The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-03-07
From SCOTS Philadelphia Dollar Weekly Paper
THE GREAT MYSTERIES"
OF THE SONS OF TEMPERANCE FOUND OUT

"You Sonnies can't cheat me, I'm little few
cunncn for you. No use for you to tell me
bout your Love for Brethren and all that
sort of stuff, and put on your mysterious airs
and keep your tongues under lock aud all
that. I've found It all eout. know the
hull ont. from the begnnin' to ecnd." And
she looked very knowingly, as she tossed
her head proudly. Her eyes sparkling like
Goals of fire. The old lady had just return
ed from tea party given by Mrs. Jones;
where young man not member of the
Order. but who affected TO be one, and well
acquainted with all the "mysteries Of the
Order" and every thing appcrtaining to it,,
had quietly fallen in with the whimsical OBJ
iections the dear old creature had wisely
made against the Sons Of Temperance, and
TO fix them in their opinions, and supersti-
tious conicctures, had amused himself by
favouring them with pretended develope-
ment of The secrets Of the Order, and full
description of The ceremonies of initiation.
Her son in-Iaw, 10 whom she made the
triumphant exclamation above quoted, was
member of the Order. who had long ago
ceased. from what he saw vain attempt
to eradicate the good old Iady's objections,
and now suffered her to ENJOY her opinions
to her hearts content. Bu, on this occasion
her triumphant and emphatic manner, excl
ted his curiosity, and he quietly asked her
to explain herself
"Oh! Johnny, said she, "you wouldn't ak
me to 'splain myself ef you know'd what |
could tell you, cf was mine tew. But
| hot l
"WeIlT' said Johnny, as he took up his
hat and stepped towards the door.
"You remember that no persuasion was
powerful enough to induce Jack eat to his
supper on particular occasion don't you2"
"What do you mean?' cried Johnny.
This raised the ire of The old lady, and
she declared she ponld tell it now "jcst eout
OF Spite" She was dying all the while TO
make her revelation but hoped Johnny would
coax her to unft,Ii the tale.
"WeII," said Johnny, "I,m all attention"
ain the first place" began the old lady,
"the feIlcr that's 10 be took in, has got to G"
with passeI Of fellers in dark room, and
when they git him there, they lock him up
in big iron chest, with hole in one end
for him to breathe through. And there he's
kept three hours. then he's snaked eout Of
that and rubbed all over with soft soap, and
down big holler pipe till he holers like a
loon. Then he's taken out and tied up in
sack, and passeI of them hcalhcnish lellers
carry him into the room where they hold
.heiir "1eetHrs. trh~n The lighis is al nui
cout, and when the rooms as dark as Egypt
he's taken cout Of the sack and put IN col
fin. The lid is screwed down, and he's lug
ged round the room nigh about half an hour"
.How does he breathe. molherl'
"Yew needn't make so strange bout them
holes bored in the top ont; abeout half an
hour, as was sayin' and then The coffin is
sot up on one eend, and dead march is
sung, and he's axed in an awful solemn voice
that sounds jest for all the world like ghost,
ef he's will n to proceed. Ef he says he is.
then the lid is unscrcw'd, and finds himself
standm' with six sharp pyntcd swords held
close tcw his breast and neck, by fellers
dressed like evil spirits. Oh! massey OH us!
its enutf to make body's blood run cold
lew think ont, And he's told ef he ever
tells word abeout the secrets ot The Order,
he'll be made away with Jest as sarl'n' as
The death"
"Do you believe they would murder him
if he should tell mo,her7"
"To beshure do, kno,o they would"
"How did Tom Smith escape TO tell you
,hisl'
"Poor creeturw exclaimed slhc good old
ladv. "I'm the fust one he ever told. and |
'pect ev'ry mint to hear that he's missin.'
But don't enlerrupt me so-yeaw put me
out. Wall, he promises fai,hfully-Im
blessed If don't believe he dassent for his
life do any other way than promise that he'll
never tell to livin' crectur. Then he's told
eff he dus that his tongue III be chopped off
and his mouth scw'd up. his eyes put eout,
and his hands tied behind hun, and in that
distressed condition he'll be put in coffin
and buried alive in less than no time.
avail, the miserable crltter is then let
eout Of the coffin and walked abeout the
room on his hands and knees, and ordered
10 thank them heathcnish fellers for pinchin,'
kckn,' and punchin,' him. pullin' his hair,
rlngin' his nose, and treadin' on his corns.
You needn't lafC. Its all as true as the Cos
peI an you know it. lls shameful to treat
human natur that way, and not 10 be latfed
at nuthcr.
"Then he's ordered tcw set on plank
covered all over with burgundy pitch, and
made tew smoke opium and sncczIn' snuff
till he's nigh about halfded, and then they
give him the grip and"
"Why mother they have no grip"
"No use for You tew try tew deceive me
know the hull ont from top to bottom"
"Well then, what is the grip, mother!"
"Why, one on 'em grabs him by the neck
and he grabs tother and then they give
each other an all chokin' squeeze. Then
they whisper The secret word in his lett