Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-05-15
A STRANGE COMMUNITY.
Economic Az I Social Features OF q Flour
lsl!ng Colony la Iowa

~ - -
munistic society in this country is in
Iowa, nearly 100 miles west from
Davenport on the line OF the Milwau.
lsee and ST. Paul road. There are no
saloons in the colony and every man,
roman and child is worker. There
are no oilers, no caucuses, no politics
Marriage is looked upon as n OF
the necessary evils, but IL Is not re
garded by any means us a meretorious
act. Children must be had and any
looseness of morals is sternly frowned
D O yet the lot Of the newly mar
ried couple is not in any sense a happy
one. 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.
ma. In form they are straight and
slender. Many of them have clear
cut features, and their compilations
are beautiful beyond description.
The costumes of the women are Sc
verely plain, and at the amt time are
picturesque. A print kerchief, man =
featured in the village. is folded aero
the bosom SO that the waist Of u
loosely fitting dress is hidden. IL,
villagers manufacture all the flannels
and calicoes worn, and each has a
wide reputation. Ablack cap Of some
thin material is worn rather far back
OH the head, being gathered into a lit.
tie bag at the back, narrow black RIB
bons tying il under the chin. Knit
stockings and broad slippers or coarse
shoes are worn, wooden shoes being
reserved for field work. Neither age
nor condition in life brings any
change 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
ISOLATION of the sexes is forbidden. On
Sunday afternoon the boys and girls
are permitted TO walk in the fields, in
opposite directions, though sometimes
they come together.
When a young man signifies his de-
sire 10 marry a maiden he is put on
probation for a year or more. Once a
week he is allowed 10 see the object OF
his affection, and no encouragement
is given his suit by any IN He is
never 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
no wedding guests. Two or three
elders meet at the home Of the brides
parents and read hymns and lead in
prayers. The chapter in Paul's epistle
TO the Ephesians, wherein the apostle,
with unlinching severity, describes
the duties of husband and wife, is
read, with somber comments. After
the lecture there is a dead cold supper,
and every one is made to feel as mis-
cradle as possible. When once mar
ried, however, there is no hope for the
couple, as divorce is unknown.
These COMMUNISTS are rich, We
they 60 without amusement of any
sort; all musical instruments save th,
flute are tabooed and there are ne
brass band contests TO disturb the sc
renity of their even existence.
A small colony came 10 the United
States from Germany in 1872. headed
by Christian Metz, an inspired lin.
strument," and settled near Buffalo,
n. Y, the name Of Ebenezer being
given TO the colony. AS the colony
prospered beyond all expectation il
was necessary TO secure land
and the present peaceful valley wal
selected. The old name was left be
hind and Amana was chosen as tn,
title by which the colony should b,
hereafter known. Seven village
sprang up and are known as Amana
East, West, South. Middle and Higl
Amana and Homestead. Anything
more peaceful than these little vii
lagos cannot be imagined.
The inhabitants are pietists, or
rather, inspirationists, but they do no
look happy. They are puritanical u
the last degree and the children an
as sedate and staid as their elders.
Christian Metz. their leader. dice
twenty-five years ago, and Barbars
Heyneman, who was also an ''instru
ment," led the people for fifteen year,
after. when she, too. died. Since ther
there has been no one prominent ol
holy enough ~tosucceed them and Their,
is in consequence no leader. Good
pure aud virtuous as Barbara was
vever, she came under the ban once
though she finally regained her stand
ing as an instrument"
She fell in love with a comely youth
named George Landmann, and marry
him she would and did. though SD,
suffered expulsion for it, As she wa
a power in the community, she sue
ceeded in getting back. but she wa
never really aud heartily forgiven 70
having taken 10 herself a husband.
There is a community Of everything
No cooking is done by families, In,
meals beng prepared and served il
kitchens maintained for that purpose
There is an abundance of everything
and no n ever goes hungry Ii
Amana. for instance, where there ar
perhaps five hundred inhabitants. III
teen kitchens are maintained Tn,
proportion is the am IN the other 81,
villages. philadelphia Times.