Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-06-01
KOBB, JR.
And His Experiences Astride of
GOHt.

Gus ceremonies popularity supposed to be
attendant upon initiation into a Masonic
Lodge we find among our exchanges.
; The ridiculous and extravagant will, we
,apprehond, be relished by even Masons
!, themselves: tlflffk la48k III 1aif
II Il aatter myself | understand some
thing about secret societies. I've had a
passion for that sort of thing ever since
was old enough to tell lies. | have
secuted around pretty extensively among
the different organizations. I've been
an Orangeman, and Fenian, and a
Good Templar, and a Counterleiter, and
Knight Of Malta. have belonged to
the Sons of Temperance, and the Odd
Fellows, and the Young Mems Christian
Association, and the Band Of Hopef and
a band of robbers. I've been into every
thing, and / thought knew almost
everything, but didn't. Three months
ago | became infatuated with Masonry,
and since joined that organization I've
discovered that there are several things
connected herewith that outsiders dom
know just pretty good deal about. Q.
On the evening | was TO be initiated l
made my will and took most affecting
leave of my family. Tins prepared /
started for the Lodge, accompanied by
brother John Smith, s. r. S. p T., who
was to "see me through" We had no
difficulty in getting past the first en-
trance, but when we knocked at the sec
ond fat little fellow looked out through
a round hole in the door, and put this
startling indicatory to Brother Smith:
I" Observation-Disclosures" to which
Brother Smith replied cheerfully: Nix
-my-dolly-whack-doo." The little
fellow then said: Flodzetcompbritid-
tuntum;" and my conductor giving a
satisfactory answer, we were permitted
to enter. Before | had time to look
around me a long-legged fellow Knocked
me over with a club; he then stood me
on my feet, and another marauder made
a rush at me and brought me down again.
After I,had undergone this exhilarating
exercise for about five minutes, they
stretched me out on bench, and ex-
amined my teeth, and pinched my mus
cles, and stuck pins into me all over,
and showed cayenne pepper up my nose,
and pulled hairs out of the back of my
neck with red-hot pincers, with view, |
suppose, to make me feel nnembarrassed
and at home "~ .gyJ
When | came to my senses | was
alone in the ante-room of the lodge. 1t
was lively and cheerful apartment, A
couple of crocodiles we're Amusing them
selves in a corner, and few iullgrown
rattle-snakes were practicing the flying
trapeze on the stove pipe The ilirni-
ture consisted chiefly Of half n dozen
skeletons of Captain Kidd, lIucretia
Borgia, Guy Fawkes, Jack the Giant
Killer, Oliver Cromwell, the Wandering
Jew, William the Conqueror, Christopher
Columbus and Dick Turpin; flying
machine, three barrels of gunpowder,
and a remarkably healthy and we'll
developed wild cat. g
Just then half dozen pirates, clad
in aprons and sashes rushed into the
room with a whoop. One of them, the
biggest and uglest, who appeared to be
the chief, ordered the attendants, in
voice of thunder, to trot out the animal. |
The attendants disappeared, but imme-
diately reappeared, leading aniron-clad
"a regular double-decker, with sixteen |
horns, n pair Of wings, and seven or
eight tails stuck all over him. My eyes
were bandaged and was told to mount
| said: Gentlemen, if you Il excuse me,
| would rather not. | am not accus-
toned to going up in a balloon; besides, |
I've got an engagement down town. Ny
wife wants to see me particularly. I'll
be back in a few minutes rather think
my house is on fire, but I'll be back in |
few minutes; yes, gentlemen, ina few"
Before could finish my sentence was
seizeil from behind and planted firmly
astride Of the Internal goat.
Somebody then said let 90, and away
we went. I've been through good |
many perilous scenes; I've taken part
in an election fight; I've been down in
railway collision, and up in. a steam
boet explosion; I've fallen down three
flights of stairs, and walked out of
fourth-story window, but this goat ex-
cursion was ahead Of them ALL WhenI
come to reflect on the matter in cold
blood, ] wonder that / ever came out
alive. The furious beast kicked and
screamed, and rolled over and turned
back-somersaults, and drove me against
the ceiling and underneath the chairs,
till the bandage fell from my eyes and i |
found myself in the center of the lodge
room, with about fifty Masons in aprons,
and nothing else, dancing war-dance
around me-
The rest of the members were stand
ing on their heads in the different corr
ners, all but the cadaverous looking buc-
cancer who seemed to be the head of
the department. Soon they left off dan
cling and marched round the room chant
ing an inspiriting dirge. | was then
hauled up in front of the Chiefs desk,
who thus addressed me: Brother ,
Kobb, you are now one of us. You
are now a member of an institution !
that has lasted over three millions of
years. You are impervious to mundane
influences. You are waterproof and
fire-proof. You can walk through a
river, or sit on a red hot stove with i'm /
punity. Mortal man cannot harm you, |
and the devil himself must curl up his i
tail and walk of at your approach. I
Be virtuous, Mr.. Kobb, and you will be !
happy"
/ then assumed sash and apron. II
KoBB, in. \