The Washington herald., 1911-05-21

he looking on with interest and pos
sibly with envy.
Also Strange Religions in Ohio.
''Religiously and socially, We have been
quite as unique and varied in our ac-
tivities 'as we have been politically
Every idea, in Ohio, finds good fighting
ground. Communal experiments have
been made on our soil. We have all
the known denominations in religion.
and some that are strange and peculiar.
among which are the Mennonites. Dunk
ers. Zoarites. and Amish. 1 was brought
up in a region settled by the Amish,
sect Of Germans, who are numerous
In several Ohio counties. The men dress
in coarse, black clothes. and use hooks
and eyes instead OF buttons. They only
shave their upper lips. and even the
young men grow boards. The women
wear brown or blue dresses and sun
bonnets.
pride was the greatest Of active sins
in the view of the ancient Amish. 1t led
to, luxury, idleness, and extravaganza.
The Amish are excellent farmers and
own fat cattle and fine draft horses. They
have abolished poverty by being indus
trious, frugal, and temperate. When a
man meets with misfortune his neighbors
hurry to his assistance. They keep out of
court and refuse to insure their houses or
barns. or their lives either. My father
practiced medicine among them for forty
years. When they couldn't agree among
themselves they stated the case to him
and were guided by his judgment II a
building burns, labor and lumber are do
mated and a new building takes its place
without cost to the loser.
Bearded Men Waited for the Doctor.
Our house was destroyed by fire one
Saturday night. At 6 o'clock Monday
morning. three bearded Amishmen climb
ed down from the hills to see my father
Doc the spokesman said. I've dalked
aboud your wire ad church yesterday
morning. Efrerbody wants to help you
because you help us when We are In trou-
bles. We come do dell you We gif you
lumber and money
my father thanked them for their
thoughtfulness and generosity and said:
I am in sound health, own two farms
and I can rebuild my house without any
difficulty. Still I need q little ready
money. You know I am careless about
my collections. When one Of your young
men marries, want him to get along and
so don't bother him with bills for medi-
cal services to his family. Some Of your
years. and some not for ten years. II
you will just cail their attention to the
matter I'll ask nothing further.
Words went out through the hills and
Valleys" Senator Pomerene went on to
say. ''and money came pouring In from
all directions. Five thousand Amish peo-
pie came to my fathers fnneral The
men wept. as they slowly passed In front
Of the coffin and looked on his face for
the last time. While the Amish are q lit
tie backward In education. they are hon.
est and sober citizens, and vote the
Democratic ticket without asking any
questions"
"Is Pomerene a German namer'
mo; II n French. My grandfather
came to this country as a minor officer
under Lafayette. When the Revolution
ary war was over. he settled In Penn
sylvania on land that was given to him
by the government. My father and his
brother Joel. who was also physician,
settled In Holmes County. Ohio. Joel.
my uncle. was the surgeon Of Gen. James
A. Garfield's regiment during the war
between the North and South. I was
born on farm. just outside the village
Of Berlin. There were eight sons and