The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-11
QUEER WAYS OF AMIscH DUTCH.
They VIII Not Wear Buttons or
Carry Insurance.

The queerest people In Illinois is a col
ony of "Amisch Dutch" located near the
village of Arthur. six miles northwest of
Arcola, In the north-centrai portion of
the state.
They went there six years ago from
Cameron county. o.. and have been the
marvel of their simple country neighbor-
hood aver since.
In looks they are peculiar. and their
religion Is totally unlike that of any other
sect. Few persons outside of the towns
In the immediate neighborhood know of
the existence OF the colony.
The Amisch Dutchman's dress is dis
tinctive. He wears a Quaker hat, an
old-fashioned. low-crowned tile with a
stin brim His clothes are OF gray jeans.
The coat Is without lapeIs. II fits close
about the neck. and Is always fastened.
not with buttons, but with hooks and
eyes. 1t is shorter than an ordinary sack
coat, and is cut square at the bottom like
n peajacket. The trousers are loose and
reach only to the shoe tops.
An Amisch Dutchman looks ~ though
he had outgrown his clothes. The alb
sence of buttons Is imperative 1t Is one
of the many peculiar features of the
sects religious observance. An Amisch
Dutchman who wore buttons would DO
expelled from the colony.
The dress of the women is no less
plain, but not so uniform. Only solid
colors are permitted. and those only Of
the soberer shades. Blue and black and
gray are the favorite The women must
not have more than one color In their
costume. There must be no ruffles or
fiounces or similar vanities
Neither are the women permitted to
wear hats. They wear sunbonnets
abroad and white caps at home
The Amisch Dutch will not live in q
town or village. Even when they settle
In locality they do not form communi-
ties Their houses are far apart. and
they have no local government except
that OF their church.
Under their peculiar religious code II
Is not permissible to maintain = house
of worship. Neither do they pay
preacher to conduct their services. They
have a preacher, though. ana no II -
lected in a peculiar way. Everybody In
.the settlement Is eligible without regard
TO his fitness.
During the first week in January each
year all tho men assemble at an APP
pointed place The names Of all of them
are placed In hat. The preacher who
has sceved during the preceding year
draws out a slip of paper. The man
whose name is on II has to do all the
preaching for the ensuing year. He may
be farm hand. but that does not matter.
Each one In turn must permit his neigh
bors to worship at his home. This Is
somewhat expensive operation. as the en-
tire connection. numbering nearly 600.
goes TO worship at tho chosen house.
They get there before breakfast and
stay until after supper. and the host is
obliged to furnish them with three meals.
The services are usually held In the open
air.
II is against their moral code to wear
or own jewelry. On one occasion one OF
them was expelled from the church for
purchasing a gold plated collar button in
Arcoia-
1t is against the religious principles OF
these queer people 20 own a mule. All
of their draft animals are horses Meth
er win they own a buggy. They win not
take an cath or carry insurance on their
property.
The word OF an Amisch Dutchman Is
as good as another mans bond In Arcola-
When one of them defaults in payment
of debt the others meet the obligation
ana tho defaulter Is expelled from the
church. Such thing has never occurred
since tho colony settled In Illinois.
The Amisch Dutch are In the heart Of
the greatest broomcorn district in tho
world. but they will not raise broomcorn.
They are famed throughout Northern fli-
nois for their skill In farming. their SPLEEN
did barns and the excellent care they take
OF their live stock.-St. Louis Post Dis
patch,