The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-03-30
A Woman Joining the Sons Of Malta.

The disappearance of the man named Cur
tis from GAINESVILLE, Ohio, supposed to have
been spirited away and disposed Of BY the
Sons Of Malta, for exposing their secrets. is
explained. His wife publishes statement
in which she says that her husband left town
because he was angry and mortified at her
having imposed herself upon the Sons Of
Malta, dressed in mans clothes and being
partially initiated. Mrs. Curtis gives an anu
sing account of her experience among the
Sens. She and neigh6or, Mrs. Smith, ,hav-
ing womanly curiosity to explore the &C.
crets which their husbands would not tell.
bribed one ofthe Sons to admit them as men.
for imitation. They put on their husbands
clothes ard went to the lodge room. It's
we'll, perhaps, they did not 20 through all
the ceremonies, as they might have seen
some things appalling to womanly eyes. Mrs.
Curtis only got as far as being tossed in
blanket, which must be an exciting operation.
She describes the conclusion of her adven-
turc thus:
"When the conductor said, Can you swim.
sir" l said 'Yes!' Can you swim in four
teen feet of water?' l said Yes, the deeper
the better' We'll, take of your coat and
try yourself" Now when he said take of
your coat that scared me, because I
had put on loose sack on purpose, for
reasons you will see yourself However, I
thought moment and then said, No sir;
never heed the coat can swim as well
with as without it" Very well,' said the
conductor, your peril will be upon your own
head. Now hold up your right hand, sir -
take this life preserver and Here he gave
me push and went over backward, and as
soon as alighted l went up again, flying
then down and up in the same way. until l
thought all my brains were fying out of the
top of my head, and then Eeverything swam
round and round until did not know any
thing at all for had tainted. The next place
found myself in was the ante-chamber, or
rather, just being led into the ante-chamber
by two men. and was first conscious that
must have been sitting in bath tub with my
clothes on. think the cool air brought me
to my senses. The two men looked very
scared and sorry. looked about for Mrs.
Smith and Joe, but they had gone as soon a.
they heard the noise initiating me. asked
one of the men if Mr.. Curtis was in the
lodge. The man said he was. l said should
like to see him minute. The man went in
to the lodge room. and presently out came
my beautiful husband all mufaed up. Ijust
whispered word or two in his ear. and may
be he didn't pull off his gown and hood in
short order and walk home with me. He
left me that night in anger and modification,
and | have not seen him since. But then he
had no need to be angry, because he has al
ways known me to be in favor of 'woman's
rights and have always held that women are
as capable as men. But when it comes to
the Sons of Malta, think 'women's rights
is failure; they cannot do it,"
THE Coon OLD TrNEs-There is, to us,
more touching pathos. heart-thrilling express
ion, more feeling displayed. in some Of the
old psalm tunes than in whole batch Of
moderrisms. The strains 60 home, and the
fountain of the great deep is broken up
the great deep Of unfathomab.e feeling, that
lies far. far below the surface of the world.
hardened heart and as the untoward vet un-
checked tear starts in the eye, the softened
spirits yield to their influence and shake of
the load of earthly care, rising, purified anc
spiritua.ized. into a purer atmosphere
Strange. inexplicable associations brood over
the mind, like the far of dream of paradise"
mingling their chas,e melody of the musings
of still. subdued, more cheerful character
How many glad hearts in the oiden time
have rej"iced in these songs of praise-how
many sighed out their complaints in these
plain,ive notes. that steal sadly, Vet sweetly
on the ear--hearts that. now cold in death,
are laid TO rest, around that sacred tune, with
iii whose walls they had SO often swelled
with emotion.-Dlackwood