Evening star., 1933-12-31

hazard in Winter, when they are cover
ed with ice and snow, that keeps the
community almost completely isolated.
AS a matter of fact. during the past
week, when the writer was in Helvetia
after perilous drive through the
mountains. salesman for wholesale
house in Buckhannon was in town-on
his horse. The salesman said that fire.
quently he delivers his orders from the
stores in the mountainous section about
Helvetia. and at the town itself, from
his saddle bags.
There is a spur of the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad, however. that runs to
Newton. about miles away, taking out
the last of the timber that is being cut
in the region, and heavy goods can be
moved in on that.
Only Elders Speak German.
There is but one colored person In
the entire community. woman, who,
as a girl was taken from a poor house
and brought to the community as a
servant for family that lived there
only short while Mrs. Huber, the
hotel keeper, found her sleeping under
the kitchen table. and agreed to take
her in at the hotel. She grew up with
rest Of them learned to speak German
from the older people.
They all speak English now, and the
children only have a smattering CT the
language of their fathers. but the older
people can converse easily in German,
and frequently do so.
The community has done little be-
side farming. They did try. several
years ago, to make the Swiss cheese for
which the community is chiefly noted
throughout West Virginia, on a large
scale. and a cheese factory was built
but the demand for the cheese was rot
as large as had been anticipated, and
the project was abandoned. The cheese
is still made. however, and much of it
is sent out by mail to old customers.
Each farm has its quota of cattle,
which are usually sold outside. some
hogs. sheep and chickens. Mrs. John
Kellenberger. who lives across the
mountains about 20 miles from Helve-
tia. is one of the principal cheese
makers, and she proudly exhibits her
cheeses. set out in her cellar pantry. in
their little cages that protect them from
rodents One sees about her pantry, as
well as others in the community and
on the farms nearby, full pantries OF
vegetables canned during the Spring,
Summer and Fall.
There's no reason" said Mrs. Kel-
lenberger, pointing out all this, why
ANYBODY with farm should either
starve or freeze to death"
This same philosophy was voiced
about the stove of the general store at
Helvetia, run by Mrs. Huber's daughter,
Hulda, when one of the farmers OF the
neighborhood remarked:
1--WE live in hope and die in despair; !,
Nobody's died of despair in Aelvetia yet. "
The government of the community is
simple. There Is no mayor nor +;do town ta
be settled the adults of the community
get together and settle it. That's all
there is to it, and there has never
been a time, the members OF the COM
munity say, when this governmental
system has failed to work.
The Young men and women of the
community still follow the quaint Gus
tom of serenading neWlyweds. One of
these serenades was held wednesday
night. and from all reports high
time was had.
Friends Demand "Treat."
The custom Is that when a newlywed
couple takes up residence at their new
nome tleu young lIltlOo pay tiiSih d
visit at about 10 o'clock at night and
make themselves generally obnoxious
outside the house by firing off shotguns.
and even resorting to dynamite. until
they are invited in for a treat" The
treat consists of copious quantities of
the wine that forms the only alcoholic
drink of the community.
Some times the groom doesn't want
to treat" and in such cases he is put
on a rail and ridden around his house
until he gives in and opens up his wine
closet. It's'all great lot Of fun, they
say.
The members of the community are
all Lutherans and they maintain a
Reformed Church, at which Sunday
school and church services are held
every Sunday.
The farms consist of plots of few
acres to tracts of 100 acres or more,
and have been held by the same FAM
lilies since the establishment of the set
tlement. The Swiss cattle, brought in
by Mr.. Kellenberger years ago, have
about disappeared. but there are still