Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-04-30
NO TOWN KNOCKERS,
How CoryviI|e Got Rid Of a Bunch
of Unprogressives.
THE YOUNG MEN ORGANIZED.
And the Cracking Critics Couldn't
Stand the Ordeal Of Initiation Into
the Mysterious Order of the G. BIS.
A Story of Masks and Spades.

Stand the Ordeal of Initiation Into
the Mysterious Order of the g. BIS.
A Story of Masks and Spades.
There was something doing in Cory
vile. The G. BIS were getting busy.
Who were the G. BIS? Oh, just fol-
low this little story and find out!
For many years Coryville had had
on hand an oversupply of citizens
whose chief activity had to do with
knocking the town. These fellows were
but a small group, only four or five,
but they did harm. Half a dozen mag
gots can spoil the best cheese ever
made. So these town knockers, these
croaking critics, were slowly under
mining the good reputation of Cory
Vile by their incessant chorus of defa-
nation. Nothing suited them. They
opposed every movement for the good
Of the town. They croaked and knock
ed and clamored and hammered when
ever anybody suggested a street i'm
provement, a new building, the organ
ization Of a business mems club or
anything of the sort.
Finally the G. BIS were organized.
OF course they did not take the knock
ers' bunch into their confidence. There
was a reason and a good mt for not
letting the knockers know. The G.
BIS were organized in secret. The
initial meeting was held in an old
abandoned schoolhouse half a mile out
Of town. Grips and passwords and
other secret signs were adopted. Even
a mystic apron was devised, but it
was not to be worn where aprons
usually are worn. 1t was to be tied.
around the head just below the eyes,
thus serving as a mask.
The G. BIS had been in existence
only a month or so, holding their meet
ings every Friday night in the old
schoolhouse, when M Of the knockers
discovered that such a society had
been formed. He straightway notified
his brother knockers. The group met
in a grocery store.
Seems to be something mighty mys-
FERROUS about it, remarked the chief
knocker.
Eyes; can't imagine what they're up
to-" said another. "The society seems
to have thirty or forty members, and
most Of them are the younger element
around town, young business men,"
GLOW did you find that out?" asked
knocker No. 3.
"Why, one of the members told me-"
replied the other.
All Of which was quite true. 1t was
true also that this member had vio-
lated no rule of the G. BIS. He had
been detailed to %acquaint the knockers
with these primary facts concerning
the society. Immediately the knocker
in chief had expressed a desire to at
tend a meeting. He was cordially in
vited along with his brother knockers.
When the five town knockers filed
into the old schoolhouse at the regular
Friday night meeting they found a
most startling a%ssemblage. About for
ty men, with long white %apron-like
masks concealing their faces and
reaching far below their shoulders,
were standing around the walls Of the
chamber, which contained 40 seats.
Every fifth man carried a blazing
torchlight. Many of the others carried
picks, spades and shovels.
The supreme sachem Of the G. BIS
advanced to the group Of visitors and
asked them solemnly if they desired to
be initiated into the order. They re-
piled that they did. How can a mar
knock unless he is Oh the inside? The
chief knocker laughed scornfully as he
assented to the initiation.
"The ordeal is severe" said the SUI
| preme sachem, "but if you survive it
| you are our brethren. Advance. G.
B.'s!!"
Fifteen Of the masked figures ad-
vanced, carrying stout cords. They
quickly bound the hands of the knock
ers behind them and tied the whole
group together with a rope. Then the
torch bearers came. forward, the knock
ers were led outside, the other G. BIS
followed, and the entire party stopped
on the open space back of the school
house. 4,
Without a word the men with picks
UOSdu W 0lS, Tic ouORS1c1o UcSdu "
shovel, while the torch bearers held
their lights high above the group. Aft
er the digging was well under way the
| G. BIS started up a dirgelike song in
doleful voices. Altogether it was an
uncanny scene.
"Wha-what are you fellows up to
anyhow" gasped the chief knocker.
Gentlemen, unmask,' commanded
the supreme sachem. All the G. BIS
unmasked, revealing the fact that they
were the leading young men of Cory
vile. Then the supreme sachem, who
happened to own the grocery store in
which the knockers chiefly knocked,
addressed the candidates for initiation:
1--WE are the Grand Burgers. We are
digging your graves. We have reach
| ed the conclusion that a few first class
funerals are needed in the interest Of
Coryyille, and we have selected you
gentlemen for the honor of furnishing
the raw material. For years you have
knocked and blocked every movement
for the good Of our town, and we have