The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-21

fanny anu nave plenty IN the bar
gain, without begging for it. The hus-
band only laughed, thinking her threat
but an outburSt of anger, and told
her man-like, that she must be crazy
She knew differently. The following
day prayer meeting was called and
Mrs. McWhirter told the sisters her
troubles. The women approved of the
stand she had taken. and one con-
fession leading to another, it was
found that all had similar grievances.
linen and there each declared that
hencetorth and forever she would make
her living and no longer be a beggar
to her own husband or anybody's else.
plan was outlined whose base was
unity. Each was to live with the
others and to labor for the common
good. Since that time they have lived
and labOred as one large and harmo-
NOUS family, all of them having reg
lstered solemn vow not to accept
another penny from their husbands.
And they never did.
BY selling butter, eggs, and other
farm products they soon raised quite
a comfortable sum, which they put
INTO small hotel and ran it with sue
cess. At the start each gave a suit
OF her furniture, or furnished a ROOM
and sometimes two, from the house
hold. until furniture became a mighty
scarce article at home. Finally they
decided there was no use going home
just for the night, so they closed their
homes and established themselves in
the hotel. Where a father insisted
upon his children going to church and
Sunday-school, these sanctified sisters
left family as we'll as hearthstone.
They offered, however, to take hus-
bands along if they would be good
and not try to boss things. So the
hotel quickly filled. At first the men
took it as huge joke, declaring that
no twelve women could live peaceably
under one roof, and allowed that Mary
and Martha and Sarah would be tired
OF their foolishness and come back
home fearful and penitent. But they
oldnt know. These plain, hard-work-
ing, church-going men didn't realize
the strength of this dollar-and-a-ha
denied movement. backed as it was bv
the fanatical belief that theirs was
the only right way. to serve the Lord.
Ihe sisters considered themselves
sanct1hed;" at any rate they we're
God-fearing, God-loving and God
serving. They had their way and
chose to follow it, not questioning the
right of others to do the same. And
so the hotel prospered amazingly.
money quickly accumulated Each
woman worked the harder and was
the more contented because she knew
that what she earned was hers. Each
had a task assigned, and did it we'll:
ana, wonder of wonders! Did it with
out complaint. Mr.. McWhirter, whose
refusal to give his wife a small sum
of money really started the movement.
remained at home about half a year
after his wife's declaration of indie
pendence, and then he left her.
Most of the other husbands did the
same thing in course of time. In the
thirty-odd years since the association
was formed, there have been but two
Withdrawals, and these of two foolish
virgins who married from the common
wealth-only to regret it bitterly..Aft-
er few years the sanctif1ed sisterhood
moved from Belton-which is about 200
miles north of Galveston-to Waco. in
the same state, where a pretentious
MOTEL was built and paid for spot cash
This they named the Royal. They con-
tinued the hotel business most sue
cessfully about fifteen years, when thew
decided to sell out, come to Washing
ton, cease toll and enjoy the full fruit
of their hard earned money. Their
place here is in the midst of one of
Washington's prettiest suburbs and
within a stones throw of the fashion,
able quarter. 1t is called 1.-THE Com
monwealth," and is populated entire
ly by women, ranging in age from Mrs.
McWhirter, who is about rs, to her
great-granchild, years of age. Their
life is happy and unrestrained. The
younger members are educated solely
in the Commonwealth: they are never
sent to outside schools. Some of the
older members are we'll fitted to teach
these juniors such studies as would
be taught in the grammar schools. But
the young ones are not compelled to
study if they do not wish to. The only
branch of instruction which is keenly
pursued is that of cooking. There is
not a girl in the place who is not a
first-class cook, and the delectable pro-
ducts of their kitchens are in great
demand by outsiders. Such cakes, such
biscuits, such preserves, such every
thing edible can be found nowhere
else-and right here is a never-failing
source of wealth.
Their farm" is perhaps the tiniest