The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-05

the minister is to supply benches for his flock. These he places in a semicirce around his front door. At meeting time he takes his place on the doorstep and designates where each member of his congregation shall sit. Men, women, boys and girls sit in different parts of the meeting place. The men sit through the entire lecture" with their chns in their palms and their elbows on their knees. Some of them sleep through the lecture, which lasts four hours.
 The minister never breaches. He sim ply delivers a good heart-to-heart talk on the sins and transgressions of his fell low men. After the lecture the congre- gaton enters the house and partakes of feast provided by him. On the same evening the young people dance until 10 o'clock.
 At the communion service each man washes his neighbor's feet, and if any member of the clan has done anything wrong he must expiate 1t before he can enter into this ceremony. A minister has been known to labor for four hours with one of his flock on account of the fact that his new buggy "sported' a patent leather dashboard. Dashboards must be removed, either by the horses hoofs or by the Amishman himself, as soon as he purchases the buggy. It is contrary to their religion to have such things.
 The next important "social function outside of meeting" is wedding The highest honor which can be be- slowed upon an An1ish lass is to be a bridesmaid. This is the height of every Amish girls ambition.
 The wedding is unique, there being no regular ceremony. The bride and bride- groom are seated beside each other, with the minister in front. Here again he lec- lures them on .the ways of an Amish- man. No ribbons, flowers or presents are allowed to be given to the bride. Ribbons are tabooed by the sect as being loud" Only recently have marriage li- censes been procured They married for love, the courtship being a short one Di- vorce is unknown.
 If an Amishman decides to move he mo- tifies his neighbors, and they send two teams to assist him. His goods are car ried in one load. When he is estab- lished in his new home he must provide a feast.
 An Amsh funeral is the third function of importance in the calendar. When a son dies the father makes casket out of a dry goods box. The body is put in- side and immediately inferred in the cem- etery. The people living in the district where the death takes place meet at the cemetery and sing one weird, mournful song over the grave. After the services they return and enjoy big feast at the fathers expense.
 The Amish people live in the open air most of the time. Their houses are al- most devoid of furnishings. plain bed- stead Is all there is in bedroom. Sheets and pillowslips are unknown. The windows are devoid of curtains and the floors without carpets.
 The Amish women dress in purple, yell low and black. No corsets arc allowed A xrrif fn ok 1y oOlr y><,x,x while the maiden wears white cap. The little boys and girls dress entirely in black, as do the grownup men. They have no buttons on their clothes, every thing being fastened with hooks and eyes.
 The language they speak is neither German nor English, but seems to be con- cocted by themselves alone. They are "queer," but are strong, sturdy, faithful people. and as good farmers as can be found in America.