Western Kansas world., 1886-05-15
MARTYRS TO DIsc1PLNx.

MARTYRs TO DIscIPLINK.
The Sad Fate Of Nineteen Men who Waited
For the Gavel to Fall.
Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph.
The crowd that had gathered at the
engine-house the other evening was sup
plemented by newcomer, and q late
acquisition to the Goosetown population.
He sat and listened to the stories OF the
regulars" some Of which contained IN
dia rubber enough to make them almost
waterproof, at times apparently pleased
with his new acquaintance, while again
his countenance wore puzzled express
sion. The conversation turned upon the
nailers' strike, and one Of the visitors re-
marked: ''The strikers are under excel:
lent discipline; they have been out nine
months, and not one has deserted the
organization, although rare inducements
have been offered to individuals to ac-
cept situations"
The conversation was carried on in the
same strain for perhaps ten or fifteen
minutes, the newcomer having remained
quiet, apparently wondering how the
fireman climbed the brass pole to the
bedchamber above, when he said:
Gentlemen, you fellers ofto-day don't
know nothin' bout discipline. can
remember little instance that occurred
up in York state when I was boy. It
was long in '33 or '34; there was consid-
cradle of a furry in those parts regard
ing the purposes of secret societies, and
it wasn't always policy for member to
apprise the public of his connection with
the Freemasons or Odd Fellows, but the
act didn't seem to keep either order from
increasing, and a lodge of Odd Fellows
had been organized so secretly that the
uninitiated were in perfect ignorance of
it's existence. They had secured an un-
used attic over store in an old building
and converted it into hall. Twenty
men, all heads of families with one ex-
ception, formed the membership of new
lodge. The sessions were generally held
after the villagers had retired to their
slumber. One August morning the old
storekeeper opened the front door, to
find the body of a man, who was we'll
known, stretched upon the pavement. A
regalia of some kind was lying beside
him. An examination showed that his
neck was broken, but as there was no
person in the place that knew the mean
ing of the paraphernalia found with the
body, it was regarded with suspicion. 1t
was noticed that nineteen men of the vii
lage did not appear at the funeral, nor
did they ever return. They were mourn
ed for years by as many widows, and
finally referred to only by the oldest
residents, who lived in hope of one day
seeing the mystery solved. Aquarter of
a century after the finding of the body
on the street the old storeroom was torn
down to make room for more commo-
dious structure. Workmen we're engag-
ed in removing the roof when they dis
covered lot of skeletons. It was at first
thought the place had been used as dis
secting room at one time, but investiga-
ton showed that every skeleton was still
erect, the clothing had moldered
away, and The flesh been devoured by
worms, nothing apparently remaining to
explain the circumstance, until book
of the proceedings of the lodge was found
lying on box. 1t was plain enough
then, the lodge was about to close when
the presiding officer had accidentally fall
len backward through the open window
in the gable-it was he that had been
found on the pavement years before; the
grinning skeletons represented
The members still waiting for the gavel
10 fall, not having noticed the accident.
They were martyrs to discipline, gentle
men," said the newcomer, as he spat
put huge quid of tobacco and startee for
nome.
The regulars are deiberatiny as to the
wisdom of allowing the aged liar to be-
come one of their number, with the
chances about even in his favor.