The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-24
The qmtha ua1u gxg grihay 7oruiug Eoueber "a, 1888

W
at Quaker meeting. The entire material
cost OF religion to . Quaker does not ex-
coed s. or a year. The expenses consist
only of fuel and repairs There is little to
repair save four brick walls and the wooden
benches
Near New Wilmington, Pa, is peculiar
community, whose members are known a.
Amishmen One of the younger and more
radical of the number recently astonished
the entire community by appearing at
meeting dressed in '.store clothes" He
took of his hat, too, in meeting, which was
against the rules But what scandalized
the good old Amishmen worst of all was to
see that he had had his hair cut By a
worldly barber" Amishnen wear their
hair very long and shaggy and dress in
long tailed coats with no buttons, fastened
only By hooks and eyes from top to bottom.
Not one of his former friends would speak
to the young Amishman after his renoya-
ton. The peddlers who visit the commu-
nifty to buy farm products have been adj
vised not to purchase from him, and the
storekeepers have been requested not to sell
him goods-in fact, he is subject to a Sc
we're boycott, but still asserts his independ-
ence. He took . CARLOAD of apples to
cider mill one day. but the millhands re-
fused to grind or press his apples and con-
pelled him to take the load back home
The ostracised young Amishman now de
clares that he will renounce the faith and
move to another part Of the state. His own
father, who is q strict Amishman, refuses
to condone his sons offense and will have
nothing to do with him.
On q high bluff. midway between Con-
shohocken and Manayunk, overlooking the
picturesque Sohuylkill valley. is Quaker
hermit's cave A large balancing rock
forms the roof. while the chinks along the
side have been stopped with small stones,
mud and dried grass. This caveis the home
of Joseph Dewess, the prophet" more ia
miliarly known a. "Od Joe"
Thirteen years ago Joe took up his abode
there, in the beauty spot Of southern Penn
sylvania He had been a successful bust
ness man, had achieved a snug fortune and
deposited his money in a Philadelphis
bank. He had chosen handsome Quaker
City belle to become his bride Then came
the crash. The bank failed. and Joe's
thousands were swept away. His mind
gave way under the terrible strain. A well
defined financial idiosyncrasy soon became
apparent, and visions of fabulous wealth
| fitted through poor old Joe's diseased
| brain. He styled himself the prophet"
to consult whom meant q mans fortune.
A strip of rocky land had been saved
from his financial wreck, and it was there
that old Joe went to live in his hermit cave
near Conshohocken. A Quaker settlement
is near by, and upon this kind hearted folk
the hermit is largely dependent. When
| the storms of winter rage, a sturdy old
| Quaker elder may often be seen trudging
along the rocky path that leads to the
| prophets cave. with bowl of hot soup or
| Joint of well roasted meat.
Visitors to Joe's cave on taking their de-
parture often drop nickels or dimes into his
| hand, but he never asks for aims. He has
been taught by his Quaker neighbors not
to accept money on Sunday and politely
refuses, reminding the would be giver that
| it is 1.-The Lords day"
| Becky Vanderbilt was down to see me
the other day." said old Joe recently to the
writer.
"They come from the four corners Of tho
| earth to learn my system Of financed / am
in a charmed circle, charmed by goldi
cast seven devils out of Ayounk Lady the
other day-an by the power Of goid-s And
what do you think, her father gsve me
only q. so and seven Spanish cigarA
young man, he continued in hts ram
bling way. You want to stop writing for
newspapers and make your fortune. am
going to call conference soon of Wander
bilt, Gould, Drexel, Barring and Sage, to 6i-
vide the world money. Some people say
Gould and Drexel are dead. but they are
not, for the rich never die. / like you, and
you must have money. You just be on
hand, and I'll see that you get . good
| share"
left old Joe in good humor as I hurried
to catch my train, promising to be on hand
at the division of the spoils.
These are a few pecuharitiesn noted among
the old school Quakers. With quaint hos
pitality they make a stranger feel at ease
| among them, while not eglecting their own
secular duties. They are born, raised
and die in the same town, often in the same
house. Recognizing above all the univer-
sal God, they live thriftily and devoutly,
simply and contentedly. They pass down
to the ebb tide Of life in happiness and
ease When they die, let us believe with
Keith that it is well with their souls.
JACKSON TINKER