White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-03-17
A small slide on the door WA, NV

The door was then opened, npou which
my friend entered, pulling me after him
Instantly the door1was closed and bolred
after me. now found myself in small
room. whose walls, furniture, floor, and
everything, were painted black. A sin
gular odor filled the room. In the centre
stood a small altar. on which was burning
a fame Of peculiar cast / now turned
to see the person who had opened the
door for our entrance. His body was
enveloped in white gown or surplice
that nearly reached the floor on his
head be wore white turban long sill.
yer beard flowed from his chin to his
waist, and on his face was the paleness Of
death. In his hand he grasped a spear,
upon which he leaned as upon a staff
Never shall l forget the emotions which
passed through my breast ct that moment
Trembling with fear, l turned to my
friend, when 10 there sat upon his coun.
tenanee the ghastly paleness as upon the
countenance Of him who guarded the door.
/ looked upon my hands, they also wore
the same deathly hue. Everything around
me was frightfully odd, and l was now
fully convinced that the society well de-
served its name.
My friend now bid me to be seated
then clothing himself in a white apron
and collar, he advanced to another door
and raped. After passing through the
same ceremony as at the first. he was
permitted to enter / was now left alone
with the Guardian to imagine through
what other scenes ! should be called to
pass. But | was not left to mediate up
on the matter long Shortly the door
through which my friend had passed was
opened, and four men with drawn swords
in their hands, entered from within, fol-
lowed 10y fifth. holding buraing torch
in his right hand, and in his left the Holy
Bible with cross stretched upon it.
They were clothed in aprons aud collars.
and their countenance wore the same pale
and death-like hue as did that of the
Guardian.
The Bible was placed upon the altar in
front of the fame ! was commanded to
kneel down before it, and to place my
left hand upon the Bible and cross, and
my right hand upon my leil breast One
of the men now placed his sword against
my breast. another against my right side,
the third my-lelt. and the fonrth against
my back. In this awful attitude, / was
told by the man with the torch that /
must take solemn oath never to divnlge
any of the secrets of the Order that might
be revealed to me.
The oath was administered. but trem-
bic to repeat it. l win not shock the
reader with its repetition, nor with the
blasphemous penalties attached to its vic,
lation.o
was now stripped of all my clothing
and then blindfolded. A halter was next
placed around my neck, and in this de-
fenc. less and obscene condition was led
with some ceremony into the lodge room.
On entering. the brethren commenced a
song, during the singing of which ] was
marched around the room for them to
gaze at.
When the song was finished. was
place :s;ride of a rail, which was told
was the Odd Fellows goat, and that ]
never could become an Odd Fellow until
| had first learned to ride q goat. In
this barbaTous manner / was CARED three
times around thereon, and finally stopped
in front of the Warden's chair. Here
my binder was raised sufficiently, when
one Of the brethren having on a mask re-
sembling goats head, butted me smack
off the rail on to the floor. Enraged at
such cruel treatment, l bawled out most
Justify, when instantly cap was pulled
over my head and drawn around my
neck so tight that my nose was at once
stopped. e1sE
After l had become silent, the strings
were loosencd sufficiently to allow me to
breathe. / was then conducted to another
part Of the room, when l was suddenly
knocked down upon the floor, and on at
tempting to get up, found myself SC
completely entangled in cords, that / was
unable to rise. At length 1 was helped
up, and asked what / most desired.
was told to say "clotkiR9," upon which
| was dressed in kind of gown resem.
bling shirt. / was next conducted tC
the Noble Grand's chair, when ! was
asked what most desired. / was thu
time told to say slight" Suddenly thu
cap was lifted off my head, and a bright
light was burning before my eyes, tina
for time almost blinded me. As sooT
as recovered my sight, / discovered be
fore me an altar from which dense smoke
arose that perfumed the hall. On eacl
side of the altar was burning briliian
red light that gave strange appearance
to everything around me. Even the very
smoke seemed tinged with sccarlet hue
when suddenly l saw a human 6gur'
pierced through with dart, and with hi
head severed from his body. And from
the altar there came voice saying, "Se
there the fate Of him who violates tn
vow of an Odd Fellow" -
Suddenly the vision vanished, the light
were extinguished, and peal of thunde
shook the building. a loud demohiaca
laugh now rang through the room. ant
to add to the horror Of the darkness, word
Of awful import were seen written in let
tiers of fire upon the walls around me-
Figures of unearthly shapes were see
moving through the room with tapers !
their hands that barely emitted light {
discern the beings who held them. Ciank
ings of chains and low sepulchral groan