Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-09-27
Amnnr The Shakers.


settlement, foundedIn 100, is n remark
able picture Of neatness, and at the same
time, romance. The tall, clean, symetrical
houses dot along under the hills, and
great flower and seed gardens show
patches Of brilliant color that contrasts
with all the delicacy of natures artistic
handiwork against the dark greens of
the pines and spruces. Down the VII
lage streets may be seen squads of men
and women vending their way 10 the
meeting-house, while now and then n
load OF believers roll in from Canaan,
Brick Yard and New Lebanon families.
There is no sound Of chureh-bell, but,
borne along on the breeze, one may
hear the tinkle of those at the Springs.
The Shakers are not believers of noise
of any description. In their houses
they walk on tip-toe, are firm believers
in BENJAMIN Franklin's motto, that a
door should never be slammed, and
speak in subdued whispers. The meet
ing-house is a long and imposing build
ing, some $50 feet in length by 70 or
100 feet in height. Along the side wall
are arranged ascending benches for the
accommodation of visitors, the males
being seated ON one end, the females on
another. The floor fairly shines from
scrubbing, and is waxed, as that of a
ballroom. The male and female men,
bers of the community are separated af-
ter the same fashion as the guests, and
present very picturesque appearance.
/ The women are dressed in a light gray
stuff, spotless white kerchiefs around
their throats, and the dantiest and most
immaculate caps upon their heads. Here
aud there may be caught glimpse OF
a fresh, young and beautiful girlish face,
| but as rule, the women are elderly, and
present q comfortable, happy appear
ance that savors but little of the ascetic
save in the peculiarly waxy pallor of
their faces, which arises more from
the absence of meat from their daily
diet than from any other cause. This
pallor, though, does not extend to the
men. They are sinewy sons of toll, and
their hands and faces are bronzed and
hardened from laboring in the fields.
Like the women, they, too, are uniform
ly clad in suite of homespun, and wear
their hair in peculiar fashion, the front
being cut short, like that of the beau
ties in Charles the Seconds merry days,
while, behind, it is allowed to grow long
and flowing.
Seated opposite each other, for some
time, the men and women maintain q
perfect silence. Their hands folded
and on the face of each calm look o.
reflection. Then one of the elder mel
| 10 70 "a
thanking Heaven that they have beer
allowed to meet together for another
Sabbath that they have become 81
perfect that they are at peace with al
men; that so much peace has been &C
corded to them, and that prosperity ha'
!; been given to the labor of their hands
, One continued prayer, in fact, of thanks
to the God whom we all, Christian, anC
Infdel alike, worship and recognize. A
} the speaker arose his companions hav
arisen with him, and when he has ceased
one OF the number has started the frs
notes of hymn, and soon it is takel
up by all the number until it swells int
, one great monotonous chorus, accompa
MED by shuttle of the dancing feet o
; the worshippers. The dance consists O
a one, two, three shuttle, and now an
; then, the dancers will stop, while on
of them again returns thanks to Go
that so much grace has been granted t
r them. The faces of the spectators al
} a curious study during this performance
On some turks a covert sneer, and o
others an almost irrepressible smile
but, for the most part, they are marke
! by an interest, and, in some cases, re-
. erence, that is very noteworthy. III
: thought is plainly visible that the
: casual spectators have been taught tina
: although the form of worship of Il
= people before them may be eccentr
: and peculiar to their eyes, still it is ear
. est, honest, and evidently the offsprir
! of firm conviction. The founders
y the sect, so runs the Shaker tradition
4 were moved by the spirit in Just tn
h manner, and so their descendants folio
y out the doings of their ancestors.
n The singing and dancing conclude
benches are quietly brought, the brot
. ers and sisters sit, and he who has be,
y selected to deliver the discourse ste
= quietly forward on hp-toe, and begi
y to speak. The discourse is deliver
:, - towards the visiting spectators, and
"a almost invariably defence of the Shak