Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-07

k1l{A4YY ar CAx9xi;s0KY.
~ - P~ople Live ssss Sns~esvsss M
s>sye,nn&Nss. sea Ssswssss vsrss.
lIsos,os TsaAesrspts
&. = Was eoriy IN tss mouth II 0ttohor thai
! ~ tilerd Hernia aad ! madn our long
t8ilsip&scd pilgrimagv % tie eansfsesry
Ne dia ncs arrive =, The sc'tlcmen, III
a7str dark, and our rap Al tse grtst door OF
~ wlsat n cnlkA toe "oilicc.o where
casans en- ere rrcetycsi. WIS Father timid
en-. Il Was opru,d hosuitahiy VIDE. bow
ever. b. \ wonsau who tave "a ksNdis eel.
ooeue and condraed Us thropgh the hall 10
eosv kissing> room. where she babe us
. make ourselves 10 home"
ltwss 10 this sisters spccisi esre thai we
we've rosnmated during our <tav. They
ss;icd hr sitter Elizabeth. She was
dressed like all the Others. in gray pom
ecr gown, cut with plan rouad waist,
lscssiy iiiijng the figure, on which the full
SKIRT was plated IN small, uniform kilt
pisits. A lrrge while kerclSicf was folded
abous her neck and across her breast IN
ssme marseIc Gus way that we hsys tried In
vssn 10 smitate. A iiiile close lace p. like
she milhnsr's bonnet frame, covered her
vsther blonde hair. which was sombed
stisight back from the forehead and fast
spsd ma Cat Knot behind.
vBE sHAxEr DRIES.
This dress, though ugly in Itself. makfs
new and then oman wonder OF quaint
Dessliness. IL was 80 with Sister Elizabeth;
u sslted her quiet eyes, her gcutls-sln'ling
mouth and calm repose Of manner; also.
tte semewhal severe but graceful lines Of
kzs slender figure.
They wear q hoop OF some eontrivanee
winch extends the skirt with stfaiyhtand
srsdpai slope from waist 10 hem and gives
. sisttly hook 10 tbc wesrer.
Later on, when / saw the sisters all To-
eesher, decided that this dress was
rensrkstly well suited 10 tho majority.
Ussmipg TO belong 10 them in very titaess
snd they to II. They are al. with rare *.
ssp'isns. thin and pale, With D sober u MOI
seyeIe expression OF countensnee when IN
repese. There arc no plump. merrs faces;
even The children look old and staid until
Shey speak. and then there seems 10 be an
intangible somt thng-a repression. per-
Asps-ihst sets them a little apart from our
fell symrstby.
The society nj Canterbury, N. H.. eos
-sists Of three families, who live and are
reversed separately, but worship together
In the sane church. except 10 winter,
when, as a matter O! convenience, they o.
supy balls in their own separate buildings.
Tie family with whom We visited was sle
frri. or church family.
There are various buildings belonfiugfo
u: homes, schoolhouse, workshops--oDs
fer the men, one for the women. and an
ether for the childrcn-a printing. Office,
IN infrmary. where an elder sister pre-
sidef over a full equipment OF drugs and
medicines, 10 which ave added their own
peculiar remedies Shaker Bitters. etc.
can testify 10 this good sisters skill.
for che dispelled my wretched headache in
q ice With q magical dose from 4 dainty
liitls glars.
OF course their main support and in
come u the farm, which is large and under
high state Of cultivation. I. il well
stesksd with cattle and horses, but they do
rot raise either. Pigs they have none, and
pork is interdieted as an article Of food.
Come Of the horses are magnificent cres.
tuTes. and - intelligent that they come and
70 Of tie cali OF their keepers. and do many
wonderful tricks. One OF q span Of iron
grays has trick Of walking through the
harm and displaciDg with his teeth and
Very disorderly for a Shaker horse!
TIE house in which we were entertained
was krge and square, with wide halls and
staircases-two sets, one for men aud one
fer women. They we're on opposite sides
Of the house. but so confusing that we felt |
IN disgrace half the time from laundering |
up tbe wrong stairs or into the wrong |
rooms. The floors were o. dark wood, |
stained and polished till they were slippery |
10 elsss, and the doors and castings were |
everywhere stained peculiar aesthetic yell |
low. which, with the quaint surroundings, |
was very effective.
SIMPLE ELEcANCE.
Nothing anywhere Is poor or mean,
IhaHkh all ~ severely simple. Our room
Hsp . plcture-the yellow stained doors
md shutters, the polished floor, over which |
we're scattered large, handsome rugs OF J
Maker manufacture; these are woven OF /
ssft wool, and closely resemble Smyrna |
rugs: tho two white beds in opposite cor
ners, the little cast-iron stove, perfectly
Plain and smooth. aud about as big az a
sesG-sized loaf Of bread. il which fire
srsekled cbeerfully. These stoves are in
svery room alike: no larger in Office or !
aip ing-room. How do they keep warm in /
wiBfer tbere'
But most dainty and delightful Of all I
we're the curtains, which nearly drove !
lear, aesthetic Hernia wild. They were Of |
n bite linen. and suspended 10y bras. ring. |
IN brsss rod. They we're SEARCHED very /
Itifly, and where every ring was sewed /
we're ironed to hang in fold from top TO |
bottom. When drawn back they formed
lat mass OF folds. and we're confined high \
~ at The side OF the wide. smalLpaned 1
\ indow by q brass fixture, like an inverted /
heptsr crook. When down and spread |
hey hoax like-well. "lIke Shaker ethe-
salized," ~ Hernia aptly said. These /
we're the curtains everywhere; we saw no
,tbsrs.
At she bead OF each staircase WAS a tall.
,ld-iashioned clock, as old ~ the house
tssE, which was built over hundr,
Fears ago. These scntinel-like clocks
sssned part and parcel OF the place. and /
Ne heard them at midnight calling to each I
stber in solemn sweetness, keeping their 4
faithful watch while others slept.
HYoigsIc RULES.
II IL the custom 10 serve meals to guests
in . room and at a table by themselves. /
wkish, perhaps, seems hardly hospitsble. |
bss the fact that the Shakers cat in perfect !
silence somewhat alters the aspect OF the I
Bsse. The brothers and sisters sit together. /
IN opposite sides Of the table, but they \
'pesk emily 10 the walters in attendance.
The elder eyplsined 10 us that this was
er physiological reasons; but IL does seem
10 make the matter OF eating merely one OF
Issding, does il not.
Bvt wish 70 say right here that these
people are far from being coarse or ignorant.
They are notably otherwise; the women in
particular remarkably rctiued and INTEL |
itetual.
The sisters outnumber the brethren n ave
to one In every family. and this advantage
alone would perhaps keep the men rather in /
the background; but ] am strongly iu- |
slined to the opinion that, while the elders |
and few others are naturally intelligent |
and well educated. the majority are In all |
respects inferior TO the women. A. Sister !
klizabeth remarked, With twinkle in her |
eys, ait IL woman's day here.
They are extremely Kind and courteous |
70 the brethren, however. aud they never
fail TO acknowledge the slightest service I
with . gentle Thank YOU kindly. bro
thtr." They look after their wants. too. !
with moiheriy care. each Of the elder sis. !
iers having the clothes and general we'll |
being OF one or two brothers In her special !
<bsree.
According 10 The Scripture injunction
their nav Is nag. but their yea Is net yea,
hut w.; aud MSS told by one OF the sis
fefs that II was her habit To even write N