Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-07-24
Account of a Visit to the Shir-
lev Shakers.
ItNESBuRG, Mass, July Is, 1853.

- L
= a lo1g while since pcnned letter to il
) Editor. Although the mercury stands :
F, 92o in the shade, will nevertheless al
/, temptto give you Il few jottings pertainin
= to matters and things in Massachusetts
Yet as regards the general news of til
!, day hcrcaboats, need not inform you. fo
they are quite as well known out Of th
State as in it.
A few days since concluded to step OIL
OF the ordinary routine. and take a trip t
Shirley to look in upon the Shakers. TIL
day was sufficiently pleasant to make tn
ride desirable. and even if it We're not, tn
antee of good time to be expected. TIL
scenery along the route was quite pictuI
esque. for hill and dale were clad in tn
loyliest veri;urc Of summer. lee an
there were seen ancient farm houses whic
have stool as waymarks for 4 Lu-tlrc,
and fifty years or more-for this region o
country was early settled. Shirley is com
posed of two principal yillages-both o
4 W utSil posSVSS SatbiS" Va "ttiaSttpii
Passing through Shirley Center, and Shir
ley Village we come to Il small scttlemen
about two miles from the latter plac,
which is composed of from twelve to filtcel
)me Of the dwellings were built after tn,
style that prevailed a century ago, having
ganbul roofs with other parts to CORE
| spond. Other houses were of brick. ant
of modern build. A large stable was t:
be seen which shows fie. latest improve
ments of the day, for as it cost rising S., DOC
it my be readily supposed that it is wor.
thy of being called ! .:'odel of The kind
The air of thriftiness and neatne ss that is
seea abo 1t the premises of these buildings
bctokens the fact that we have reached the
shaker community. We enter the Office.
but finding the elder-Jolln Whtcley-
absent, we proceed to one OF the houses,
where 4 matronly woman attired III tn ,
simple and unadorneI dress of the times
bids lis welcome. Madam Crinol mes
iarihingale Improvement would be deemed
sacriegious innovation an)l, til, Shak-
eres>es. for thy utterly esclIcw the u.e
hoops. let the extreme neatness OF their
dab costume appears attractive TO those
who prefer the pl ain aad simple ab we the
gaudy and extravagant. The brethren.
liki the sisters, also wear a distinctive
Of ro, I hi, h ;,l,
coat, vest. and pants OF the inyariablc
drab color, and of the pattern adapted by
the disciples Of George Fox. After an i'll
troluctory chat with The d.acencss we
whom. like the first we found 10 he polite
and af.,ble. We were thea s.loAn about
the prcmises-,akcn TO The laundry where
the washing and ironing of 1.-THE famly =
are done after the inDSt approved manner
for the whole arrangement in this dcpar,
meat combines convenience, facility and
regularity; each person having some a'lot-
ted part OF the work to tlo-not excepting
the brethren. We next went into the dat
ry. and tnen int 0 the kitchen where ordei
and iica.nesS We're particular Is Ho,ireabc'
We We're then shown through several o I
the dwellings, which We're fLrni she'd in II
simple and tasteful manner by the mem
bers of the community. The ilo,rs which
were not covered with carpets OF domes.
tic make, were vanished. I.t ladies of
our party could not help noting the fact
|
to be seen ia any os the dwellings, we Wis.
tied. We next rode about II hundred rod.
beyond 10 see the other family, as thu
community lis composed Oftwo fami
lies, or households. EntcriIg an ancient
looking building we found bevy Of sha.
ker women busily engaged in boxin. ~
newly p ckcd Strawberries. which were /,
] be sent to market mex. morning. Tht
houses and other buildings belonging tt
this family were as neat and tidy in ap
pearance as the others above alluded to
Belonging to the community are shop
where bfooms and other articles are made
They also do quite business in the wa,
OF Canning fruit, maaiuI preserves, raisin!
garden and flower seeds, and in prepariu;
herbs for medical purposes. Conuectc
with the settlement is Il school where tn
orphan and other children adopted BY til
community are taught in the commo
branches Of education. Although each q
the families have q private CHI pei IL
) household worship. there is one publ
p ace of worship, where ON Sundays til
whole society assemblies to engage in T.,
liTious exercises, which consist of remarks
prayers, singing Of hymns. and "trippin
The light fantastic toe; for like the Pei
sian dervises they believe in Il sacre
] dance, which fact no doubt. promteJ &c
, tain hu merous writer to designate the Sh,
kers as gay AID festive people. -
They believe in the doctriwe of commu
nifty OF goods. or OF a u..iy o. interests
t.isDelieye III marriage. and in effect rept
date iilial ties. Bat this is not all, the
believe their foundress Lee-is
veritable goddess. or as one OF their do
trinal works declares Jesus Christ W;
the first spiritual man. and Ann Lee w,
the first spiritual womtn.
Notwithstanding the absurlities TIL
must be ascribcd 10 by tbs adacrants
Mrs. dee, yet Il sufficient number al
founl to Keep the delusion alive; and the
consi for the most part of such as ha,
become Disguised with the world; SQUIRE
, by disappointments; @. have met with dc
mestic troubles.
The two families in Shirley numbt
about so persons, and they do not seem