The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-25
order of BunaIoes.


prairies Of the Great West, but the herds
have DISAPPEARED before the greed of the
American hide-butchr, leaving only few
remnants here and there TO tell the tale
/ of slaughter. But now a strange thing
happens. The effacement Of the quad
ruped is followed by a mushroom growth
/ of biped herds, and the common noun des-
! ignation becomes proper, the initial let
ters rising from lower case to capital
| The Order Of Exalted Buffaloes was start
| ed in the bar under the House of Repre-
sentatives in Washington by some news
paper correspondents who had visited the
| city Of Buffalo in 1900 to look over the
site chosen for the Pan-American Exhi-
bition. Elliott Woods, superintendent OF
the national capitol. claims the credit of
having offered the suggestion, which was
taken up by the Gridironers. fed water
ed, nursed and developed into the order,
which has to-day no less than 5000
members
The brightest men in the city of Buffalo
soon laid claim to the order, and spelled
the plural without the "e'-thus Bufa-
los. But the national body clings to
Buffaloes. Which is right? There are no
lodge-rooms. no formal meetings of this
populous fraternal organization, and the
accepted ritual has variations which are
supposed to adapt II TO the conditions
prevailing in the particular communities
affected. The titles Of officers differ in
toto In Buffalo the head OF the order
is Chief Hi XII" and the general sec
rotary, Keeper of the Beans" In Wash
ington these titles are Supreme Warden
of the Great Horned Golden Spoon" and
Knight Razmataz of the Skewaddle."
The Order of Buffaloes is responsible
for the startling increase Of the number
of left-handed men. Whereas a year ago
nearly all men lifted a glass to their lips
with their right hands, to-day the great
majority use their left. This is a rule of
the Order, and its infraction is visited
with severe penalties. Any Buffalo catch
ing another drinking from glass held
in the right hand is privileged to exclaim
Buffalo, whereupon the culprit is re-
quired to treat at the bar every MEM
Der Of the herd who happens to be within
the sound of his voice. In some herds a
fine Of IL cents is also imposed for each
violation, the money thus collected being
devoted to charity.
Wherever five or more Buffaloes are
gathered together meeting may be held
and resolutions passed for the appropria-
ton of funds to charity. The Washington
herd, for example, tablished a bank in
Shoomaker's cafe, well known to all the
world, and in it were deposited all initia-
tion fees and fines. One evening a poor
woman entered the place begging. Half
a dozen Buffaloes were against the bar
taking night-caps, and one more inquisi-
tive than his fellows, made inquiries of
the unfortunate creature concerning her
past. She said she was the widow Of
former government clerk, whose death
had left her and three little children IN
direst poverty. Unable to find employ
ment of any kind she had been forced TO
I
name of her husband, whereat another
/ Buffalo exclaimed: "Her story must be
! truel / knew her husband well, and he
was a worthy man. Buffaloes, come TO
| order" meeting was held, at which
resolutions were adopted voting the con-
| tents of the "bank to the widow. The
sum of $17.31 was found on deposit. and
the woman went her way blessing the Ex-
| allied order of Bufaloes.
l hate to confess it, but truth is mighty
and will prevail Some Buffaaoes, instead
| of depositing the initiation fee received
| from noYitiates in the bank for charity.
retain it for the payment of their own
| fines. This practice is frowned on. The
| favored manner of initiating a new MEM
Der is to escort him to the bar which
| happens to be the official seat of any par
| ticular herd and order him to close his
l. fist. Then in the grave language of an
| impromptu ritual he is reminded of the
| resemblance between the closed fist and
! the head of a buffalo, and enjoined TO bear
! this resemblance in mind aud mediate
| upon the solemn lessons to be drawn
| from the similarity. The fee of II cents
is demanded. it being understood that no
change Is to be returned. Some novtiates
have been caught with nothing less than
a five-doNar bin in their pockets. In re-
| spectacle herds all this goes into the bank
| for charity. The victims mediation is
shortly interrupted by the injunction that
the doubted fist be knocked three times
upon the bar. at which signal the barten-
| der leaves all other business and hurries
to the place OF initiation, with the re-
mark. what will you have gentlemen
1t is not regarded as permissible for
members of secret orders to urge friends
and acquaintances to join a lodge and
the sending of proposition must be at
tended with marked dignity and formal
ity. But with the Buffaloes these mat
tiers are devoid Of reserve. Meeting an Old
or new acquaintance a member may ask,
Are you a Buffalo?" and If the answer
is in the affirmative the right and left
grips are exchanged. If the person in
terrogated is not member he is immedi-
ately invited to Join. Yesterday a fine
old gentleman, being asked to join, re-
marked. "Ah, you can't catch this chick
en-" The Buffalo wanted to know what
he meant. The whole thing is put up
job to get II cents said the old chap.
Il know all about 1t, and you can't fool
me- There was Buffalo in here little
while ago. and he admitted that he had
made over 81 in one day initiating people
in the order. Oh. mol You don't get me
into the Buffaaoesw All Buffaloes in good
standing are called upon to stamp out this
highly repreh ensible practice