Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-04-06
Artenius Ward among the shakers.

sot down to the table, and the female in the
meal bag poured out sum tea. She sed nothin,
and for five minits the only live thing in that
room was old wooden clock, which tickt in n
subdood and bashful manner in the corner This
dethly stiffness made me oueasy, and determin-
ed to talk to the femail or bust SO sez |, MAR
rige is agn your rules, bleeve, marm?'
"Yayn
"The sexes live strictly apart, speckt?"
"Yay."
"It's kinder singlcr," seq I, putin on my most
sweetest look and speakin in a winnin voice.
I" that so fair made as thow never got htched
to sum likely feller" IN. B.-She was upward
thawt I'd ticki her.l
81 don't like men," she sed very short,
"Wall | Dunno" sez |, " they're q raythcr
important part of the populashun. | don't scacely
see how we could git along without EN-"
"Us poor wimmin folks would git along a
great deal better if there was no men !"
You'll excuse me, marin, but | don't think
that air would work. 1t wouldn't be regler"
"Tm fraid of men ~ she said.
That's unnecessary, marin. You amt in no
danger. Don't fret yourself on that pint.'
=" Here we're shet out from the sinful world.
Here all is peas. Here we air brothers and sis
ters. We don't marry. and consistently we have
no domestic difficulties. Husbands don't abooze
their wives-wives don't worrit their husbands
worrit us here. No wicked matrmony here.
Would thow like to be Shaker?'
No." sez |, I" it amt my stic"
| had now histed in as big load of pervishuns
as could carry comfortably, and, leanin' back
in my cheer, cOmmenst pickin my teeth with n
fork. The female went out, leavn me all alone
with the clock. hadn't sot thar long before the
elder poked his head in ut the door. "You're a
man of sin !" he said, and groaned and went
away.
Direckly thar cum in two young Shakeresses,
as putty and slick ookin' gals "a | ever met 1t
is troo they were drest in meal bags like the old
one I'd met previsly, and their shiny, silky har
was hid from sight by long, white caps slch as !
spose female costs wear but their eyes sparkled
like dmonds, their cheeks was like roses, aud
they was charmin' enuf to make man throw
stuns at his grandmother, If they axed him to
They commcnst clearn away the dishes castn
shy glances at me all the time. got excited.
forgot Betsy Jane in my rapter, and SEE |, My
pretty dears, how are you ?"
We air WE'LL" they solumly sed.
Whar's the old man ?'' sed I, in a soft voice
"Of whom dost thou speak k-brother Urah ~
| mean the gay aud festive cuss who calls
me man of sin. Shouldn't wonder il his name
was Uriah."
lie has retired'
"Wall, my pretty dears," sez |, let's have
some fun. Let's play puss in the corner. What
say ?O
"Air you a Shaker, sir ?" they axcd.
"Wall my pretty dears haven't arraycd my
proud form in a long wesiit yit, but If they wa'
all like you perhaps I'd jine 'em. As ii is Pm Q
Shaker pretemporary."
They was full of fun. l seed that at fust, only
they was a little skeery. | tawt 'em puss in The
corner aud sch like phase, aud we had a nice
time, keepin quiet of course, so the old mar
shouldn't hear. When we broke up seq |, my
pretty dears, ear go you have no objections, hov
you to a nnersent kiss at partin ~
" Yay," they sed and | yayd.-- Panity Fair.