Moreover, being celibates, they use proper precautions in the intercourse of the sexes. Thus Shaker men and women do not shake hands with each other; their lives have almost no privacy, even to the elders, of whom two always room together; the sexes even eat apart; they labor apart; they worship, standing and marching, apart; they visit each other only at stated intervals and according to a prescribed order; and in all things the sexes maintain a certain distance and reserve toward each other. "We have no scandal, no tea-parties, no gossip." Moreover, they mortify the body by early rising and by very plain living. Few, as I said before, eat meat; and I was assured that a complete and long-continued experience had proved to them that young people maintain their health and strength fully without meat. They wear a very plain and simple dress, without ornament of any kind; and the costume of the women does not increase their attractiveness, and makes it difficult to distinguish between youth and age. They keep no pet animals, except cats, which are maintained to destroy rats and mice. They have, of course, none of the usual relations to children--and the boys and girls whom they take in are in each family put under charge of a special "care-taker," and live in separate houses, each sex by itself. Smoking tobacco is by general consent strictly prohibited. A few chew tobacco, but this is thought a weakness, to be left off as standing in the way of a perfect life. [Illustration: A GROUP OF SHAKER CHILDREN] [Illustration: SHAKER DINING HALL] The following notice in the _Shaker_ shows that even some very old sinners in this respect reform: OBITUARY. On Tuesday, Feb. 20th, 1873, _Died,_ by the power of truth, and for the cause of Human Redemption, at the Young Believers' Order, Mt. Lebanon, in the following much-beloved Brethren, the aged respectively. No funeral ceremonies, no mourners, no grave-yard; but an honorable RECORD thereof made in the Court above. Ed. In D.S. .............. 51 years' duration. In C.M. .............. 57 " In A.G. .............. 15 " In T.S. .............. 36 " In OLIVER PRENTISS ... 71 " In L.S. .............. 45 " In H.C. .............. 53 " In O.K. .............. 12 " Reviewing all these details, it did not surprise me when Elder Frederick remarked, "Every body is not called to the divine life." To a man or woman not thoroughly and earnestly in love with an ascetic life and deeply disgusted with the world, Shakerism would be unendurable; and I believe insincerity to be rare among them. It is not a comfortable place for hypocrites or pretenders.