Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-09
PICTURES OF SHAK Err
-- ft LIFE.
BY AUGUSTUS WAGER.
oar Love scenes In Winter.

Six degrees above zero, and our
good old orchard, the summer re-
| treat of Shaker lovers, covered with
snowl Whittier shall the broad
brimmed saint take refuge, in or
der to declare to his dear Gospel
sister how ardently he loves her,
and how coldly he believes in the
| dOgmas of his faith? Can he ex-
pect the delicate Shakeress to brace
the fierce North wind, and to hasten
again to the same old trees whose
/ green foliage, few months ago,
| concealed her trembling form, when
nesting lovingly on his bl east? Can
he utter, or she hear, tender prom
ises and vows with teeth chattering
and feet stamping for cold! But
| the icy temperature cannot destroy
| the ardor in our souls, and in spite
/ of all difficulties, the loving Shaker
will, in the winter time, continue
to tighten the sweet bands by which,
! during the summer, he had fettered
| his fayorite sister in Rion. And
she (tender-hearted, innocent soulD
will feel sympathy with the suffer-
ing of broad -brims, and listen, with
truly Christian charity, to the sad
tale of that young and good-looking
brother, describing so earnestly his
sorrows at not being always in her
presence, and so fervently his pas
sionate love toward her. Who will
blame her, when she concludes to
have ''union" with his endeavors to
defeat the spies and the watchful-
ness of Elders, and, wOman-like, in
mother-wit far excelling the broth
er, plans and arranges rendezvous,
and plays the heroine in the drama
of Shaker love?
1t will be necessary, in a few
words, to sketch the inside of our
dwelling-house. 1t is a two story
brick building with two wings di-
vided by b hall, one wing contain
ing the rooms of the brethren, the
other those of the sisters, and, as
the doors open into the hall, the
brethren's and sisters rooms are op-
posite each other. "Up garrett" or
in the third story, houses our aris-
tocracy, consisting OF two Elders
and two Elderesses, our teachers
and patterns in dancing and other
pious works.
Our orders will strictly forbid a
brother or 8 sister to visit the oppo-
site rooms, except on necessary er-
rands or during the time of those
entertaining union meetings, de-
scribed in a preceding picture. Ii
is also 8 rule that at least two per-
sons should occupy one room, but
generally we crowd four or i've in
to it, ''as protection to each other" ."
70 Inc fuNW h
kitchen, and above it is the family's
meeting-room, built of extraordi-
narily heavy and solid timber, on
accounnt of our stamping during di-
vine service.
The brethren rise at 3 o'clock in
the morning, and congregate in the
sitting-room down stairs, where
they spend the time till breakfast in
reading or lounging on the benches.
We converse little, and then always
cautiously, fearing that some wide
awake saint will make capital of q
few unguarded words. During this
time, q few sisters will clean and
arrange the rooms vacated by the
brethren, generally one sister attend.
ing to one room. Already we have
been sitting mute for q quarter Of
an hour, when suddenly a young
brother arises, and, holding his
forehead in his open palms, com
plains of headache and the
heat or oppressive air of the room
He walks out, apparently suffering
As soon as he closes the door hit
. headache seems to nave left him mi
/, raeulously. He throws quick anC
careful glances above, before anC
behind him, and, nobody being il
sight. hastens with noiseless anC
elastic steps to his room up stairs
There q young sister is cleaning
sweeping and dusting; but broom
and duster cease to work now
while tongues are busy and eyes arr
. eloquent. That young man and th'
uuaint littlo Shakeress feel "car
nal'' attachment for each other, anC
seek every opportunity for a few
golden moments to converse. Thev
have SO much to tell Chatting
about the Elders, and swearing un
dying love, gossiping about tn,
: brethren, and calling each other en-
dearing names, telling tales abou
| the sisters, and planning for the fu
J, ture. All this has to be said in
few precious moments. But, indeed
they are precious; for, not daring u
converse loud, but only in a whis
/ per, the two "cross-bearers" mus
q necessarily approach each othe-
y quite closely, in violation of ou
+ sanity ''three feet apart" rules,
7 closely even, that the striped liner
! of the sisters neckerchief vii
y touch the brothers blue Jacket
There is also danger of somebody