The St. Johns herald., 1894-01-11
A QUEER COLONY.
Some Strange Settlers in the h.
 dian Territory.
Religious Enthusiasts Who Wear Masks Day and Night and Regard It Sin to Look Upon the Face Cfa a
 Human Being.

Since the practical abandonment of ton has left that country almost wilder than it was before the opening year ago, small colony of religious enthusiasts have settled in what is known as F county, among the sand hills. The leaders of this colony went there from Sedgwick and Barber counties, Kan, and took with them Q following of seventy men and women. That was six months ago. Since that time they have been joined by at least sixty persons, so they now number about one hundred and thirty.
 Their belief, says a Texas correspon- dent, is exceedingly simple. They worship an unknown god as repre- sented by life, and deem it moral sin to look upon the face of human be- ing. Men and women wear masks day and night, and never by any chance do they gaze upon the face of one an other. They teach morality in the severest perfection, not permitting the two sexes even to dwell in the same valley, their homes being about two miles apart. There is daily religious service, when all come to a central point, for such services are in the open air, regardless of the weather.
 $ John Walrond, formerly of Sedgwiclz county, conducts all communication with the outside world, and only on his visits to Fl Reno and Kingfsher does he lay aside his mask. After each one of these trips he buries himself in sOl- tude for ten days and expiates the sin of having come in contact, uncovered, with mankind.
 Walrond and E. Nj. Scott, another of the leaders, were formerly well-knOWn in Kansas as alliance organizers. When the alliance was merged into the peoples party they resolved to gather such followers as they could and retire from the world, or at least to disappear from the so-called civilization of the present day. The result was the found ing of the colony in the Indian Terri tory. No name has been adopted. none is wanted. They have sought seclusion and have found it. What little prop erty there is in the community is held in common, anyone using any par ticular thing he sees fit to desire at the time. The colonists believe it sinful to seek to accumulate property.
 They have twenty log houses equally divided between what are in reality two communities, and two stOrehouses, from which they draw their supplies. The work is done regardless of sex, men and women alike engaging in all the vacations common to a new coun- try. They appear to be contented and healthy, and were it not for the un- slightly dark-red mask constantly worn, they would appear as other people after having been divided off into separate communities. They say that they are happy; that they have no want un- supplied, and that they could not be induced to return to the world.
 The chance visitor to the colony is treated kindly and courteously, and is given lodging in a cabin kept for that purpose. He is not invited to stay. nor do they give him hint to leave. They converse without hesitation, but per sistently refuse to listen to anything about the world they have left They talk simply about their spiritual state, its beauties and its blessings.
 There are several married couples there, but they live apart There has been no rule adopted regarding life of celibacy, each one being his own judge in this matter In fact, no one seeks to control any of the others. It appears to be a community without head or a ruler.