The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-06-21

We're struck by the absence of all flowers, save
dance of vegetables, and all kinds Of savory
herbs, and bushes of the smaller fruits, and
everything was in the most perfect order.
When they returned to the house, Mrs. Har.
vey. who was a great lover Of flowers asked
the old woman, who still sat where they had
in their garden ~ go. - '#
the enemy to pamper the jewellers of Sodom."
Mrs. Harvey, not caring to enter into ar
gument, which this personal compliment almost
provoked, said ===
But, mother, you have roses, and ,cr con-
slider the rose the queen of flowers"
YES" replied the old woman, eve raise
roses because they are of use for medicinal and
kitchen purposes; but we don't waste our time
in growing anything that is not useful, but
God"
entertained on the other side of the house, by
the man who received them. Leaving them
alone for while, they were somewhat startled
and amused by a scene which they at first took
to be q religious ceremony, but which proved to
he only the result of habit of selfcommuning.
An old man entered the room, and, without
noticing the guests, walked straight up to a.
the opposite wall, and said, in q loud, command
ing voice: Knife, where art thou~ repeating
this adjuration three times, with pause be-
terval to allow the knife thus adjured to
discover it's whereabouts, he suddenly clapped
his hands upon his head, and exclaimed: q All
mind me enc! now; left it sticking in the trough
still ObliviOus of the presence of others.
"Old Billy" was presumed by the gentlemen
to be one of the farm horses; and they We're
greatly amused by this burst of Shaker elo-
4uence and peculiar exemplification of the
" yea and nay" doctrine.
The party were next invited into another
scription of the abundant variety aud delightful
cMisine of these people more than realized.
There was no effort at style-everything was
put the table at one time but the clca nil
ness, savoriness of the viands, and good appc-
titles of the guests induced by their long ride
and fresh air, made it seem to them like a feast
Of Lucullns. Upon hearing Mrs. Harvey COM
plain of n bad headache, II cup of clightful tea
was at once brought to her.
= They We're waited upon by young woman
of about twenty-five years, who must have been
novice, for her cnnntenance was not yet
broken into that raylcss expression that marked
the others: and the twinkle in her eye, as she
watched the ladies, listened to their CONVERSE
ton, and scanned their toilets. spoke an interest
in the things of Sodom not yet quite ex--
tinguished i'll her SOUL.
After dinner, they We're taken the kitchen,
to examine the various convonicnces for making
easy the large amount of preserving, picking,
and drying, that these people put up for the
city markets.
Mrs. Harvey and Mrs. Stewart had gone over
machine, and were followed by two young
women, who made good use of the opportunity
thus afforded them of gratifying their curiosity
and venting their long suppressed native hilar-
ity. Every portion Of the ladies' dress was
scanned and questioned with n curious amount
of interest.
Mrs. Stewart upon her neck a gold
chain, to which a heart and cross were at
tached. One of the young women examined it
closely, and said with n strange expression
between curiosity and fear:
" You are Catholic. know"
''Oh, you think 80, replied Mrs. Stewart,
looking somewhat abashed, " because You see
the cross; but this ornament is the fashion,
now, and even Unitarian ladies' wear it and
they don't even believe i'm the Divinity of our
Lord"
Then the arrangement of their worldly
locks" was next examined; but, above all, and
what afforded the most amusement, was the
tournure, then the rage in its most exaggerated
FORM
"Why, goodness mer' exclaimed both. what
are those Jumps upon your backs 2"
They were explained, but evidently failed to
convince these rustics of their beauty utility.
'.Why," said one, . guess if you saw some
body born with one of those things, you would
think them very ugly. You had better do like
MS, and be content to wear nature only" Say
ing which, she turned herself round, to show
the symmetry of the Shaker figure. Invested of
all artificial adornments.
The ladies laughed heartily ut this simplicity,
and left the kitchen, to visit, alternately, the
butter and cheese rooms, the broom-mal>ing
department, and the weaving rooms Here the
hand looms were worked by women; and one of
them explained the process, and threw the shut
tie back and forth with the rapidity of ma
chine She was weaving very pretty silk
handkerchief their sunday adornme int of
delicate ashes of rose color-the silk and dycing
all their own production.
There seemed to be no special head to the
establishment; for, whoever attended them, APP
peared endowed with plenary power to grant or
refuse whatever asked 1t was their rule
for the men and women never to mingle, either
in their working or recreation hours. Knowing
this our party were somewhat amused, when
they reached the cheese room, to Il fine,
stalwart-looking young man aiding two of the
younger women in their labors; and, Judging
from the motion of their heads and bright faces,
they certainly were indulging in more extern
sive vocabulary than the mere yea, yea, and
nay. nay D." of their order. There were also two
children of about seven and ten wears. walking