The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-12-31

marked, grancing furtively ut his
comp, ,nion. 81 suppose you are
never troubled with Aios; there
seems to be perfect dearth OF them
here. Why if one came in all that
would be necessary to say would
be shoo-hy, eh?" motif you we're
the fly" she coyly answered.
AT this interesting, juncture,
when his hopes no doubt we're run
ming high, the party re- -entered and
the young Shakeress was ordered to
leave the room. With n submissive
"yea" she obeyed, but not without a
backward glance or two. "What
are we coming to" remarked spin
ster OF our party, "when even Sha-
kers flirtI'
We visited the church next, but
were told no service would be hold
there until Sunday. AS it was Sat
urday We determined to return the
next day to service. Accordingly,
on the following morning, about 10
O'Clock, we found ourselves at the
church door. Vehicles to the nun
ber of forty or fifty filled the street,
people having come from all parts
of the country to see the perfor-
nance ceremony, rather.) The
80 called church was certainly.
curiously. built. It had very much
the Appearance of q large hall, with
the exception of bay~window at
one end. The gentlemen of our
party were told to go to the left
with the "brethren" while the ladies
passed to the right with tho "sis-
ters." The ioor WAS s. spotlessly
white that you positively felt it was
wrong to put your "heretic.l" feet
upon it. Benches wero placed for
visitors, and we succeeded in OBJ
taining one of the from se,ts. Tho
"oongregetion," i. G., the Shakers,
1--WE constituted the audience,) mad
already assembled, tho women wear.
ing bAreSe dresses. perfectly plain,
lno such worldly thing as m ovor-
skirt,) with muslin hanlkerchis If
around tho neck and curious little
caps on the head, were se,tel on
one side of the room, and the mon,
with long coats and pants Of deep
blush color, were. seated on the,
other The hair of the men were
long behind and hinged in front.
After sitting awhile. in profound
silence, about twenty-five men and
women rosa and FORMED Il circle
called the Singing Circle" or it
seemed to us the .'Tunin, Circle"
The res5 Of the congregation now
rose and formed long liue, pre-
paratoTy to their dance around the
singing Circle" Ga. of the
"sisters" having given the keynote
dismal wailing was set up md
the congregation commenced to
dance around. No description can
convey al adequate idea of how
these people dance. To enjoy it,
one should see them. There was
one man who struck our attention
particularly and he may sorve as q
model. He was tall aud thin, with
most sanctimonious countenance.
He walked on his toes with most
elastic spring of the body-bending
forward at each step and waving his
hands up and down in a most effec-'
tive manner. Now and then, as if
moved by the spirit, he would jerk
himself up and then give O long
stride. After dancing two or three
times around the circle, they all
stopped, and then brother, and
sometimes a sister, would speak.
One sister gave us the benefit of
one Of her visions. It 50 happened
that she had bad one that morning
on her way to church. When they
had danced about eight times, the
signal was given for them to stop.
They oil then went to their seats,
the men on one side ar d the women
on the other, and, after spreading
their pocket handkerchiefs on their
laps, composed themselves to listen
to the "leader," who now came
forward to address "the people OF
the world, as he called us. Turn.
ing his back on the shakers, he
commenced as follows:
"We are all glad to see YOU here
to-day, and hope proper decorum
will be observed no frivolity, and
oil worldly thoughts put aside.
know l am addressing Methodists,
Episcopalians, B.ptists, and many
other scots; but I tell you just
what it is, my friends, the time for
a new religion has come, and you
can now throw off v0nr old shacklas