The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-07-23
AMONG THE DUNKERS.
The Curious Habit Of u Very Queer Pc

4. AMONG THE DUNKERS.
The Curious Habit Of u Very Queer People
On any Saturday, says correspondent
Of the New York Sun. a visitor to the
larger towns in Miftlin, Snyder or Hunt
ington counties, in the interior of Penn
sylvania, meets strangely dressed parties
of men and women. While the writer
was wandering aimlessly along the rag
ged main street of Lewistown, in Miff1in
county, few days ago, there suddenly
appeared ahead Of him two gaunt, tall
men, in homespun of peculiar color,
their fine brown hair half waving and
half in curls, reaching below their should
ers from beneath great felt hats, like
those of the priests Of Mexico and certain
parts of Spain wear, but with the brims
at liberty, instead Of being caught up to
the crowns. Suddenly they stopped,
shook hands solemnly, kissed each other
a resounding smack, and went separate
ways. Before an explanation could be
sought a beautiful and heet-footed horse
trotted down the street before "a light
wagon containing two men Of even
stranger mein. These also kissed each
other, when one alighted from the vehi-
Gle. They were round and ruddy-faced,
and possessed of double chins and twink
lug black eyes. Their garments were
as peculiar as those Of the gaunt and SOL
emn pedestrians. Both wore hats alike,
except that the jolly looking fat men had
broader brims and lower crowns to theirs
Coats like theirs are seen only in pictures
Of Russian everyday life. They began
with close, military sort of collar, and
depended almost to the ground, having
for the first half tight-ftting bodice,
and for termination long frock like a
feminine skirt. Not a button held these
garments in place; instead, hooks and
eyes were used.
The lean and hungry osculators were
"Dunkers' and the heavier pair were
"Omush." The visitor drove over next
day to the nearest Bunker settlement
in time to see the quaint people in their
homes, but to late for church.
Maitland, the Bunker settlement, lies
just off the Pennsylvania railroads main
line, deep down among the iron reighted
hills that wall apart the Juniata and the
fertile Kishacoquillis valleys. The little
hamlet looks unreal-at any rate IMAM
erican- tits SO scrupulously white and
neat, and seems to possess so many open
houses and so few locked doors. A cider
mill, < saw-mill, and another large build
ing stood open, although the road was
close at hand, and any one might easily
| walk off with it's mercantile and manufac-
turing interests. .:.,,..
The door Of the Bunker church stood
open, and one of the six ministers of the
parish invited his guests to enter. From
him, from observation, and from inter
views with others, the following infor-
nation was obtained:
The Dunkers will not take an oath,
and are not allowed to hold Office,
although where they comprise nearly all
of the population of a settlement, they
perform agreeable duties, like those OF
an overseer Of the pour. One Of the
preachers naively suggested that the
government did not miss the Dunkers
from its council fires, as Americans have
not all got similar computations against
ofice-holding. They do not fight or en-
gage in war They do not sue or appeal
to the courts for any sort of legal settle
ment; that can be arranged by the church.
If one brother owes another and cannot
pay, all the brethren sustain equal shares
of the debt and wipe it out. If a
brother does not pay, but can do So,
first one, then three, then all the
| brethren labor with him, and if he is
still stubborn they cast him out of the
church. This seldom fails to bring the
CT, f0 no =,
pursued when Bunker offends in any
way; but such cases are very rare. If a
brother fails or desires to start in bust
ness, all the brethren club together and
set him on his feet. They do this three
times. If he does not then succeed they
consider him no longer worthy of help,
and he has to look out for himself. They
are severe upon liars and dishonest per-
sons, and profess to have hardly any in
their ranks. Their condemnation. falls
upon outsiders, also, in this respect, and
I the tradesman who cheats one bunker is
hunned by all forever afterwards They
are kind-hearted and hospitable, and are
cheerfully obedient to the law that COM
pels them to lodge and feed and clothe
whoever calls upon them for assistance.
! IL DuC " "lnpo dlo PleICy piSHly HcIe.
What do you do with them? 9" the visitor
asked of bunker. ,.,..,,1..,,;.'.,', -'.i'
eve take em in" said he, s''but we get
fearfully imposed on. Day before yes
terday a tramp called just as we were at
supper: I gave him q place at the table.
l could have sent him to the county
house for his lodging, but didn't like
to, and he didn't stir; so I gave him a
he'd and his breakfast in the morning.
Soon afterwards an impudent, half tipsy
tramp came along. He had been sent as
many are, to enjoy our hospitality. He
wanted me to point out a bunker to
him. I might have sent him to a neigh
Dor, but that would not have been right
so I told him was one. Then trot out
a pair Of boots, said the tramp, and he
showed me that his left, boot was abso-
Elutely worthless. His right boot was
sound. I happened to have good left
boot, and so l gave it to him. !, It was OF
more, good to him than to me- II 81,
/ You do not fight, but you are strong
and human; suppose some one struck
you :"
| ct cannot cav what uo,1l1 do - on.