Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, May 12, 1901, Page 7, Image 18

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    TITTC ILLUSTRATED BBK.
7
Queer Community
Located in Iowa
Mny 12, 1001.
In the hen it of progressive anil wide- anyonu Joins the society ho nets credit
awake lenva there ex.-ts u community on the boohs for the amount ho brings,
of people whose nmnticrs mid customs If he withdraws, it is returned to hint
have not changed In 2U0 years. "The without Interest. If he dies his family
.Community of True Inspiration," better Inherits! on the fame terms, lie agrees upon
known to the world of trade as thu joining to give his servlus without pay
"Ainnnn society." came to this country and his money without interest. The trus
troni Germany In is 12. and after three tees decide how much each family nerds
years spent near Iluffalo went to the ires- for a year's expenses and 1 1 1 are allow-d
ent slto of the community, where they to "trade out" that amount at the general
have been thriving, physl -aMy and Hnan- store, Resides that they receive a small
dally, ever since. sum of money for contingencies. Though
As a church they lmd their beginning they are communists, tiny do not consider
In Germany, In the noted revival of the personal ownership of property a crime
eighteenth century. The main tenet of They have no desire to overthrow the gov
their belief Is purity of life. They hold eminent or to establish tl square divide
mitn. (if tin- views of Hie Hunkers, such hii lnmreil fur nml uiikml f.ir l.v 1 1. . In,
il as speaking when moved by the spirit, will work for nnihluu else. The com
abhorrence of lighting, and alllrmlng lu- inunlstle plan wis adopted In the beginning
steail of taking an nth. Soon they be- as a means of (aring for the many con
came uiipnpulnr In Germany through tin verts who Mocked to them, poor lu all
practice of s.ine f their peculiar beliefs, things excepting love if God and faith lu
For example, the "spirit" often moved pom the new b'llif.
zealous convert to enter the church of an- If a member of the colony wishes to g
pther denomination, mount the pulpit, away on a visit he must first get permis-
thrust aside the preacher and proceed to e- sion of the trustees, if he desires to re-
hort the rongregatb n from his point of celve visitors the olllclal consent must also
view. In other eases, entering quietly and be btalned before they are allowed to
sitting In the congregation, the enthuslas's come.
would suddenly rl-c nnd speak, diownliig the The costume of the women Is exactly
preacher's voire. When east out of con- the same that the German peasant women
venlent windows they reined the cry of per- worn 200 years ago. I consists. In sum-
M-rutlon. made It a watchword, and throve nier. of a light print iniibunnet. always
accordingly. Flnnlly matters be-ame so male Just the san e, a dark calico dress.
) unpleasant for them that they decided to niade with a plain waist and full gathered
I emigrate to America, and eventually thev skirt, and always an apron of gingham or
bought a tract of land in Iowa of lS.OnO ealleo. In winter their dresses are of
I acres, lying en both sides ef the Iowa river, tlannel, ami the sunbonnet Is replaced by a
They now on 2.'..nno acres. They laid out ciik. close-lltting woolen bond. On the
1 a township later on ami called It lry the ,en.ls of all girls and women at nil seasons
1 name of Amana. which has been adopted s Wiun u hideous, eloso-llttlng blnck skull
by the society from the bible on account or ,.,,, t s ,,t removed when hood or
( Its mranln-,'. which Is. "Remain true.' bonnet Is worn. One would expect Venus
There weie about SPO of the eolonlMs and herself lo took frightful In Buch headgear.
they formed eight villages-Homestead yet some very pretty faces are seen, fn-es
wiitc tn-i- nrt setti 'tnrni w-s mice: es
Amana, High Amana. East Amana. Mid-'V
A""in. Old Amana, ?outh Amnnn and New
P""h Aioptin.
The settlement Is nnd always has been
v absolutely cnmniunltlc. The managing de
partment Is In the hands of thirteen trus
tees, who nre elected annually. The execu
tive department consists of president, vice tlilnk. They have nothing lo think about.
president, sccretnry and treasurer, elected Perhaps the unattractive dress Is. like
annually by the trustees nut of their num- the rigorous separation of the sexes. In-
ber. The articles of incorporation were tended lo discourage matrimony, of which
tgned by thirteen leading men of tho col- tnpy nnt npprove. A party of excur-
ony on December 13. IS 40, nnd the com- Hnlsts driving through n colony village
munlty began to make Itself known In the nftor sunset one summer day passed a
commercial world. Mills were soon erected pnrty of young colonists out for an evening
' nnd n canal nine miles long was dug to Walk. A group of girls walked In front.
