Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-11-15

here, they lock him up in big iron al
chest, with hole in one eend for him e
tew breathe through. And there he's d
kept three hours, then he's snaked eout v
Of that and rubbed all over with soft n
soap, and put down big holler pipe till
hs- holiers like loon. Then he's taken O
eout and tied up in sack, and passel t
of them heathanish fellers carry him in ;
to the room where they hold their meet
ms. Then the lights is all put eout,
and when the rooms as dark as Egypt.
he's taken eout Of the sack and put in
coffin. Then the lids screwd down.
and he's lugged round the room nigh
bout half an hour.
How does he breathe mothers"
You needn't make so strange bout
them holes bored in the top ont -
bout half an hour, as was sayin,' and
then the coffin is sot up on eend, and a
dead march is sung, and he's axed in an
awful solemn voice, that sounds Jest for
all the world like ghost, eff he's wiIin'
tew proceed. Ef he says he is, then
the lid is onscrewd, and he finds him
self standin' with six sharp pinted swords
held close tew his breast and neck, by
fellers dressed like evil spirits. Oh
massy on US /! it's enough to make a
body's blood run cold tew think ont
/ And he's told eff he ever tells word
/ bout the secrets of the Older, he'll be
made away with Just as sartan as death. !"
' "Do you believe they would murder
$ him if he should tell, mother?
Il Iaoh,.-o I A. I E,o ,uo,,ll )
: How did Tom Smith escape to tell
o you this?'
r Poor creeterr exclaimed the good
e old lady, I'm the fust one he ever told
Il and | 'spect every mint TO hear that
If he's missin.' But don't interrupt me Sc
l. -yeu put me eout. Wall, he promises
d faithfully-rm blest if don't b'lieve b.
N dassent for his life do any other way thai
10 promise-that he'll never tell no livin
creeter. Then he's told eff he does hi
IN tongue'll be chopp'd off and his moutl
ic sew'd up, his eyes put eout, and hi
b. hands tied behind him, and in that dis
ut tressed condition he'll be put in cofiI
O. and buried alive in less than no time.
k. Wall, the miserable creeter is the
10 let eout OF the coffin and walk'd abou
of the room on his hands and knees, an
OF ordered to thank them heathenish fellel
nd for pinchir,' kicken' and punchin hin
o. pullin' his hair, ringin his nose, an
h treaden' on his corns. You needn't lai
MS It's all true as the Gospel an yeu kno
m it. It's shameful to treat human n
tur that way, and not be laffcd at nut
er.
Then he's ordered tew set on plar
covered all over with burgundy pitc
and made tew smoke opium and sneezi
snuff till he's nigh about half dead, al
then they give him the grip and
20, Why, mother they have no grip
III No use for yeu tew try tew decei
a. me, know the hull ont from top TO bt
-. TOM
an 81 Well, then what is the grip. mother
~. Why, one on 'em grabs him by
~. neck, and he grabs '!other, and then th
oms give each other an all chokin' sqeeze.
ocL I Then they whisper the secret word
7 his left ear
- What's the word, mother"
no - 'Bellymashazzer, to be shure y
ne, know as we'll as do Yeu needn't
IA agin. 'Twon't do. Then they give b
,rtv W the sign-that great secret sign J
.,n make so much fuss about
hI, How's that made " cried John
a;n half convulsed with laughter, at the fo
o. of initiation.
; Il This way promptly replied the
,,;r lady. By shuttin your left eye, a
tnre takin' the eend of your nose in y
of right hand.
Wall, then he's marched up
- down the room dressed in red GO
-. and lookin' for all the world like a vii
a." and after he's taken an oath, orful ell
to makes ones hair stand on an e.
every which way, he's told tew take
.ho seat among the rest of 'em and v
IA coined as a Son Temperance
~ There, you see know the hull
,na- no. and I'll tell everybody / won't (
VA oIS nothin' else; for think as I alters
-. it is heathenish, barbaIyous mAmm
that makes heathens and inferdels
;nn, Christians, and shud orter be put det
-. tew smash. How dye feel meow Jc
= ~ - ny, yeu begin to find that the old
" " mans bout right, don't YER? tri
ver phantly exclaimed the good old lady
E yeu she took an enormous pinch Of 81
yos y drew her spectacles over her eyes,
turned towards her son-in-law
Johnny was IN CONFUSION of lau
!, nm ter, but contrived 10 gasp his convic
" that the order was all blown to piece
Mrs. Credulous believes to this
aI, IacL that all this mad wag Smith told he
ooon 80 true to letter. Nor is she alone in
000 strange belief. There are thous
,,, like Mrs. Credulous, everywhere, W
Ia prejudices are nursed and kept /;
'uJ, with nameless surmises, terrible SUI
ions. and outlandish stories relatiy