiness to leave in search for the body and to recover the horses, if possible. We were just in buy- ing a few supplies when Quince came for me." "Well," said the President, "if you are ready to go south, you are certainly ready to go east."

432 IMPROVEMENT ERA. "Yes, but what can I tell Father and Mother Austin?" in- quired Sol, upon whom rested a responsibility which he dare not shirk. President Young's mind was in deep thought, and before the last words of the closing question were spoken, he bowed his head and rested it upon his hand, with his elbow upon the railing in- closing the desk in the general office. Nearly a minute elapsed before he raised his head to speak. Fixing his eyes squarely upon those of the anxious face before him, President Young made this extraordinary statement: ' '«5>oZ, you can tell Brother and Sister Austin that I say their son is still living, and is safe, and will return to them in a few days. ' ' "Then I will go with the company," responded the ever-ready young man. Sol mounted his horse and rode back to the store where he had left "Nute" with the team and wagon. He related the inci- dent that he was called to go east with Lot Smith's company, and told him the words of President Young to his parents. Whereupon young Austin began crying, and begged Sol to yet go with him in search of his brother. Sol answered in about these words: "No; I have now promised to go out with the volunteers, and my faith in President Young's word tells me that Ed is all right and will soon be home. He then bade his friend good bye and joined the ranks, and the company began its march. The third day out the company reached a station in Echo Canyon, and Captain Smith sent back to President Young a state- ment of their progress. The last words of the President's return message were: "Tell Sol, Ed Austin just arrived with horses 0. K." The foregoing was related to the writer by his father, Presi- dent Solomon H. Hale, of the Oneida stake, residing in Preston, Idaho. The Austin brothers are still living. Ed. N. Austin is the present bishop of the Liberty ward, in Bear Lake county, Idaho. Boise, Idaho.