Hence it came about that his farm and all that belonged to him prospered exceedingly.
In three years he was better off than his neighbours, in six he was well-to-do, in nine he was rich, and in twelve there were not half a dozen men in the whole of Salt Lake City who could compare with him.
From the great inland sea to the distant Wahsatch Mountains there was no name better known than that of John Ferrier.
There was one way and only one in which he offended the susceptibilities of his co-religionists.
No argument or persuasion could ever induce him to set up a female establishment after the manner of his companions.
He never gave reasons for this persistent refusal, but contented himself by resolutely and inflexibly adhering to his determination.
There were some who accused him of lukewarmness in his adopted religion, and others who put it down to greed of wealth and reluctance to incur expense.
Others, again, spoke of some early love affair, and of a fair-haired girl who had pined away on the shores of the Atlantic.
Whatever the reason, Ferrier remained strictly celibate.
In every other respect he conformed to the religion of the young settlement, and gained the name of being an orthodox and straight-walking man.