The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-05-28
NO TOWN KNOCKERS,
How coryyille Got Rid Of a Bunch
OF Unprogressiyes.
THE YOUNG MEN ORGANIZED.

Ard ,hs crostino Critics Couldn't
stans ths Ordeal 81 lnaissien lnie
+ the kSstsricgs Order Of the G. B.'s,
a siery a. Masks ard Spades
There was something doing 10 Cory
vile. The @. BIS were getting busy.
who were the @. B'sf oh, Just fol.
low this little story and find out
For many years CoryyIlle had had
% band an oyenupply o. citizens
whose chief activity had to do With
knocking the town These fellows were
but small group, only four or nye
but they dld harm. Half dozen mag
gois can spoil the best cheese ever
made. SO these town knockers, these
eroaklng 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
% The town They croaked and knock
cd and clamored and hammered when
ever anybody suggested street i'm
proyement. new building, the organ
izatlon OF business mems club or
anything Of the sort a
Finally the @. B.'s We're organized.
OF course they did not take the knock
ers' bunch into their confidence. There
was a reason and good one for not
letting the knockers know. The G,
rs were organized IN secret The
initial meeting was held in an old
abandoned schoolhouse half mile out
Of town. Grips aud passwords and
other secret signs were adopted. Even
mystic apron was devised, but II
was not TO be worn where aprons
usually are worn. IL was to he tied
around the head just below the eyes,
thus serving as mask.
The G. BIS had been in existence
only month or so, holding their meet
ings every Friday night in the old
sehoolhouse, when one OF the knockers
discovered that such n society had
been formed He straightway notified
his brother knockers. The group met
In grocery store.
Seems to be something mighty mys-
terious about It," remarked the chief
knocker.
yes; 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"
"Iow did you find that outT' asked
knockcr 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 yio-
lated no rule of the G. BIS. He had
been detailed to acqualnt the knockers
with these primary facts concerning
the society. Immediately the knocker
in chief had expressed desire to at
tend meeting He was cordially IN
vited along with his brother knockers.
When the five town knockers filed
into the old schoohouse at the regular
Friday night meeting they found a
most startling assemblage. About for
ty men, with long white apron-iike
masks conceallng their faces ana
reaching far below their shoulders,
were standing around the walls OF the
chamber, which contained no seats,
Every fifth man carried blazing
torchllght. Many of the others carried
picks, spades and shovels.
The supreme sachem Of the G, BIS
advanced to the group of visitors ana
asked them solemnly If they desired 10
be initiated into the order. They re-
piled That they did. How can man
knock unless he Is Oh the insidef 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, u.
B.'st'
Fifteen of the masked figures adj
vanced carrying stout cords. Ihey |
quickly bound the hands Of the knock
ers behind them and tied the whole
group together with 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.
Without a word the men with picks
began TO dig, the shoyelers began TO
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 dlrgellke song In
doleful voices. Altogether 1t was an
uncanny scene.
"Wha.what are you fellows up to
anyhowY' 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:
"We are the Grand Burgers. We are
digging your graves. We have reach
ed the conclusion that 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
Tor III good Of our TO wn, and we have
decided that Coryyille can along
without you. However we are gong
TO give you chance. II You VIII
promise solemnly TO boost and not to
knock hereafter. you may take your
own time and die natural deaths. But
always remember that the Grand Bury
ers have the tools and that we can
dig
Coryyille has no knockers now
BURR JOYCE.