The Shasta courier., 1861-05-04
xrtemus Ward Among the Shakers.
Ms: YAyrNa" EXPERIENCE WITH TWO PRETTY
sHAKEREssEs.

Artemus W ard gives some oi his expert
cnces among the Shakeresses.
sot down to the table, and the female in
the meal bag poured out sum tea. She sed
nothin. and for minits the only livin thing
in that room was an old wooden clock, which
tict in q suhdood and bashful manner in the
corner. This dethy stiffness made me on
easy, and determined to talk to the femail
or bust. So sez 1, " Marrige is agin your
rules. hleeve, ularn?''
"Yay."
"Tne sexes live strictly apart, I spcct?"
"Yay."
IT'S kinder singler," ses I, putin on my
most sweetest look and speakin in winnin
voice. '' that so fair a made as thow never got
hitched to sum likely feller." n. B.-She
was upward Of forty. and homly as stump
fence, and thought I'd tickil her.
81 don't like men," she sed, very short.
oval, dunno" sez /, they're ray.
don't see how we could get along without
'cm"
us poor wimulin folks would get along a
great deal better if there was no men,"
:. You'll excuse me, marm, but I don't
think that air would work. 1t wouldn't be
rcgler.'
"I'm afraid of men - she sed.
That's unnecessary, marin. You are in
no danger. Don't fret yourself on that
pint
+" Here we're shet out from the sinful
world. Here we're all in peas. Here we're
brothers and sisters. We don't marry, and
consekently we have no domestic difficulties
Husbans don't abooze their wives-wives
don't worrit their hushans. There's n,s chill
drcn here to worrit u.s. Nothin to worrit us
here. No wicked matrimony here. Would
thow like to be a Shaker?''
"No," sez |, g it amt my stils-r
had now histed as big load Aof perrish.
uns as could carry comfortably, Ind leanin
back in my cheer commenst pickiH my teeth
with fork. The femail went out, leavin me
alone with the clock. hadn't sot ther long
before the elder poked his he'd if at the door.
/" You're man Of sin p he s'd, and groaned
n 2 Young Shakeresses,
gals as ever met
i in meal bags like the
.,revisly, and thar shiny,
from sight by long white
srose femail costs wear but
1arkiel Ike dim onds, their cheeks
.osea, all they WAS charmin' enuf
e man throw ssuns at his grand.
.er, II they axei MN 10. Iney COM
lst clearin' away the dishes, castin' sly
,,,ances at me all the while got excited
forgot Betsy Jane in my rapter, and sez l.
Is Ny pretty dears, how are you?"
1--WE air well" they soluuly sed.
''Whar's the old man ?'' sed I, in soft
voice.
"Of whom dost thou spcak-brother
Urish?'
Il mean the gay and festive cuss who
calls me man of sin. shouldn't wonder
if his name was Urah."
I" He has retired.'
avail, my pretty dears," sez I, "let's
have some fun. Let's play puss in the cor
ner, What say?''
"Air you a Shaker, sir?"
"Wall. my pretty deara, haven't arrayed
my proud form in a long weskit yet. but if
they was all like you perhaps ia iine 'em
As is Pm Shaker protemporary."
They was full of fun. seed that at fust,
only q little akeery. tawt 'em puss in the
corner and sueh Ike plase, and we had nice
time, keepin' quiet, Of course, 50 the old man
shouldn't hear. When we broke up siz l.
"My pretty deera, ear go, you hev no OBJ
jections. heT you, to an inncrsent kiss al
partin?''
"yay," they sed, and yay'dn