The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-04-28
CROSS THE HOT SANDS
kaaba Temple, Of Davenport, lniti-
ates a Large Glass into the Order
of the Mystic Shrine.

of the Mystic Shrine.
Friday was gala day for the Mystic
Shriners in this city, the occasion being
visit to Leon of the officers and num-
ber of members of Kaaba Temple of
Davenport, who escorted class Of
thirty-eight candidates across the burn
ing sands of the desert, the ceremony
being witnessed by a number of
Shriners from neighboring cities.
The Davenport Shriners arrived on
the early morning train, having char
tered a special Pullman sleeper for the
trip and a special baggage car brought
the camels and other paraphernalia used
in the initiation of the candidates.
Bright and early the visitors were on
the streets and were easily distinguish
ed by the red fez which is worn by every
Shriner. The visitors made fine APP
pearance, it being common comment
that a finer body of men never visited
the city of Leon.
On account of the Davenport Shriners
having to return home on the evening
train it was necessary to hold the cere-
monial in the afternoon, Van Werden's
opera house being engaged for the occa-
sion. All forenoon the visitors were
engaged in taking mysterious packages
and parcels to the hall. which inspired
grave forebodings in the minds of the
anxious candidates, who were kept in
the dark as to their contents, but before
the ceremonial was finished every one
had had full opportunity to personally
inspect each piece of the apparatus and
were fully satisfied with their inspec-
tion.
The class in this city numbered
thirty-eight candidates and was one of
the largest classes which Kaaba Temple
has ever worked on outside of the
classes in their home temple. The work
was commenced promptly at o'clock,
and was carried through with rush,
being finished shortly after o'clock.
While the candidates were being pre-
pared for the ceremonial the visitors
were entertained with some fine music
in the balcony Of Hotel Leon by a
Leon orchestra, under the direction of
Mrs. G. E. Gardner, and Mrs. Gardner
and Miss Louise Waight also sang
couple of fine vocal duets.
OF course the work of the initiation
was all secret and we are sorry we can
not give our readers the full details,
but every candidate who took the work
can vouch for the statement that it is
something very fine, and the sands
which they trod in crossing the desert
before reaching Mecca were consider
able hotter than anything they ever
trod before, and each one got the full
worth Of the money they paid for the
privilege of becoming Shriner.
The novices which made up the class
which was transformed into full fledged
hpin hat so1 o1i
ed was composed as follows:
Leon-E. E. Bell, DR.. F. A. Bowman,
Ell. Brown, A. Biddison, Capt. ]. D.
Brown, D. A. Buell., ". r. Eliinwood,
r. A. Gardner, j. A. Harris, James F.
Harvey, O. E. Hull, II. l.. Long, w. E.
Myers, DIR. j. W. Rowell, b. o. Springer,
Marion f. Stookey.
Mt. Myr-Dr. S. Bailey, r. A. Barchus,
D. G. Currie, j. O. Fry, H. A. Fuller,
Curtis Haas, ]. N. Lineburg, d. B. Mar
shall, ]. S. Shepherd.
Lineville-Dr. G. B. Calbreath, 7. F.
King, DIR. l. NJ. .ovett.
Creston-J. l.. Farthing, r. E. Agnew.
Chariton-G. G.. Taylor.
Davis City-Dr. ]. III. Wales.
Maloy-M. H. Sans.
KeIlerton-Reuben Sheldon.
Blockton-Asa Terrill.
ST. Louis-J. e. Penniwell.
In addition to the members who came
from Davenport to do the work there
were number of visiting Shriners to
witness the ceremonial, as follows:
avenport-Illustrious Potentate Ira
r. Tabor, John Toller, W. H. Forrest,
Sam T. White, w. r. Johnson, G. ].
Brown, NJ. S. Heagy, f. r. Geisler, l.. f.
Cralle, G. A. Gould, Henry jaeger, f. r.
Harrington, Claus Stollenburg, John
Hageboeck, r. H. Kincaid, w. ii. ReclS,
j. p. Volkens, w. Il. Fidlar, H. A. Kellogg,
w. A. Scharnweber, A. l.. Richards, A. r.
Paul.
.Osceola-L. W. Londen, S. r. Babb,
W. w. Rarick, e. e. Rarick, U. S. Bond,
r. L. Guches.
Chariton-G. G. Fancher, J. c. Cope
land, w. K. Farmer.
Creston-Carl Davenport.
Keokuk j. w. Hood, Harry w. Talbert.
Des Moines-W. A. Tucker, w. H.
Healy.
Corning-A. M. Beymer.
Moulton--C M. Marshall.
Ottumwa-L. M. Campbell.
Lineville &C. G. Austin.
Davis City. N. Gates.
Pleasanton-J. e. Leeper.
Leon-Dr. Fl. r. Layton, W. A. Brown,
G. A. Long.
After the conclusion of the secret
work the Shriners marched to the Dorm
building on the north side of the square
where they were served with an elabo-
rate banquet by the ladies of the Christ
ian church. At the banquet w. A.
Brown acted as toastmaster, and while
the members were mainly occupied with
the good viands served they took time
for few short toasts, DR.. S. Bailey, Of
Mt. Ayr, j. E. Penniwell, Of ST. Louis,
A. r. Paul and W. r. Fidlar, of Daven-
port, and James r. Harvey, of Leon, re-
/, spending and each had something to say
which was duly appreciated by those
: who were on the inside. While the ban
quet was being served Miss Gretchen
Myers sang several beautiful solos, her
singing being a source of great pleasure
to the banqueters. She was accom-
nanied on the niano by her mother Mrs