The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-12-24

| ing down face foremost on the foer, anC
STRIKING out" as if swimming for deal
life from Florida to Cuba Is we'll % gein,
through other tests Of q similar rediculoul
character. But then, each man thinks, VI
suppose. that he must do as all good "Son,
of Malta" have done before him, and there,
fore he goes the whole figure.
After enough Of the above questions are
asked and answered, the candidates take
another solemn obligation having reference
to tho conquest of Cuba, which is admins.
tered TO them, in their blind state. while
each places his hand upon large book,
which is always carried in procession, and
which contains nothing but the pictures Of
two iackasses. one in the prime of life and
the other in rapid decline.
They retire, and 90 ends scene second.
SCENE THIRD.
The candidates are now brought in one at
time, still blndfolded. Each candidate
is brought in, rapidly marched around the
room in double quick time, between two
guards and 10 then made to run up steeply
inclined ladder composed Of rollers which
are set close together and which turn under
his feet at every step and make his legs fly
past each other like spokes Of run away
buggy-when he gets to the top Of the lad
der be lands upon platform, where stands
two more guards who turn him about and
tel! him to sit down, and they give him q
shove down the ladder over the rollers.-
Without any sled he rides this way to the
bottom Of the ladder, where he strikes q
springing board, just as it i. jerked up by
two stout men, which sends him with a
bound up towards the ceiling Of the room
as he comes down he is caught upon the
board in a sitting posture-one OF his legs
is then pulled about, so that be is astride Of
the board; and in this condition he is car
ried around in procession OF the mem
bers while drums and goDgs are being beat
en- in a most furious manner.
By this time the candidate, blind as he ie,
begins to see through the matter; and gets
scared or riled according to the state Of his
feelings, but it is too late to stop.
After taking him round the room on
board, the &. c. says, ''let the cavern be
opened" and at that moment the board is
lowered at one end and hoisted at the other,
and the candidate slides down to the mouth
Of large sheet iron cylDder-somsthing
similar to the smoke stack Of a steamboat
and as he slides down n rough voice whis-
pers in his ear, "Crawl for your life'-fol-
lowing this advice be crawl, through the
thing, while all hands are pounding on the
outside Of it with sticks just as he il taken,
again, up the steep ladder of rollers to the
platform at the top. He is now told to
stand up straight, and divest himself Of all
matter that will spoil by coming in contact
with water. While he is being thus prepared
for water the members have got ready a
large canvas sheet with rope around it:
this is placed behind him, and held out
stretched by as many as can get hold Of the
ropes; as soon as all is ready the candidate
i. thrown from the platform back upon the
sheet and away he goes-up and down-no
sooner down than up agan-like Sancho
PsnZa tossed in a blankct-until the men,
bers get tired tossing him, at which time be
is let down upon a mattress /; from which he
is lifted back upon the platform where he is
set upon the top roller with his feet direct
el toward the bottom IN umbrella without
any covering is then hoisted and given to
him in his left band, while in his right hand
is placed a cow -bell-he is told to hold to
the umbrella and ring the bell, and thus he
sails down over the rollers into tub, full
of wet sronges, at the bottom. Here the
blinds are taken from his eyes and he be-
holds himself surrounded by abou. FIFTY per-
sons, in their shirt sleeves, all laug hing at
him.
At frst the candidate is a.tonished, then
he gets angry, and finally he laughs with the
rest. and he becomes u jealous member of
the Venerable Order.
He is then instructed how he is to get into
the lodge. He is instructed to come to the
outside door, sneeze twice and rap once, at
this the sentinel raises the slide or wicket in
the door and the candidate says "Squi," to
which the sentinel says "Bob," and then
both say .'Sauibob," and the member enters.
lie then advances to the inside door where
he sneezes once blows his nose and raps, at
which the slide is lifted and the candidate
sav."Lnger," to which the sentinel responds
"Beer," and then both say "Swei GLASS;"
and the candidate enters proceeds to the
centre Of the room where he flaps hi. two
open hands a; the top of bis head, after tho
manner of a jackass tapping his ears, and
takes his seat. These signs will give ndmis-
sion into any lodge Of the Sons in the world
if they are properly given.
There are more of these ceremonies, but
these are the chief Of them.
OF course we do not vouch for the truth
of all this, but it is probably true. We tell
the tale as it was told to US.