Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-05-17
SECRET SOCIETY SKELETONS.
A Regular Part of the Regalia Dealers
stock An Initiation Described.
vi c,f1

A Regular Part of the Regalia Dealers
stock An Initiation Described.
Mew York Sun.
. 1.-THE most successful initiation ceremony
that ever saw in college secret society
was one that was popular at an Ohio school
until an accident happened. Then part Oh
it was dropped. That part was q skeleton.
The speaker was dealer in society re-
gala. He continued:
I'VE were initiating sturdy young fellow
who said he didn't believe in spirits or any
thing supernatural, and this is how We did
it. He was stripped to the waist, one foot
was bare, and he was carefully bindfolded.
Then we led him into the dsrkened lodge
room, where two guides grssped his arms
firmly. As they led him slowly around the
room one Of them said, in q melancholy
voice: Nv friend-for cannot yet call you
brother-the Journey of lite is before you.
Consider it. Life is what we make 1t, but
trials must come, and sorrow and distress
Look well to your pathway.
THAT Injunction was rather aggrayatlng
TO a man who was blindfolded, and led BY
two strong companions who were guiding
him TO short, smooth plank rising at an
angle of As degrees. Man rises suddenly
in life said the guide as the victim stumbl-
ed up the plank; and quickly drops into
pitfall and is lost, and the victim dropped
from the plank to hassock placed on edge,
which rolled away and left 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 1t,
and then the victim stumbled lengthwise
over ladder supported three inchos above
the carpet while his conductors moaned IN
unison, Even when in trouble himself he
may be called on to help brother, and
this he should do to the utmost, said the
guide, who helped himself to the victim
pocketbook. Last Of all comes Death. he
is terrifying at best. but shoald it 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 loosened.
The doors closed noiselessly, and the guides
and other officers of the lodge placed their
eyes to the peepholes. For a minute the
victim stood motionless; 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 be-
fore him, and poured out of the eyes and
through the peculiarly marked teeth, that
were opened half an inch. The air OF the
blue-lined closet seemed to waver and dance
as the right arm of the skeleton was slowly
raised until the neshless hand reste1 on the
Young mans shoulder. Then the melan-
choly voice said: Il am thy fate
"ihe victim drew his hand slowly across
his forehead, and then over his eyes, and
looked again at the skeleton more 81 sely.
Then he said. AT last and tainted.
"As | said, part Of our ceremony had to
be dropped. The victim was not frightened;
he had recognized his father SIX 4leton.
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 halflength
cases, made of pine or walnut, and are ship
ped by express all over the country.
Some skeletons are plain with steel
articulations; others have silver.plated
articulations, and where there is likely to be
no strain the hinge may be made Of silver.
Some of these high.priced skeletons are
carefully polished and glisten in the light of
the lodge room. Fine cases go with high
priced goods"
How high priced? -,
"a fine skeleton, elegarly mounted, will
cost as much as 500. One equally strong
and able to stand the racket OF the goat
attacks may be had for $50" .,
Makes business for the resurectionists? p
mo, it does not These skeletons are all
imported, and are taken from the catacombs
of the old country. There is no tariff, to
protect home industry in skeletons, and we
can import them cheaper than we could dig
them here. The demand is very irregular,
according as an order is spreading or not
They are shipped to all parts of the country
impartially, and are very effective in aweing
fresh candidate for light and instruction.