Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-06-19
SOCIETY Ak KELETONS.
A Regular Part ot tn" Reshoa p""'''
sinck-An Initiation beScribs"'

Stuck-An Initiation bes'f'p'"'
"rhc most successful initiation cere-
mouy that ever saw in college Sc
cret society was one that was popular
AT an Ohio school until an accident nap
pcncd Then part OF II was dropped.
| That part was a skeleton.
The speaker was dealer in society
rcgalia. lie continued:
I'VE were initiating sturdy young
fellow who said he didn't believe in
spirits or ANYTHING supernatural and
this Is how we did it. lie was stripped
to the waist, one foot was bare, and no
was carefully blindfoldcd. Then we
| led him into the darkencd lodgc-room.
where two guards grasped his arms
| firmly As they led him slowly around
! the room one of them said, in melan-
choly voice: My iricnd-for | can not
| yet call YOU brother-the journey OF life
| l. before you. Consider it. Life Is
| what we make it, but trials must come.
and sorrow and distress. Look well to
your pathway
That Injunction was rather aggra-
waiting to man who was blindfolded
and led by two strong companions who
were guiding him to a short. smooth
plank rising at an angle of forty-tive
degrees Man rises suddenly in life,
said the guide as the victim stumbled
up the plank. and quickly drops into
pitfall and is lost. and the victim
dropped from the plank to a hassock
placed on edge, which rolled away and
let him sit down on the floor.
He was picked up and led on as the
guide said: The path may be smooth
for time, but distractions are sure to
lie across it,, and then the victim
stumbled lengthwise over II ladder sup
ported three inches above the carpet.
while his conductors moaned in unison.
Even when in trouble himself he may
| be called upon to help brother. and
the guide, who helped himself to the
victims pocket-book. Last of all
comes Death. He is terrifying at best.
but should 1t be your fate to meet him
alone show yourself man, for crown
awaits you beyond
| "The victim had been led through
| double doors into the closet. The twine
that held the hoodwink over his eyes
was loosencd. The doors closed noise
lessly, and the guides and other officers
of the lodge placed their eyes at the
peep-holes. For moment the victim
stood motionless; then the hoodwink
dropped OIL He rubbed his eyes with
his hand, and then his jaw dropped. A
| blue light famed in the skull of the
skeleton before him, and poured out of
the eyes and through tue peculiarly
marked teeth, that were opened half an
| inch. The air of the blue-lined closet
| seemed to waver and dance rs the right
arm of the skeleton was slowly raised
until the tleshless hand rested ON the
| young mans shoulder. Then the mel
anc oily voice said: 4 am thy fate.
The victim drew his hand slowly
across his forehead, and then over his
| eyes. and looked again at the skeleton
more closely. Then he said, AT last
and tainted.
"As | suId, part of our ceremony had
to be dropped. The victim was not
frightened; he had recognized his faith
| er's >kcl ton.
"Do regular business secret societies
use skeletons in their ceremonies
certainly. There are several orders
that use them. We keep them in stock
constantly. They are packed in half
length cases, made of pine or walnut,
and are shipped by express all over the
country.
Some skeletons are plain with steel
| articuiations; others have silver-plated
articulatiOns. and where there is likely
to be no strain the hinge may be made
oi silver. Some OF these high-priccd
| skeletons are carefully polished and
| plistcu in the LIGHT of the lOu re- room,