The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-10-23

: misrepresented, if the sale of bis
, book were increased therebyfn When
will this narrow prejudice and utter
ignorance of neighboring people and
, country end I fear not until people
who write books confine themselves to
the principles Of truth instead of wicked
sensationalism; not until politicians are
less partisan and more given to honest
dealing, and not until the pulpits issue
admonitions of love, justice and piety
; rather than political harangues.
God speed the happy day when love
and harmony will PREVAIL as truly be-
tween the sections as it does now be-
} tween individuals. God grant that,
should the Democrats get control of the
government once more, their actions may
be SO fraught with wisdom and justice
as to command the admiration and ap-
probation of not only these United States,
but of the whole world. May they strive
for the Natlon's good and tolerate no sac
rifice of principle.
There are two Shaker villages near
llere-we visited one of them and at
tended meeting. The Shakers are Pc
culiar people, they believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ and endeavor to initiate His
life on earth. They do not marry or if
married when they join the family, as it
| lS Ip6 II
property is in commnn-they own farms
which the men cultivate and the women
attend to holse work and make the
clothing and all sorts of fancy articles
for sale.
The meeting-honse is Il square, cheer
less building OF the severest simplicity.
The brethren and sisters enter by differ
ent doors and sit apart. A Shakeress
showed MS to seats, John thought she
motioned him to sit by. me, but when lie
offered to do so, she looked shocked and
said "Surely, you would not sit by the
ladies'" The worship consists in the read
ing of a short portion Of scripture, SER
mon addresses and singing-no prayer!
The great feature is the professional
march and counter march. singing, sway
ing the head and body and shaking the
hands all the while, this is what is called
the Shaker dance, and from what the
name Shaker is derived. The sermon by
the elder and the addresses by two of the
sisters We're excellent. The apparent
| sole1nnity of the worship commands our
respect, however at variance with our
| IDEAS aud customs.
Hannah Davis and Lizzie, who bring
! the "sale work" here every Saturday
evening, received us very politely and
showed us through their dwelling, a large
stone bnilding, one side devoted to the
brethren and the other to the sisters:
they talked quite freely with us, giving
sometimes very amusing answers to our
questions. The sitting room where the
family assemblies in the evening to con-
verse and sing looked SO queer it made
us laugh: on one side was row of chairs
and before them strip of carpet for the
brethren, opposite a similar row of chairs
and a carpet for the sisters like so many
black birds in row-the rule is that the
sexes must never sit together in meeting
or any where and never shake hands at
parting or coming; " The brethren know
the sisters are glad to see them without
all that fooislness."
| The whole house was beautifully clean
and neat, the floors waxed, no carpets,
| bnt mats all about the rooms and halls,
pretty bright mats, their own make.
The family is increased by converts from
the outside world and by raising children
that are given to them by poor people,
II any one joins who has money, the
the money is pat out at interest and the
interest is used for the family, but if the
person concludes to withdraw, the priil-
ciple which he deposited in the treasury
is returned to him. There is no rule
forcing the convert to give up his prop
erty, but it is the opinion of the family
that whoever joins should feel inclined
to give up all to the general fund. One
of the party asked Hannah Davis if she
might join, having husband, "Oh, yea
indeed, ye can both come" But you
would not let us live togetherf ooh,
nay indeed!" You would not even let
me kiss him every day! "Nay, nay in
deed! we could have DO kissing going
on" "Why, would you not kiss your own
brother ," swell, l might kiss my own
blood brother, but perhaps l shouldn't"
The men wear dra' louse coats, long
hair, low-crowned, wide-brimmed hats
the women plain, grey stuff dresses, white
hankerchiefs crossed over the shoulders,
white caps Of net stiffly starchcd ana
gathered into a band behind, not bit
Of lace or ribbon any where.
Strange, strange indeed are the fancies
and customs Of the worshiping being
called Man.
AUNT CHAT.
Fourteen ocean steamships with freight
and passengers from this side of the At
lantic arrived in London during twenty
four hours recently.
The Houston cotton strikers are sIls-
pected of incendiarism. Two car loads