bring wnter power from tho Iown river. xPXt came an old man of snmewhnt severe
j There were grist mills, saw mills, print aspect, carrying n club. Or It mny have
I mills, woolen mills, broom factories, har- been a walking stick; If so. It was a very
ness, wagon nnd blacksmith shops. Tho heavy one. Tlehlnd the elderly "chnperone"
print mills now turn out 4,onn ynrds dallv walked a group of young men. An observer
and the woolen mills li.nnn. There Is one. in the passing carriage remarked, sntto
wholesale store nt Homestead, but each vll- voce:
Inge has n retail store. Them Is nlso In "Well, If It takes an nblo-bodlcd man with
each village a hotel, or, as they call It, a a club to keep them apart now. I'm nfrald
"kitchen house," where all take their they'll take a sneak sometime nnd meet
that fade early and are old bef ire middle
ag" Is reached. Why, It Is hard to
sny, unless It Is hard work. It certainly
Is not dissipation, care, worry or mental
overwork. Their faces have an apathetic
look, almost expressionless. Their smooth.
Infantile brows nre "unrlppled by n single
thought." They have never learned to
$85
Taffeta
Etons . .
Made of good black lalTela silk-nil over
tin kid. silk llueil Orders by mall pronipt
l lllled satlsfaetlon guarantceil.
We bae attratilw- niiveltleH In show In
nil IIihh of read. to wear garments.
SCQFIELD
lCLOAK&SUITCO.
I5IO Douglas Street, Omnhn.
OKI
'meals, the women taking turns In conking.
There Is nlways a church and school house
In spite of him."
Marriages do occur, but the Institution Is
I,
nlso. The sick nre cared for by the rcsl- eertnlnly not encouraged, nnd the ynun;
dent physlclnns. folks get little opportunity of forming nt-
All kinds of fruit, vegetables and grnln tnchments. No cnlls nre. mnde, thero are no
nre raised and Industry, thrift nnd economy parties, or nny social amusements, nnd It Is
nre cvorywhero In evidence. Every foot of a mystery how they ever hold nny rommiinl-
ground Is used. All nooks nnd corners and cntlon. A colonist being nsked nbnut It
walls of buildings nre covered with grape replied:
vines. They have also mnny lnrgo vine- "I enn't tell you how dey find nut dey
yards. They manufacture n superior qtial- love ench other, but sometimes dey do.
Ity of wlno from their grapes. lien dey go to do village eldermnn nnd tells
The hruses are all built on about the him about It nnd dnt dey want to get mnr-
samo plan, roomy nnd comfortable, but riot. lie makes Inquiries, nnd If nil Is fn-
soveroly plnln. Everything within Is for vorablo he tells dom to wnlt two yenrs nnd
nctunl use. nnd Is of the plainest descrlp don dey enn get mnrrlet. Dnt's to see If
tlon. One pecnllnrlty of the houses Is thnt dey has do renl. true love for ench other,
tho front doors nil seem to open on the Mnybo so It nln't do right kind, nnd dey
back alleys. The
few that do open
s en the street look
like back doors.
Thero nre the wood
piles, hen coops,
g a r b n g n barrels
nnd nil tho np
purtennnces chnr
ncleiistle of back
ynrds In country
villages. Often one
sees ccol looking
' vine o over e d
porches, but no cue
Is ever seen re
clining In n ham
mock with n maga
zine or lounglntr
lu the shnde. Th
women mnv be n
I i work at the wash
tubs, or peeling
I Irult or vegeta
bles, but they do
nnt lnungn or read.
They work, and
cat, nnd go to
erurch and nt night
they go to sleep.
'That Is all.
All members of
the society nro on
n perfe-t equality
lu all things. They
all work tho same
number of hours.
v live, dress nnd ent
1 just tho snino, and
i obey tho sain"
rules. All propoity
1 Is put Into a com
mon fund. When
"JOHNNY BEAK" U V A TREE IN RIVERV1EW I'AUK I'hoto
by Elmer L. LUdquest.
Mrs ,1 C nullum, Mi-e Flora H ll.irUI.'V
Sluux City limine.
Mis. Alice l'e), Mrs. Alloc A C Halley. Mrs .luliii I. Imvls
.lofforBon. Di'H Miliars ("cnini'll llhilfH
OFFICERS OF THE IOWA FEDERATION Ob' WOM N'S (M.lMIS.
see someone else dey like better beforo do German.
tlmo Is up. Hotter dat happen before dey To the world-weary man or wiinrin, used
Is innrrlut den nfterwards. don't It?" to the mad whirl that Is the Aiaerb-au Idea
No marriage Is ever permitted unless tho of life, the Annum colony's peac and
parties are mentally and physically sound, serenity are soothing and restful heotid
They are nlways morally sound. Marriage, expression. Hut it is enjoyable nnlv fur a
as might be expeeted, Is a success when It brief period. The typical American would
does occur; domestic Infelicities are almostget all the rest he could stand In lie- Hist
unheard of and Infidelities are unknown, week, and he would go stark, slating nnd
Divorces nre not allowed. If a mariiedat tho cud of the second
couple hnvo a dlfferenco of opinion they nro
npt to prefer settling It themselves to hav
ing a council of from one to a dozen elders
"sit on them."
