The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-06-24
ECONOMY.
A Quaint village In Which the Dweiiers
Never Marry.


OF all the wonders Of the 10Th GEN.
tury don't believe there is one which
surpasses a village in which the men and
women never marry and neither OF them
seem to care to. About IS miles from
Pittsburg there is just such a village,
nesting costly among the hills, almost
directly on the banks Of the Ohio river.
II is not very far back from the main
track Of the Pitisburg, Fort Wayne and
Chicago railroad. and yet comparatively
few people besides those living in the i'm
mediate vicinity, know Of its existence.
The original settlers gave it the rather
Puritanical name ofEconomy, and Econ
omy II has been called TO this day, al
though that was over half century ago.
A drive through the quiet streets and be-
tween the long, low brick houses built
in the German village style, Of architec-
ture, with the gable end Of the house al
ways to the street and the main entrance
almost invariably at the side is like taking
n ten-minutes' drive through some for
eign village. About the only American
featuresvisible are the visitor sown horse,
carriage and harness-everything else is
German, even to the Teutonic-looking
chickens, which stroll unmoles;ed about
the streets, and eye with suspicious sur
prise all in,ruders.
4 BACHELORS AND OLD MAIDS TOWN.
The houses are all built Of brick and
most Of them are not over two stories
high. The gable ends are close to the
street, and to reach the front door it is
necessary TO pass around TO the side
The doors themselves are set on the in
side Of heavy frame about a foot and
a half in thickness. The windows have
from nine to twelve panes Of glass in each
sash and bear the appearance of having
done service since the village was found
ed. The only exception to the general
rule Of houses is the Town Hall and the
residence of the chief Of the association,
as the collection Of Economics call
themselves, Mr.. Jacob Henrici. In these
buildings the front doors are really front
doors, although il is impossible to learn
why the rule should be broken in these
cases. The Economics themselves al
ways dress in dull blue material, which
resembles colored bagging about as much
as anything else. They fasten their
clothing with hooks and eyes, use broad
brimmed black hats for men, blue shak-
ers for the women and gable in German,
very few Of them understanding any
English. They are neat and clean in
everything they do. The women and
men live in different parts Of the low
brick houses. The men do the working
for the women and the women do the
cooking for the men. The community
calls itself an association and 4 patriarch
by the name Of Jacob Henrici is the
president. In all things Mr.. Henrici
assumes the management, although be-
fore any very important move he calls 4
meeting Of the villagers in the town hall
20 nominally consult with them before
taking the step. The lands are worked
Jointly, the cattle are stabbed in common
stables, the food is bought with the
common money and the debts are paid
from the common treasury. Everything
is done in common, what is ones be-
longs to another just as much.
THE PUBLIC PocKETBooK.
The Economists arc industrious and
genuine economists in all their doings.
There's no "courtin' nor hanging
around the front gates At night, nor ice
cream bills to pay, nor "buggy" riding
expenses and so they have accumulated
huge fortune, which they don't know
what to do with, now they have it,
They've salted Il down in stocks Of vari-
Gus kinds and used il in building mills
and manufactures all Of which are
adding pore and more to the principal
every year. Now there are only about
fifty OF the genuine Economics,
and they are, together worth about
sIo,ooo,ooo. They 60 around looking
as glum and sour as though they had the
dyspepsia and the gout together. II
they only had pretty wives, sisters or
daughters to draw on them for dress
makers', milliners' and thousand and
one other little bills, how IL would di-
minish that pile; but it's my candid
opinion that IL they did grow gray and
get bald little sooner under these cir
cumstancesthey'd have more ofthe milk
of.human-kindness expression in their
eve and be altogether happier men as
tkey dang,ed their own children or
grandchildren on their knees ofan even
me besides the home fireplaces.
The Economists are sect Of Second
Adveutists in their belief. They came
10 this country from wurtemburg, Ger
many, in 1906, and settled down within
: few miles Of their present village, IN