The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-12
AN ORIGINAL COMMUNITY.
A Sisterhood of Women Who Have Found Disappointment in
 Marriage.
Chicago Record-H erald.
 Ty Mount VDt1A

Chicago Record-H erald
 In Mount Pleasant. one of the prettiest suburbs of Washington. D. C. there is a large brick house which shelters a unique community. consisting of twenty i've women under the goNernment of Mrs. Martha McWhirter. Most of them left worthless or Incompatible husbands to enjoy life in sisterhood where each can do exactly as she pleascs, provided she contributes her share to the gen eral purse ana does nothing to disturb the harmony of the family. They do not live lives of absolute idleness, but each performs certain amount of labor un- der the direction of Mrs. McWhirter. who seems to be a woman of remarkable personality and executive ability.
 The community has gradually grown, and now consists of twenty-five women of 30 years old and upward, who are living what they consider an ideal life. Each one who enters the community sur renders to 1t ali the property she pos sesses. and it goes into the common fund, which is quite large. The amount Is un- known, and is estimated all the way from SlOO.0OO to $5OO.OOO. They agree also to obey the orders of their superior and submit to the rules of the organization. which are few and simple and are chiefly for the regulation of labor. Mrs. Mo Wbirter assigns the duties of her su- bordinates. There is only one man about the place, and he is an aged negro. He does the heavy outdoor work. the WOuuen are assigned to WnateVeT they can do best inside.
 One of them is physician, who not only looks after the health of the com munity, but answers calls from the neighborhood. Another is a dentist, who has chair and a case of instruments in the reception room of the, house. . Others are seanstresses and milliners, although extravaganza in dress Is pro- hibited; and one is a shoemaker, who not only mends but makes the foot wear of the household Mrs. McWhtrter selects the cooks and housemaids ac- cording to their tastes and qualifications, and thus far, she tells me, there have been no "kickers." Every woman in the community has cheerfully accepted the situation and performed the duties to which she has been assigned. The labor is light, being distributed among so many, and as the underlying principle of the community Is to promote the peace, comfort and happiness of its in- duced to minimum.
 The women have no politics, and do not pretend to be reformers. Nor do they interfere in any manner with the nifty to obtain relief from care and anxiety and to avoid all responsibility and everything that will interfere witt their tranquility. If they become tired of their restful surroundings and desire to return to scenes of activity. they are allowed to leave. but they forfeit what ever they have contributed to the com mon fund. Two or three nervous cred- lures who sought the shelter of the com munity found that they could not en- dure its peaceful atmosphere, and re- turned to their husbands. One ot them soon regretted her vacillation. but they would not allow her to come back again. Each woman is allowed her own religion. No attempt Is made to influence the con science. No religious or political discus sionS are permitted.