The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-13

to enter. Before | Lad time to look
around me long legged fellow knocked
me over with club; he then stood me
on my feet, and another martuler made
rush at me and brought me down again.
After | had undergone this exbilarsting
exercise for about FIVE minutes they
stretched me out on ateach and examined
NY teeth. pinched my muscles and stuck
! pins into me al over, and put cayenne
pepper up my nose, and poured molten
lead in my trousers pockets, and pulled
hairs out Of the back of my neck with
red.hot piucers, with view, ! suppose,
of making me feel uncmb,rrased and al
home.
|
| When came to my senses was alone
in the unte-room Of the Lodge. 1t *as a
lively aud cheerful apartment. \ couple
of crocoiilss were amusing themselves in
a corner, and few full-grOwn rattle
paakcs were practiciug the flying trapcEe
on the stovc,Pipc. The furniture con
sisted chiefly of halfa dozen nummies,
the skeletons of Captain Kidd, Lucretie
Borgia. Guy Fawkes,, Jack ibe Giant
Killer, Oliver Cromwell, the Wandering
Jew, William the Ccnqueror, Christie
pher Columbus, and Dick Turpin a
flying machine. three barrels of gunpoH-
der aud a remarkably healthy aud we'll
developed wildcat. Just then half u
dozen pirates, clad iu, aprons and sashes,
rushed into the room with whoop. One
Of them, the, biggest and uglicst. who ap'
pcared to be the chief. ordered the at
tendan,s, in a voice Of thunder, to trot
out the animal. The attendants disap-
pcarcd. bu! immediately reappeared.
leading an iron-clal goat, q regular dou-
ble-decker. with sixteen horns, e pair of
wings, and seven or eight tails stuck all
over him, Ny eyes wero bandaged, and
I was told to mount, | said, gentlemen,
ifyou'll excuse me, I'd rather not. I'm
not accustomed to going up in a balloon;
besides. Eve got al engagement down
town. Ny wife wants to see me partic-
uIarly. I'll be back in few minutes,
gentlemen-yes, in & few. But be-
fore coaM finish my sentence. | was
seized from behind, and planted firmly
astride Of the Internal goat. Somebody
,hou SAID, let 60, and away We WENT
I've been through great many perilous
scenes; I've taken part in an election
fight; I've been down in railway colli-
sion and up in a s'eauboat explosion
I've fallen down three flights ofstairs,
aud walked out Of fourth-story window,
but this gcst excursion was little ahead
Of them all. When I come to reflect on
.Le matter in cold blood, I wonder that |
ever cane out alive. The furious beast
kicked and screamed, and rolled over and
turned back summersaults aud front
summerssalts, and drove me against the
ceiling and under the chairs, until the
bandage fell from my eyes, and | had to
let 60. The goat vanished up the chin
ney in blue flame, and found myself
in the center Of the Lodge-rocm. with
about fifty Masons in aprons, and nothing
else, dancing a Nsr-dance around me.
The res. Of the members were standing
on their heads in The different corners,
all but the eadaverous looking buccaneer.
who seemed to be the head of the depart
meus. Soon they lef: off dancing and
marched around the room chanting an
iuspiriting dirgs. was then hauled up
in from, Of the chiefs desk, who thus ad-
dressed ne:-''Brciher Kobb, you are
now one Of US. You are a member Of an
institution that has lasted over three
million years. You are imperviOts to
mundane influences. You arc water
PROOF and fire. prOof-you are over-prOof.
You can walk through the river or sit on
red-hot stove with impunity. Mortal
man cannot harm you, and the devil
himsc II must curl up his tail aud walk of
at your approach. Be virtuous, Mr..
Kobb, and you will be happy"
l then assumed sash and apron.
t1gyV.E " rtr KOpD, JR.
A beautiful pen Of solid gold, studded