Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-04-11

| lllS bCNlh WAbl q BAONC VI q AldAOu
he sharpened with his knife. But /
don't believe in borrowing trouble
about q step.father so long before hand.
1 don't think ma could get a man to
step into pas shoes as long as lived,
not if she was inlald with diamonds and
owned a brewery. There are brave
men 1 know that are on the marry, bat
none OF them would want TO be brcYel
father to cherubim like me, except he
got pretty good wages and then, since
pa was dissected he is gong TO lead a
different life, and | guess | will make q
man of him If he holds out. We got
him to Join the Good Templars last
night
NO, you don't tell me- said the
groceryman as he thought that his trade
in cider for mince pies would be cot
Off. so you got him into the Good
Templars, eh?'
well, he thinks he has Joined the
Good Templars, so i. is all the same.
Y on see, my chum and me have been
going to a private gymnasium on the
west side, kept by Dutchman. and in
back room he has all tho tools Tor
getting up muscle. There, look at ny
ARM said the boy, as he rolled up his
sleeve and showed a muscle about as
big as an oyster. That Is the result OF
training at the gymnasium. Before |
took lessons 1 hadn't any more muscle
than you have got. Well, the Dutch
man was going to dauce on the south
side the other night, and he asked my
chum to tend the gymnasium, and
told pa if he would join the Good Teni-
plars that night there wouldn't be mar y
at the lodge, and he wouldn't be SO
embarrassed, and as | was one Of tie
officers ofthe lodge l would put it 70
| him light, and he would go, SO my
chum got five other boys to help US put
him through. So we sieered him down
to the gymnasium and made him rap on
the storm.do or outside, and l said who
comes there, and he said it was a pill
grim who wanted 10 jine our sublime
order. asked him il he had made ur
bis mind TO turn from the ways OF a
hyena aud adopt the customs OF the
truly good, and he said il he knew bis
own heart he had, and then L told him
TO come in out OF the snow and take of
Ibis pants. lie kicked little about
| taking of bis pants because it was cold
out there in the st rm-door dog-house,
but I told Lin lh,y all had to do it,
That princes, lotentates and paupers
all had 10 come t) il. lie asked NE
how it was when we iniuated women,
and I told him women never took this
degree. He pulled of his pants, and
wanted check for them, but | told
| him the eraud mogul would bold his
clothes, and then ! b.indfolded him,
and with baseball club l pounded on
the floor as walked him around the
gymnasium, while the lodge beaded by
my chum, sung, we won't 20 home
till morning. Then | stopped in front
of the Ice water tank, and said, Grand
Worthy Duke. I bring you pilgrim
who has drank OF the drugs until his
stomach won't hold water, and who
desires to swear oa.' The grand mosul
asked me if he was worthy aud well
qualified, aud told him he had been
drunk more or less since the reunion
last summer, which ought to qualify
HIM. Then the grand mogul made pa
repeat the most blood curdling oath,
| in which pa agreed ifhe ever drank
another drop 10 allow anTbody to pull
his Toe nails out with tSeezers, TO have
his liver dug out and fed to dogs, his
head chopped of and his eyes removed.
Then the mogul SAID we would brand
the candidlte on the bare blck with the
initial letters Of our order, 'G. t. that
all might read how a brand had been
sna,ched from the burning. You'd a
died 10 see pa finch when | pulled up
his shirt and got ready TO brand him -
Mp chum got piece Of ice out OF the
water cooler, and just as he clapped 1t
onto pas back I burned piece oil
horse hoor in the candle and held II to
ms nose. and | guess pl actually
though, 1t was hls s-bucning skin that he
smellod. lie jumped about six feet
and said, Great heavens, what you
dewin,' and then he began to roll over
| q barrel which had arranged tor him.
Pa thought he was golug down a cellar
and he hung to the barrel, but he was
on Top half the time. When pa and
the barrel got through fighting was
besile him, and l said, Calm yourself
aud be prepared Tor the ordeal that Is to
follow.' Pa a.Ked how much oil this
dunn foolin' there vas and he said he
was sorry he joined. lie SAID ne could
Let ticker alone without having the skin
burned of bis back. | told pa to be
brave aud not weaken, and all would
be we'll. He wiped the perspirstioa {
his face on the end of his shirt, sa6
nut belt around his body and htLss. n
lIt to tackle as though We were aas,.s aas