Resides, their mode of life is such thnt
thoro enn hardly bu much cause for domes
tic difficulties. Intemperance docs not exist
among them, neither the social evil. As to
temper, they aro obliged to control It. Be
ing Germans they aro naturally slow to
anger In nny enso. They nro not a nervous
or excitable people. The head of the family
never becomes Irrltnblo from business wor
ries or "a night of It." There nre no mil
liners' or dressmakers' bills for him to
swear over. Swenrlng Is forbidden anyhow.
Thu hired girl problem doesn't exist, neither
does tho green-eyed monster. If matrimony
Is ever a success It should certainly bo
hero.
Tin re Is an elderinan lu each village who
supervises everything. Under him Is thu
agricultural boss, who plans all the farm
work and attends to all details. The cow
boss and oxen boss, and all other ''bosses,''
aro under his rule. The women work In 'he
Holds, but not at the hardest work, nnd
never with the men. The laborers In the
shops, factories, mills anil stores nro ell
under the charge of foremen and muting"!-,
as olsowhcrc Apprentices aie kept learn
ing trndef. and are promoted, and otners
recruited from the ranks of the rising gen
erntlon, as often as meded. The ruli of the
authorities Is Ilrm but mild, and no one
ever rutnls or questions the wisdom of their
decisions. They settle all disputes. As a
nunlshment two people who have had a
slight dllliculty are made to ask each
other's pardon. In extremo cases thoy are
punished by being compelled to remain
away from church for a greater or less
period, nccordlng to tho offense.
The churches nre very plainly furnished
They bnve no preacher, the services being
conducted by the elders In turn. ln and
women occupy opposlto sides. The elders
and the most saintly minded occupy tin
front seats, those leas so the second row
tho child! cn nnd the least mlntly the last
Meeting bcg'ns with silent prayer, follow 1
by n hymn without nny riri-oinpiiniri n
(Thorn aro no musical Instruments n the
colony.) A chnpter Is read from the blb'o
upon vl.kii all comment ns they choose,
speaking when tho Bplrlt moves them. A
rending from some ono of tholr Inspire)
writers, another hymn, nnd tho services
nro over. These services are held on Sun
days nnd on Wednesday nights. All mem
bers attend all mcotlngs.
Education Is compulsory. From 7 yenrs
of ngo till 14 nil children attend school
tho year around. There are no vacations.
From II to 20 they attend school only In
the winter. Both girls and boys lenrn to
knit nnd sew nnd to do all kinds of light
work. English and German nre taught, but
nil conversation nmong themselves Is In
A Sense of
Pleasure
mtH to ttin
mouth tliiM'n tnmln
MtlllM l))r till llftOOf
ilolirloiirt
Arnica
Tooth
Soap
I'nwnrTm nnd wlilli'ti" llm teotli, utiiwiutliiwu tlia
Hum, pwiHimn tint tirtmlh, In mil 1mI lc. cimiIIihi,
ruiriwiiinit. 1 nn tuiiiiuiini utMiiimt'ii inr .j jwin.
Uriut nil ilnitftfUl. nr li) tiiiill.
V, II. KTIIIIM1 A ')., IIH'.i;o, IT. H. A.
Iim. H I n I ii ' SiMiililim t-1 1 1
lias I ti used fur i.vi r FIFTV YHAItK b
MILLIONS of .Meii.;itS for llnir I'llll,
Dltl'.N WHILE TEETH I NO, wllb I'ER
I'l'.e'i' SleVEKS IT SOOTHES the ('IIII.H.
SOFTENS the OI'.MS. ALLAYS all FAIN,
e'l ltES WIND e'eil.le' nml Is the best rem
edy for UlAltltHOEA Sold by druggists
in every part of ihe world, lie sure and
ask fur "Mrs Wlnslow's Soothing Syrup''
ami take- no oilier kind Twi uly-llve e'enls
a buttle-.
Photographic Art Studies
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Thcso pictures are- mounie-il on handsome hhick raw silk inemuts, 12x15 Inches, the
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them
With a Coupon for 10 Cents.
When orde'ring slate- Ihe name of the- subject, and If they nre to be malle-d e-ncleisei
four cents additional for potngi and packing
i
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DOLORES.
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THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY,
17th and Farnam Sts.
CUT OUT THIS COUPON
l-rcse.it at lleo Olllce or mail this coupon with 10c ami get your choice of
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