The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-06
TAKEN FOR A TRAMP.
Wealthy JeweIer Tifany's Expert
cnce Among Shakers.

(From the New York Evening World)
Charles L. Tiffany, head of the great
jewelry house, was at Poland Spring House
enjoying the Maine mountains and climate
and one afternoons went for a long walk
He didn't find the COW pastures and the
blackberry lots as smooth walking as 1t is
in Central Park, but il was beautiful He
went on and on.
| At last he stopped TO take his bearings.
He was lost. Nothing but stretches of
sweet fern, dotted here and there by giant
bull thistles, covered the vast hillsides
around him.
| Mr.. Tiffany did what any sensible man
would have done. He steered by the sun,
and after an hour and a half OF struggling
through blackberry brambles and over beds
of ferns and ground herllock he came out
| on a rocky road. AT the top OF the next
| hill was a tiny village with snow white
houses against the blue of the sky
| Weary and worn he walked up to the
| place. His clothes were torn. He did not
look like the great New York jeweler
| The blackberry prickers had scratched his
hands and face. But he enjoyed the adj
| venture. II was a new experience He
| hadn't the least idea where he was
Once In the village he recognized the pc
| culiar dress of the women and the long
hair of the men. 1t was the Shaker village
two or three miles from Poland Spring
| House.
| Over the door of one OF the houses was
/ Trustees Office Visitors are always well
come" Seeing a cool looking well with
an old fashioned sweep he went up to the
| door with the intention of asking for a
/ drink.
Aunt Aurelia one of the sweet faced.
tender hearted elderesses of the village,
answered the bell. The sight of the weary.
| travel stained stranger told its own story
! No knight of the road was ever turned
| away from that hospitable door. And be-
fore the rich New Yorker realized that he
was taken for one In distress he was seat
ed in the quiet sitting room and the women
in the Shaker kitchen below were hurried
" preparing a lunch in Aunt Aurelia's
private dining room.
The sister herself came in with a dust
broom and a pitcher Of iced lemonade
Once or twice Mr. Tiffany was about to
explain who he was and tc say that he
was a guest at the Poland Spring House,
but she gave him no chance.
1T is a dreadful thing to be out Of work
sir. but thee should thank God thee has thy
strength and health" said Aunt Aurelia
as he slipped his lemonade in refreshing
mouthfuls.
Il am not exactly out of work. my good
woman but il there is anything | can do
to help the community
Nay, nayi Thou art tired and the men
have finished the haying. Thou shalt rest
a little. and then go thy way again"
Mr.. Tiffany began 10 enjoy the exper-
fence A glance at the little mirror in the
room explained why she took him for a
wanderer little after in spite OF his
protests. he was sitting in the dining room
downstairs. with a Shaker sister busting
around the room.
Mr. Tiffany has enjoyed many good meas
in the course OF his active life. He knows
:1r Instance. what a dinner can be at the
Holland House or the Waldorf Astoria. But
in all his life he has never enjoyed a lunch
as much as ne did that one.
Perhaps the romance OF 1t added to the
flavor OF the meal. The fact that every
thing came from the farm OF the Shakers
was another thing. The lightbread, he
was told, was made of -four ground out
In their own mill. The honey Sas from
the row of hives down among the clover
in the orchard; the preserves fre1n the
dark cellars; the berries from the sunny
| gardens where the little Shaker lassies
| in their demure sunbonaets worked all
day pulling weeds and killing time.
But IL was the ordinary meal OF the
| Shakers.
| AT last the guest could eat no more and
! rose with sigh Of regret. From the back