Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-04-27
THE "HARMoNITen COMMUNITY.
Chat with an Aged "Economite"-Graye.
yard OF George Rapp's Followers.

Chat with an Aged Observation-Disclosures.
yard OF George Rapp's Followers.
An aged Economic approaches US,
coming slowly down the shaded path
way. He is feeble, but his dark ewes are
very bright. His portly frame is clad in
the usual suit of blue, and he wears the
broad brimmed hat. There are pigs in
the field beside him: he losses them an
apple over the fence. They quarrel for
its possession, squealing in rage. He
laughs till his fat sides shake. He losses
them more apples, fairly exploding with
mirth as he watches them crowding and
iostling each other. So on he goes
out of sight, entirely oblivious Of our
presence. The pigs follow him ms far
as the boundary Of the field will let
them, drowning his serriment with their
~squealing.
This man may be said to be a typical
Economic. Innocent, honest, simple
minded, with little knowledge of the
great outside world and its complexities,
he is easily amused. l recall another
like him, the former keeper of the
orchard that incloses the old burying
ground, to which our ramble will soon
take us. He was an elderly parsonage,
little, spare and strangely deformed, but
of singularly interesting mind. He was
quite comical and original without know
ing it. The childlike innocence of some
of his remarks was delightful. | visited
his little vine covered watch house very
often.
Closing an eve and regarding me with
great gravity, he once said:
death is u funny fellow"
"Why so?'
"He has been playing with me thsse
ten years"
IL do not understand
Look at me and see how bent I am.
1t for mel is very hard to walk. People say
/ should long ago have died. But | am
here. Death takes younger people, and
laughs when he brings them here"
pointing to the orchard.
THAT is a joke you can enjoy
80 | do: | smile back at him. What
is there in death to make me afraidl'
a few weeks later | called to see the
little German at his post. His coy
watch house was there, covered with
luscious grapes that perfumcd all the
air. Ny friend was not there, but fol-
lowing the direction az n German la
horer | found him. A mound was over
him, upon which some tiny morning
glory vines had already taken root.
Death, the joker, had grown more
earnest. | could not nut wonder if death
was still a joke to the honest and kindly
little German.
Opening a white gate, August leads
the way into a spacious orchard, through
which runs a long, straight roadway.
On our right as we enter is a little vine
yard. so trim and perfectly kept that
II cannot but admire it. Not a weed
mars the ground between the t~rellises.
The odor OF the grapes is exquisite. Or
Il left is a peach orchard in full bear.
ing, and the fruitage is worthy Of Della
ware or Maryland. A little further on
begins a pear and apple orchard, which
extends for fully half a mile.
Here said August, pausing, .'our
dead lie."
We look about US, nOnplussed. Before
us is a square inclosure in the orchard,
fenced with white palings. Pear and
apple trees grow within: the grass
grown surface is very smooth. There
are no monuments, hcadstones, ratings,
flowers or evcrgreens; the place has the
appearance of a pasture.
''Where are the graves, Augustf' we
asked.
''Dcre, in dc ground"
"But you cannot tell n from an
other.''
''Vy shoolt we; viii God forgetg'
Upon closer inspection we find some
new made graves near the fence, with
the earth heaped over them in the usual
form, hut with nothing to designate
them. They are arranged in long rows
extending entirely across the inclosure,
and the last row is now begun. When
complete, it will doubtless see the end of
TIE Harmony society. The old graves
are all Level with the ground. and may
are entirely obIiterated. Curiously, and
| trust typically, the plant called life
everlasting grows over them, and grass
and towering vines run riot, being only
occasionally disturbed by the scythe. No
effort il made TO b~eautify the place; but
it is a most impressive spot.
''Are many Hurled here, August!''
"De Harmony society is dere," is the
sober answer.
Just beyond the burying ground is a
SO called "Indian mound" n relic Of tine
ancient Mound Builders. Over il grow
a few stately oaks and hickories, in the
shade Of which benches have been ar
ranged in the form Of a circle. There
the workmen in the orchard eat their
MONDAY meal. The mound has never
been explored, nor will the llarmonites
permit the ancient tumulus 10 be desc
Grated.
Near by is n frame building. in which
pears and apples are sorted and barreled.
H. ID. Mason in American Magazine.