I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough.

Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so we can have some conversation.

The Mississippi River towns are comely, clean, well built, and pleasing to the eye, and cheering to the spirit. The Mississippi Valley is as reposeful as a dreamland, nothing worldly about it . . . nothing to hang a fret or a worry upon.

Except a person be part coward, it is not a compliment to say he is brave.

All men have heard of the Mormon Bible, but few except the "elect" have seen it, or, at least, taken the trouble to read it. I brought away a copy from Salt Lake. The book is a curiosity to me, it is such a pretentious affair, and yet so "slow," so sleepy; such an insipid mess of inspiration. It is chloroform in print. If Joseph Smith composed this book, the act was a miracle — keeping awake while he did it was, at any rate.

Thanksgiving day. Let us all give humble, hearty, and sincere thanks now, but the turkeys.

The partitions of the houses were so thin we could hear the women occupants of adjoining rooms changing their minds.