Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-06-01
A STRANGE
uunsaic and Social Features of . Tour
ishing Colony in Iowa

Probably the most prosperous COM
munistic society in this country is in
Iowa, nearly 100 miles west from
Davenport. on the line OF the Milwau-
kee and 81. Paul road. There are no
saloons in the colony and every man,
woman and child is a worker. There
are no idlers, no caucuses, no politics.
Marriage is looked upon as one OF
the necessary evils, but il is not re-
gaFded by any means as a meretorious
ACT Children must be had and any
~iooseness OF morals is sternly frowned
upon. yet the lot of the newly mar
ried couple is not in any sense a happy
ON The religious standing Of young
married people is very low until, by
patiently bearing the yoke Of matri-
mony, they demonstrate their fitness
TO enter into the circle Of the elect
Despite their costumes there are
many remarkably pretty girls in ANA
ia In form they are straight and
slender. Many OF them have clear
rut features, and their compilations
ire beautiful beyond description.
a ttotAdlto VI lilG hOilltu art Sc
veely plain, and at the same time are
picturesque. A print kerchief, mar y
iactured in the village, is 4 folded aero
lie bosom so that the waist of d
U0sely fitting dress is hidden. TIL
villagers manufacture all the tlannels
and ealicoes worm and each has q
VIDE rSputation. Ablack cap OF some
thin l..Lterial is worn rather far back
on the head, being gathered into a lit
tie bag at the back, narrow black rib
Ions tying il under the chin. Knit
stockings and broad slippers or. coarse
SHOES are worn, wooden shoes being
reserved for field work. Neither age
uor condition in life brings any
,oange in these garments.
No social intercourse is allowed be-
tween the young men and the maidens,
and they see each other at intervals,
and even then at a distance. The as
sociation of the sexes is forbidden. On
sunday afternoon the boys and girls
are permitted TO walk in the fields, in
opposite directions, though sometimes
Ley come together.
When a young man signifies his de.
sire TO marry a maid IN he is put on
probation for a year ar more. Once a
week he is allowed to see the object of
LIS affection. and no encouragement
Is given his suit BY any one. He is
lever allowed to see her alone, how
ever. When the marriage finally takes
place il is made the gloomiest OF festal
OCCASIONS.
There are no wedding clothes and
10 wedding guests. Two or three
elders meet at the home of the brides
arents and read hymns and lead in
rayers. The chapter in Paul's epistle
- the Ephesians, wherein the apostle,
With untiinching severity, describes
Ire duties OF husband and wife. is
lad, with somber comments. After
tie lecture there is dead cold supper,
and every one is made 3 O feel as mis-
e.able as possible. When once mar
red, however, there is no hope for the
couple, as divorce is unknown.
These communists are rich, vet
they 60 without amusement of any
sort; all musical instruments save the
flute are tabooed and there are no
Liass band contests TO disturb the Sc
lcnity OF their even existence.
A small colony came 10 the United
;.ates from Germany in 1912, headed
~ Christian Metz, an inspired lin
,.rument," and settled near Buffalo,
". Y, the name Of Ebenezer being
wen 10 the colony. AS the colony
rospered beyond all expectation Il
ias necessary TO secure more land,
snd the present peaceful valley was
selected. The old name was left be-
Lind and Amana was chosen as the
lie BY which the colony should be
hereafter known. Seven villages
sprang up and are known as Amana,
East, West, South, Middle and High
and Homestead, Anything
more peaceful than llese little vii
lngss caq9e! ke maglaed
Ing Inhabitants are p%ietists, or.
rlfter. inspirationists, but they do not
look happy. They are Puritanical TO
the last degree aud the children are
rs sedate and staid as their elders.
Christian Metz, their leader, died
twenty-five years ago, and Barbara
HeYnemap, who was also AN ''instru-
h.eit" led the people for fifteen years
after, when she, too, died. Since then
there has been no one prominent or
holyenough tosucceed them and there
is in consequence no leader. Good,
pure and yirtuous as Barbara was,
however, she came under the ban once,
though she finally regained her stand
ng as an instrument
She fell in love with a comedy youth
named George Landmann, and marry
1lm she would and did. though she
ALTERED expulsion for it, As she was
A power IN the community, she sue
seeded in getting back, but she was
v really and heartily forgiven for
having taken 10 herself a husband.
There is a community Of everything.
70 cooking is done by families, the
meals being prepared and served in
atchens maintained for that purpose.
There is an abundance Of everything
md no one ever goes hungry. In
lmana. for instance, whore there are
erhaps five hundred inhabitants, if.
cen kitchens are maintained. The
roportion is the same in the other six
'illages Philadelphia Times.
To-. Mich n..liua