San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-03-08
A VENERABLE SHAKEReSS.
Though Ninety Years of Age, Sho sttii
perfnrms Her rnrt Among Her People.

Performs Her Part Among Her People.
Among the Union Village Shakers, near
Lebanon, lives a woman who has witnessed
the foundation and general Developments OF
the society to the present time.
She was wears of age when, in 1905, after
an extensive religious awakening, known as
the Kentucky revival, her parents were asso-
ciated with other persons in organizing the
community upon principles believed to be tue
same as those Of the peutecoStal organization
into which AnanaS and Sapphire attempted
an entrance. Now we'll advanced i'll her Svth
year, she will narrate to an Interested listonef
the general history of the society.
A keen, searching glance, indicates great
powers of observation, which have ever bees
on the alert and are still active. The union
of these with an excellent memory. unusually
tenacious of dates has enabled heF to act a.
veritsbe encyclopedia for the believers In
Christ's Second Appearing" winch Is the
title which Shakers claim for themselves.
The early struggle with poverty incidens
to pioneer life; the encounters with mobS;
the growth of the social and church system,
and the management of the various indus
tries. are subjects with which she is very
familiar. She possesses fund of informa-
SS~@
connected with the society, including general
characteristics, age and interesting incidents
in their lives, which constitutes ha biog-
-apher, as well as historian; aad she has ren-
dered excellent service in this capacity to
those in search of information, liz regard to
persons who have been connected with the
society
She still manifests an Intelligent interest la
i. 4
sation exhibits a discriminating judgnent.
Her opportunities for scholarly attainaents
and social culture, i'll the ordinary accepta
ton of those terms, have boea, necessarily
very limited.
In answer to a query III regard to hsr o!e
portunties for school attendance, she says
81 went to school only three weeks after !
was years old, and only fourteen noaBhs il
all Then we were taught snly reading
writing and spelling | have learned good
deal of geography by looking for places on
the map when | was reading. | vhin& | could
have learned arithmetic pretty web. When
was small and the conaNy was new every
body had to work 50 hard 10 make hyms
that we could not go to school nsoa.
In the school of hard laosr, IN ne vsTioG
departments Of handicraft accessory fer tie
comfort and welfare Of all where tie watch
word of excellence prevailed sad sashshss
the Shaker reputation for honesty, sesesh ~
with a cOnstent discipline hhTs~en csAsrn
ing to rules, which involved constant pre-
cision in time and great sxacAssE il an the
daily routine of life, the ''sasssr" asS bees
educated.
AbundiMt intercourse with many psrsOKt
of varied capacity, and often Of sxcohsat
attachments, has undoubtedly fursssAsd q
social culture such as the teach Sr Of socialism,
at the present time, constaAay IASiSoC HpoM ~
one Of tie needs Of every ind yidsal, winch
society as now constituted, does not afford tC
the majority.
In regard to the present declining condition
of the society, she speaks of entire APP recia,
ton of cause and effect, indicating n~tGri.
talent for analytical reasoning.
During the summer months rising bed
at half-past o'clock, a. m, and at the
remainder CT the year; breakfast follows an
hour later The sister is still "on time "a
every bell call, and attributes her present
condition to her regular habits and great
moderation in all things which have char
acterized her life.
She daily crosses the street to her shop
soon alJeE DTeahIaSJ, where sHe 10 employ eu
in cutting shirts for the brethren, Blasting
them for the machine operator and in max
ing the button holes Her work is still done
in the most approved manner. In her leisure
moments, i'll her private room, she reads the
news and knitS socks which would look well
on the counter of any geHtlenau's furnishing
store. She puts in an appearance at the taun-
dry for lie performance Of some uut, 81,
both w2-i.ing and ironing days. AT rel ,ior.
services she is a constant attendant. Her re
ligious life displays little Of the emotional.
but it is an answering devotion TO the prin.
ciples and rules of the society, believing thai
thereby tho spiritual nature lis disciplined ana
exalted. Commercial Gazette.