Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-12-05

i
answers &c the questions, gJaGnally and
painfully making himself out mighty bad
| fellow. The others, who are blinded and
cannot sec, of course hold themselves in
I honor bound to speak out the whole truth
IN such solemn place as they imagine
thls still 10 be-as the" cannot see how.
the scene has changed At each answer
the q. c. says "let it be recorded" and the
recorder sings out in a low, hollow tone.
Us he writes iC down in q great book sit
has been so Tecordcd!" [NorE.2Thc re-
cords in tiiat book must be interesting 4
During these questions the candidates
are ;ricd, to teSt their ability to swim. to
| sing. to play the dnum or Instruments
and it must be amusing TO see staid. sober
citizens lying down face foremost upon the
1oor. and striking OUT as if swimming
Tor dear life from Florida of Cuba; as well
as going through other tests to a similar
ridiculous character. But then, each man
thinks, we suppose, that he must do ms all
good 'Sons Of Malta" have done before
him, and therefore he goes the whole fig
ure.
After enough ofthe above questions arc
asked and answered. the candidates take
another solemn obligation having reference
20 the conquest OF Cuba, which is admin
isteved to them IN their blind state. while
| NNSi PAHGV9 HlS Iiduu upon Dig 0OOk,
wa;ch Is :lways carried tn procession. and
which contains nothing but the pictures of
two Jnckasscs, one in the prime OF life and
the other i, n rapid decline.
Af:er all this nonsense, which is fun for
tic old members, but death on the new
ones, the candidates are taken out, brought
in again, and rapidly dragged about the
room
Between two guards, and are then made
10 run up Il steeply inclined ladder com
posed of rollers. which are set close to-
gcthcr, ANA which turn under his feet ut
every step, and make his legs fly past each
other like spOkes of runaway buggy
when he gets to the top OF this ladder he
lands upon platform, where stand two
more guards, who turn him about and tell
him to sit down: he sits down, and thew
give him shove down the ladder, over the
rollers. Without any sled, he rides this
way 10 the bottom of the ladder, where he
strikes springing board, just as it is
Jcrkcd up by two stout men, which sends
him with Il bound up towards the ceiling
of the room-as hC comes down, he is
caught upon the board in sitting posture
one Of his legs is then pulled about so
that he is astridc of the board; and in this
c9ndition he is carried around the room in
4 procession o.: the members, while drums
and gongs are being beaten iii IL most iu-
riOus manner.
/ BY ,his time, of course, the candidate
begins 10 entertain = sublime disgust for
t:ie whole business; thai is, il hc be not
frightened ous OF his wits. which may be
likely. However, it is too late to stop, and
he consoles himself with the reflection
ii:tt .ncy dare not kill him.
After taking him round the room on the
board. the G. G. says, 'tLct the cavern be
opened and at that moment the board is
lowered at one end and hnistad al the
other, and the candidate slides down to
the mouth OF a large sheet iron CYLINDER
som"thin" similar to the smokc-stack of =
stcamhnat-and aS he slides down. 8 rourl
voice whispers in his car, Crawl for your
life following this advice. he Crawis in
The thing, while al! hands arc pounding on
the back oi' it with sticks-just as he comes
out, he is taken again up the steep ladder
ot rollers to the platform at tho top. lie
is now told TO stand up straight, and di-
vest himself of all matter that will spoil
by coming in contact with water. While
no Is being thus prepared for the water,
the members have got ready Il large cam
vaSs sheet with rope all around it; this
is placed behind him, aud held Outstretch-
cd by as many as can get hold of the rope:
rs soon aS all is ready, tue candidate is
thrown from the platform back upon this
sheet, and away he gocs-up and down
no sooner down than up ugain-like San
chO Panza tossed in II blnnkct-untiI the
members get tired tossing him, at which
time he IS let down upon Il mattress: from
which he is lifted back upon the platform,
where he is set upon the top roller with
his feet directed towards the bottom: an
umbrella without any covering is then
hoiSted and given to him in his left hand,
while i'll his right hand is placed IL COW
bcll-hc is told to hold up the umbrella
and ring the bell, and thus he sails down
over the rollers into tub full of wet
sponges, at the bottom. Here the,blinds
are taken from his eyes, and he bcholds
himself surrounded by about fifty persons,
in their shirt sleeves, all laughing at him
AT first the candidate is astonishcd, then
he gets angry, and finally he laughs with
the rest; and becomes jealous member OF
tic Venerable Order.
lie is then instructed how he is to get il
tG the lodge. He is instructed to come to
the outside door. snceZc twice, and rar
one; III this, the sentinel raises the slide o1
wicket il the door and the candidate saws
"Squi,' to which the sentinel says, NBob.
then both say "Squibob, and the member
enters. lie then advances to the inside
door, where he sneczcs once and blows his
nose. and raps, at which the slide is lifted
and the candidate says, Lager" to which
the sentinel responds, Beer, and then
both say, "Swei Glass" and the candidate
entcrs-procccdS to the ccntrc of the room
where hc flaps his two open hands at In,
top Of his head, after the manner of thC
J"chnss tapping his ears, and takes Iii.
seat. These signs will give admission intc
any lodge of the sons in the world, If they
arc properly given.