Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-03-12
THE SHAKERS.
DESCRIPTION OF A SETTLEMENT
IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Many More Women than Men-Silent
While They Eat-Separate Stair
cases for the Sexes
Their Songs.

'When | visited the Canterbury settle
ment in New Hampshire little over
year ago." said lady to a New York
Star reporter, IL found three families,
who live and are governed separately.
They worship in one church in summer,
but in winter, for convenience, occupy
halls in their separate buildings. The
family l visited was the first, or church
family My daughter was with me.
"We arrived in the evening at the
society's office. A cheerful looking
woman, who we afterward learned was
Sister Elizabeth, opened the door wide
to our rather timid knock. She well
coined us kindly to a sitting room and
babe us be at home. Her costume was
like that of all of the women. A gray
pongee gown, cut with plain round
waist, loosely fitted her figure. The
full skirt was plated in small uniform kilt
plaits. A large white handkerchief was
folded about her neck and across her
breast in some wonderfully pretty way,
which / could never afterwaId initiate.
A close little cap of lace, like a milliner's
bonnet frame, covered her blonde hair,
which was combed straight back and
fastened in a fat knot behind. The
shaker costume, though ugly in itself,
made Sister Elizabeth look very sweet
1t just suited her quiet eyes, her gentle,
smiling mouth and reposed manner.
1.-THE Shaker women wear a hoop of
some contrivance which extends the skirt
with straight, gradual slope from waist
to hem. 1t gives them stately look.
The women, with rare exceptions, are
thin and pae, with sober and sometimes
severe countenance. We saw no plump,
happy faces. Even the children look Old
and staid, and speak with something
which sets them apart from ones
sympathy.
81 spoke of the women first, because
they interested me most, and besides
they outnumber the men as five to one.
They are remarkably refined and intel
lectual for their class. The men, with
the exception of the elders and few
others, are inferior to the sisters in all
respects. They are, however, extremely
kind and courteous to the women. The
sisters look after their wants with mother
ly care, each of the elder sisters having
charge of the clothes and general well
being of one or two brothers.
"The Shaker settlement is very pros
porous in worldly sense There are va
rious buildings belonging to the society;
homes, q school-house, workshop for
the men, and also one for the women
and another for the children. There is
printing office, an infmary presided
over by an elder sister, and containing a
full equipment of drugs and medicines.
"Of course the main support of the
colony and its income is from the farm,
which is large and under high state of
cultivation. 1t is well stocked with
horses and cattle, but they do not raise
either. Pigs there are none, and pork is
prohibited as unclean food. Some of the
horses are fine stock.
1.-THE house in which we were enter
tanned belonged to the first family. 1t
was large and square. The halls and
staircases were on opposite sides of the
house, one for the men and the other fol
the women. The floors were of dark
wood, stained and polished. The door;
and castings were stained peculiar vel
low throughout. Nothing poor or mean
was used in either the furniture or dec
orations. Everything was simple. Ii
our room large, handsome rugs of soft
WOO, made by the Shakers, lay upon thu
floor. They resembled Smyrna rugs. Ii
opposite corners were two white beds
and in another corner was a little cast
iron wood-burning stove, plain anC
smooth. In it fire cracked cheerfullv
These stoves are in every room. Thu
curtains in all the houses were mos
dainty and ovel. They were of whit,
linen, suspended by brass rings on
bright brass rod. When the curtains
were down each side looked like a half
open fan.
"a tall, fashioned clock stood a
the head of each staircase. The clock
are as old as the house itself-one hun
dred years. Meals are served to guest
in room and at table by themselves
This hardly seemed hospitable, but Sis
ter Elizabeth explained that the Shaker
always ate in perfect silence. TIL
brothers and sisters sit on opposite side
of the table.
"The children are we'll advanced il
reading, arithmetic and particularly in
mnsic and singing. Even the smalle
children read music readily. The pro
flcieney in music is owing to the fact tina
the teachers themselves have obtained
the best possible instruction. The Who'll,
family, at times, when the farm work i
light, drill in singing for two half hour
daily. All sing, and it is remarkabl
how many fine voices there are. Thei
religious hymns and anthems have beer
written entirely by Shakers, and ar
therefore peculiar. Most of the hymn
are choral, and are sung with grea
spirit. Like the Moravian sacred songs
there is much repetition of words an
music.
"The Shakers show wonderful physics
strength when they sing. They sit an,
sing, march and sing, and they knee
and sing endless verses, the last note a
ways as clear and strong as the first
There is ring of triumph and victor
about the hymns, though many are tende
and sweet. Singing is indeed worship wit
the Shaker We attended Sunday SCI
vice In closing, they united in hymn
repeating one verse many times; ther
kneeling, still singing, they repeated
etagain. AT last, closing their eyes t
in prayer, they sang it for the last tin
very softly. These were the words:
HWatchinp and nravinor 7 find Won
Oh, my beloved, my ownl
Trusting Fathers rich promise,
will not leave you alone
| will not leave you alone.
Though through the desert / lead,
Or apart in the mountain ye pray
For strength in the hour of need,
never will answer We nay
never will answer ye nay.
q shall never fnrrnt the looks of q,