Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-04-07
MIS- C. Ell LA N Y
A BRlEr DGscaIPrIox OF rHE snAKERs
Ey = vIsITER.

atel about l3J or 40 GIttS from the CITY
otN Y..i~AsiJs TAO two parts. the names
Of which nave Eergeuen. Ii is inhdbit-
ed by set Vi pyop9e called Shtkes. who
derive their uamr from the Singular mode
they have Of sndlting their hands as they
dance. Am LIE, through whose minis
trait % this society originated, was oarlEin
Manchester, (Eng.) in III year l746--
Sac b.gan 10 2Tea:h the faith whlcb torns |,
the primary principles oi this commuuly, Ii
about the year l770; among the hist Il
vino embraced her ttne.s were William
Lee, james Whitaker and john HockueI.
and these, ia connection with the female
above alluded 10, became The 6rsl founders
Of this society. The village OF Lebanon
contains many manufacturing houses,
where are male fans, brushes, brooms &c.
He who en'ers among lhem, must first I
confess to the Elders, so called, the varI-
Gus sins he has committed during his life,
deposir the money he possesses, (If be has
any into the puoiic treasury, AID prom
ise Ia fulure 10 be just in all his dealings
with his fellow man. and to follow The
rules Of the society lin short 70 perform
all those things, and those OILY, which are
dictated by his inward monitor. He !
must shun all vicious habits, all attempts
to defraud the junsuspecting, and conduct
hinself according to the will Of his Col. |
If he oe married be must no longer live
with his vile, but mast remain as single
man. He must not enter into any BUSH
ness unless known lc The elders. 1t is
only those of he most ADVANCED age, and
most distinguished for piety, that are suf-
fered to'visIt the great metropolis, New
York, aud when they come, they general
ly bring 10 sell the various articles which
they manufacture or produce. among
which, horse-radsh, brooms. fans, &c,
hold a conspicuous part. They bauish
from their company all such as are dis
posed 10 be led INFO snares Of vice, unless
they immediately repent and follow tire
path of virtue. They occupy themselves
in various WAYS, during the week days
in summer, ia moving and The like. and
in winter in making articles for sale
There are among them carpenters. weav.
ers, doctors, &c, each man following the
trade or occupation for. which he thinks
himself most fitted by nature. Hence the
success that attends their undertakings,
each one carrying his respective trade to
perfection. Il has been remarked and
very justly too, by all who visit them
that every thing that they manufacture
however small or large, displays uncom,
mon 'dexterity, and so | found il myself
each room, as you enter il shows clearly
that those who occupy them are not d
dirty race. The floors are painted yellow
and are all so clean that if BY accident any
article of your dress should fall on them
it would not be in the least degree soled
The chairs instead of standing on the
floor as among Us, are hung on nails OF
pegs about the walls. The houses are
not elegantly furnished, but they are all
neat and clean their meals are not OF eve
ry variety and luxurious. hut plain and ex
celent in their kind, extremely well suit.
cd TO their condition. and when strangers
wish Them, which they often do, thong h
they are not allowed bv the rules of the
society 10 eat with Them unless out o
their village, still they are treated with
the greatest hospitality, and never requir
ed 10 recompense them, though they
should remain for years. The women
are fully as Industrious as the men they
make the clothes. hem pocket handker.
chiefs, knit Stockings. make buuer and
cheese and the like, in short, none are
idle: even the smallest has some little oc
cupa.ion alot,ed.to him, IN which he ma,
be employed with pleasure and utility
There are assemblies about two or lhre
times week IN the evening, when al
come together, both old and young, won
en- and men, and dance, singing verse;
approaching each other and DRAWN;
back again alternate!y,) among which
the following:
% time how precious Ills 10 all
Well labor 10 improve IL:
I've heard the gospels gracious call,
O, how ought ~ lovesit.
Come try how pretty we can be,
Bvieaving of an evil;
What beauty. then we all shall see,
Wherever we assemble
They all dress in The plainest name
unadorned By jewels. or finery Of any d,
scriplon. The color OF their panyaloor
is brown, and their coats a. blush gre
with hat Of white fur with broad ria
The meninstcad OF being adorned by hig
heels as tie fops 10 Broadway. have ev
~ thing of the klainest materials. choo
ing every thing rather for comfort ths
show. The women have lrocks Of Inns,
: woolsey. and when they dance they har
their handkerchief on their arm. Th,
generally wear high heels; bur wheth
TO increase their stature or for any 9th
reason, have not been able to ascertai
Or Sunday, they all. both small
great, old and young, assemble 10 /
Westinghouse, where they conduct the
selves in the same manner as at tn