Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-07-08
IN INITIATION.
startling Incident il, "a College Se-
crct Society.

''The most successful initiation cere
mony that | ever saw in q college secre
society was one that was popular at al
Ohio school until an accident happened
Then part of it was dropped That par
was a skeleton"
The speaker was dealer IN society re
gala He continued:
eve were initiating a sturdy yOung
fellow who said he didn't believe in spir
its or anything supernatural, and this Is
how we did it. He YVES stripped to the
waist. one foot was bare and he was care
| fully blindfolded. Then we led him into
the darkened lodge-room, where two
| guards grasped his arms firmly. AS they
| led him slowly around the room one OF
| them said, in a melancholy tone: My
friend-for can not yet call you brother
the journey OF life is before you. Con-
slider it. Life is what We make it, but
trial must come, and sorrow and distress.
Look well to your pathway.
'"That injunction was rather aggravat-
ing to man who was blindfolded and
led by two strong companions who were
guiding him to short, smooth plank at
an angle of forty-five degrees. Man
rises suddenly in life,' said the guide, as
the victim stumbled up the plank, 'and
quickly drops into pit-fall and is lost,
and the victim dropped from the plank
to 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 Stun
bled lengthwise over ladder supported
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 this he
should do to the utmost, said the guide,
who helped himself to the victims
pocketbook. Last of all comes Death.
He is terrifying at best, but should it be
your fate to meet him alone show your
self man, for crown awaits you be-
yond.'
''The victim had been led through
double doors, into the closet. The Irvine
that held the hoodwink over his eyes was
loosened. The doors closed noiselessly,
and the guide and other officers of the
lodge placed their eyes at the peep-holes.
For moment the victim stood motion
less; then the hoodwink dropped off.
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
Though the peculiarly marked teeth.
that were opened half an inch. The air
of the blue-lined closet seemed to wave
and dance as the right arm of the skele-
ton was slowly raised until the heshless
hand rested upon the young mans
shoulder. Then the melancholy voice
said: Il 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.
CAS- | said, part of our ceremony had |
to be dropped. The victim was not
he had recognized his fathers
skeleton. !"
"Do regular business secret societies
Use skeletons in their ceremonies?"
Certainly. There are several orders
nat use them. We keep them in stock
They are packed in half
ength cases, made OF pine or walnut, and
ire shipped by express all over the coun-
ry."
''Some skeletons are plain with steel
fluctuations; others have silver-plated
and where there IS likely
0 be no strain the hinges may be made
II silver. Some of these high-priced
keletons are carefully polished and glis-
en- in the light of the lodge-room. Fine
asses go with high-priced goods"
"How high-priced ?"
"A fine skeleton, elegantly mounted,
1Ill cost as much as $50. One equally
trong and able to stand the racket of the
oats attack may be had for $780,"
Makes business for the resurrection
SITS ?7 '''''
No, it does not. These skeletons are {
IL imported, and are taken from the 5
Of the old country. There is J
o tariff to protect home industry in /
keletons, and we can import them |
1eaper than we could dig them here. {
he demand is very irregular, according {
an order is spreading or not. They are |
lIpped to all parts of the country impair I
ally, and are very effective in awning 1
esh candidate for light and instruction"
-NeW York Sun.