Evening journal., 1899-10-23
INDIANA AMISHMEN
COLONY OF A QUEER SECT LIVING
ON FARMS.

Laws made at home--One Man OWNS
as Much Property as His Neighbor.
They Are All Happy and Content
In Their Way Of Living.
Ten miles northeast of Washington,
Ind, there is fertile section OF land
owned and cultivated by a peculiar sect
of people known as the Amish. Little
is known OF them except by the people
living in the Immediate vicinity OF
their settlement.
The Amish came to this country at an
early date. and bought rich farms for a
nominal price. They have added great
ly to their possessions until now this
settlement takes up thousands OF
acres. Their peculiar manners and
customs are interesting.
According to their religious beliefs
the Amish are not allowed TO use but
tons on their clothes Instead OF but
tons they use hooks and eyes. Their
clothing is homespun. and they wear
black slouch hats. All Amishmen let
their hair grow long and fall over their
shoulders. They never shave, not even
when young men. They invariably
drive fine, big horses. They prefer
death rather than TO swear In court.
They are an economical sect OF people.
and are great traders They seldom
pay cash for anything, but always in
sist on trading farm products and poul-
try for what they want.
Their settlement Is divided up into
farms OF an equal number OF acres.
They adhere strictly TO the code OF
laws handed down TO them by their
ancestors. One OF these laws is to the
effect that no Amishman IN the settle
ment shall be entitled to more of the
worlds goods than his neighbor Con-
sequently the farms are about the same
size and stocked equally. Another law
says IL one member Of the settlement
meets with misfortune his neighbors
must go down in their pockets, pay his
Indebtedness. and. If necessary buy
him new farm and stock It.
The Amish originally came from a
county in one OF the Eastern States.
There are a few families still living
in the East Whenever a scion OF one
of the Eastern families emierates 10
the Indiana settlement he IS imme.
diately presented with a farm equal in
size to those of his brethren. The
Amish do not believe in courts, that is,
they never settle any OF their difhcul-
ties in the courts. All disputes and dis
agreements of every nature are taken
up for settlement by a majority OF the
members OF the settlement. II is. how
ever. rare occurrence that the least
trouble arises among them. They are
law abiding honest, and truthful. They
do not deposit their money in banks
but accumulate and hoard Il in theiI
homes. They raise all the farming pro.
ducts usually grown in this section Of
the country, and are said to be tho
most successful poultry raisers in tho
United States.
Their every day life is their religion
They speak the German language. anl
no other They are negligent abou
educating their children, and star
them, boys and girls alike. to work il
1 the fields when young. The womeI
and girls never wear fiashy colors, an,
long pants are put on the boys at tn
age of and 3 years.
Several months ago a young Amish
man conceived an idea TO discard tn
hooks and eyes on his clothing, q
shave his beard. and to don a suit o
store clothes, This he did, and re
turned to his neighbors in the new
garb. He was Immediately elected
from the community. His farm wal
taken from him, as well as his stool
and farm machinery, and he was giveI
strict orders never again to put hi
foot on property owned by any mem
Der Of the settlement After seyera
weeks he allowed his beard to grow {,
its former length. discarded his new
clothes for the old. and returned {,
his people They finally received hin
and returned his property to him
Another Amishman, while doing hh
trading in Washington. became strucl
with the idea Of wheeling. He pur
chased a bicycle and went gleefull'
home, TO show the machine to tn
members Of his family The old Am
ishmen of the settlement looked wis
and called a mass-meeting to decid
whether or not II was proper for on
of their number to ride upon such
contrivance as a bicycle. The verde
OF the elder heads was against tn
young Amishman, and he was COMPEL
ed to part with the wheel. el.--Indianapo
lis News.