The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-06-27
He KNOCKED OUT THE VET.
A Tale Which Paralys,d oarful o.
Pecpa
Awful Ordeal Through Which M,n Had to
Pass ia Order to Become Member Of g
Famous Old New York clab

at occurred, about fifteen year:
ago" said the old gentleman. after
looking about the car to see if every.
body was listening attentively. ION
the evening that became n member
OF the famous old Eastern Boulevard
club. was warned before entered
the club house which was the old
Randall mansion at the foot of One
Hundred and Twcnty-tirst straet and
Harlem River. that the initiation GER
emonics were Very severe, and was
told that it WAS not too late even then
to back ont, but my nerve was in very
fine order in those days. and / ill.,
disnantiy told my compaaioa; to go
to-.
They knocked three times with
great solemnity at the big front door.
and we wero ushered by n sturdy
negro attired in fantastic GARD ~,
hall lighted only by Il few canJ
lined with portraits Of fcrocieu
ing IEdian chiefs. w
iial, tOtt,
here{ aud when had done 50. 1 iooA
up TO ind my companions gone AL
the words Enter here dancing
phosphoreseent light upon curtain
my LEFT must own that began
feel just bit nervous then. but
cXer'ed all M will power. brush,
aside the curtain and found myself
long. hish-celingad room. standin.
before Il host OF figures garbed in black
gowns With skulls and cross bones
embroidered upon the breasts in white
and wearing black musks and towering
white sugar loaf hats. An unearthly
'lia, ha, that seemed to echo and ring
about the ratiers with tiendish per-
slstency, greeted my appearance. and
Then all grew quiet lis the grave again,
and not ii word WAS spoken or Il mo-
ton made b. any one for at least five
minutes.
Then the tallcst figure in the crowd
stepped toward Inc and. after putting
q number OF questions to me regarding
my desire to Join the club and threat
ening me with several kinds of death
If lever revealed its secrets. he handed
me Il pine board about three feet long
by one foot wide. that was studded
from end to end with eXauisitelv
sharp and glittering steel spikes somo
ten inches in length. had toscarfv
this board three times around the hail,
while the crowd followed me, chanting
Il most horrible dirge, and then wis
led TO the middle of the floor and told
to put the spiked board at Il my feet.
SO. and, rs Strengthened up, a band
age was slipped over my eyes. my
hands were strapped behind me, ropa
was slipped around my waist. and be-
fore had time to think, | felt myself
being rapidly hoisted in the air. My
tormentors kindly stopped hoisting .;
my head touched the ceiling. and -
swung helplessly there, they ~
song that described tie style
prepared for ME and the variety
flowers that We're to be planted aboSN
my head.
"All ut once the bandage was twitch-
ed from my eyes the rope began to
slacken and down came with fearful
rapidity fairly and sauarcly upon the
glistening spikes. [Great commo,ion
in the car and one lady audibly says:
The nrntes. They say my screams
rs fell were heard ut II .rlcm bridge
and l have no doubt they were"
Here the old gentleman stopped to
wipe tear from his left eye aad sew
eral OF his auditors moved unc6mfort-
ably in their seats.
"l'ut, man alive" said the veteran.
''Eow did you eve" recover from Your
injuries You must have been half
killed
''oh no, said the story teller, as he
rose to get ont at the Fourteenth street
station, Il #as MT hart Il bit. because,
you see. the b,ys ht1 replaced the
steel spiked board while | was blind
folded with Il b,arl that looked pre-
cisc!y like it. bI. in which the spike,
were made of rubber. Coca mornine."
Tho veteran shook his fist ut the old
gentleman rs h.. sto III on the platform
and laughed. anl sijenrc broolel over
the car dnlin" the rest of the journey.