The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-03-11


hold of hands by the young people, Of
which the bride and groom are a part,
when, to q sort of chant, they sidewise
glide around the sides of the threshing
floor, in sort of "ring around rosy"
style. No artificial music is used, as
the Amish draws the line at singing,
which, perhaps, is well; nor dancing,
for the movement alluded to does not
partake OF this more than does the
solemn saltation of the Shakers.
Choosing ministers by lot is com.
mon among the sects with whom the
Amish are in sympathy. On the
death of a spiritual leader nominations
are made of those thought suitable for
the succession, and, on an appointed
day, the .Amish congregation gathers
and finds on table as many Bibles as
there are candidates, in each Of which
is projecting slip Of paper, on one of
which is written the word minister.
Then the names of the candidates are
called, beginning with the oldest, and
on down to the youngest, and the one
getting the Bible containing the writ
ten slip is minister for life, unless he
transgresses Amish rules.
AS stated, the. dress of old and
young is the same. The men wear
broad brimmed hats and collarless
coats, and pantaloons of the style our
father wore two generations ago. Boys
in their first scape from frocks dress
similarly, even 10 III" an qrat"d pan
falcons arrangement. The men most
ly shave the upper lip, but wear the
hair long. The dresses of the women
are plain as to cut, but paradoxically
often running to gay colors; perhaps
from biblical pictorials, where the fig
ures are galy robed, as red cloaked
Job rebuking his comforters in green
and yellow raiment, and thus having
scriptural sanction for brilliant color
ings. Old and young wear white
cap, in doors and out, and the bonnet
is of the plainest style. A shoulder
cape adds distinction to the dress. The
girls are attired similarly from the
time they can walk.
"To labor is. considered honorable,
and the sooner it is practiced the bet
ter" is the Amish motto. Boys OF
three or four years old are made ia
milar with horses, and are seen riding
them afield with their little legs neces-
sarily uncomfortable horiz ontal. Not
long since one of five years was set to
rolling a stony field, and the roller,
striking a stone, the little driver surged
forward, was run over and killed. Little
boys being plenty this did not deter the
Spartan father, as we'll as his neigh
bors, from keeping up the custom OF
placing them on these broad-wheeled
Juggernauts for sacrifice to the stern
DEGREES of Amish parental law. Two
condolences tend to carry out condi-
tions that keep such boys from run
ming away and growing up pirates and
cowboys-non- contiguity to dime nov
els and inability to read.
1t is regretable that the Amsh race
is degenerating, but this is easily un-
derstood from their clannish avoid
ance of outside marriages. This is
shown in physique and mental deter
ioration, not to such serious extent,
but plainly showing the evils Of in
creased relationship. The family
names are few, mainly confined to
those of Smoker, Esch, X finn Al!
Stultsfoos (Proudfoot.)
With no settled churches, the Amish
graveyard is not distinguishable as
are those of alien con gregations.
Their burial places are on farms, as
was the case in early times in Bucks
county, and the grave mark at first
stake, is afterward an unlettered
slab of limestone.
How long the Amish will hold on
to their primitive ways is question,
but there are some signs of the break
ing down of the barrier which separate
them from the world. Buttons are
covertly replacing hooks and eyes in
transformations places, AMI the Wis.,
it's of the IN )re venturs)no to Lln-
caster are subversive to strict regula-
tion as to cut of garment and style of
headgear. The silent monitious from
milliners' windows and clothing store
fronts; the meaning glance of the eye
and open remark of those they meet
in passing, create quiet feeling Of re
bellion in the hearts Of the insufficient
ly disciplined young of these isolated
L.: x,l, a. H. l