Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-07-11
10 TOWN KNOCKERS.
How CoryviIIe Got Rid of a Bunch
of Unprogressives.
THE YOUNG MEN ORGANIZED.
End the Croakine Critics Couldn't
Stand the Ordeal Ct Initiation Into
the Mysterious Order of the G. BIS.
Story Of Masks and Spades.

the Mysterious Order of the G. B.'s.
a Story Of Masks and Spades.
There was something doing in Cory
Vile. The G. B.'s were getting busy
no were the G.. BIS? oh, just fol
lpv this little story ana find out!
For many years Coryvillc had had
N hand an ovcrSupply of citizens
WhoHr chief activity had to do with
knocking the town. These fellows were
but small group. only four or five,
lat they did harm. Half Il dozen mag
%otS can Spoi! the best cheese ever
made. SO these town knockers, these
rrolking critics, were slowly under
mining the good reputation of Cory
vile by their inccSSamt chorus of dcfa-
nation. Nothing suited them. They
opposed every movement for the gOOl
of the town. They croallcd and knock
cd and clam 2rcd and hammered when
ever anybody suggested Il street i'm
provcment Il new building, the organ
iZation of Il business mems club or
anything of the sort.
OF course they did not take the knock
cr:;' bunch into their confidence. There
was a reason and Il good one for not
letting the knockers know. The G.
B.'S We're organized in secret The
initial meeting was held in an Old
abandoned SchoolhouSc half a mile out
of town. Grips and passwords and
other secret signs were adopted. Even
mystic apron was devised, but it
was not to be worn where aprons
usually are worn. 1t was to be tied
around tn" head just below the eyes,
thus serving as Il mask.
The G. B.'s had been in existence
only n month or 50, holding their meet
ingS every Friday night in the Old
,choOhouSc when ON" of the knockers
discovered that such Il society had
been formed He Straightway notified
his brother knockers. The group met
in q grocery store.
seems to he something mighty mys-
tcrious about it," remarked the chief
knockcr.
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"
"IIow did YOU find that out?" asked
knOckcr No. >.
'.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 til Sc primary facts concerning
the society. Immediately the knocker
In chief had expressed desire to at
tend Il meeting. He was cordially In
vftcd along with his brother knockers.
When the five town knockers filed
into the old schoolhouse at the regular
Friday night meeting they found IA
most startling asSemblage. About for
ty men, with long white apron-like
masks concealng their faces and
reaching far below their shoulders,
were standing around the walls of the
chamber, which contained no seats.
Every fifth man carried blazing
torchlicht Many of the others carried
picks. spades and Shovels.
The supreme Sachcm of the G. BIS
advanced to the group of visitors and
asked them Solcmnly If they desired to
be initiated into the order. They re-
piled that they did. How can a man
knock unless he is on the inside? The
chief knockcr laughed scornfully as he
aSScntcI to the initiation.
THE ordeal is severe" said the su-
prrmc sachcm, but if you survive it
YOU are our brethren. Advance, G.
Rs"
Fifteen of the masked figures adj
vanCcd. carrying stout cords. They
quickly bound the hands of the knock
crS behind them and tied the whole
group together with rope. Then the
torch bearers came forward, the knock
erS We're led outside, the other q. BIS
followed, and the entire party stopped
on the open space back of the school
house.
Without Il word the men with picks
began to dl%, the ShOvelers began to
shovel while the torch bearers held
their lights high above the group. Aft
er the digging was well under way the
G.. B.'S started up dirgelike song in
dolcful voices. Altogether 1t was an
uncanny scene.
"Wha- what are you fellows up to
anyhow" gaspcd the chief knockcr.
"Gcntlcmcn, unmask," commanded
the supreme Sachcm. All the G. BIS
unmaSkcd, 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 tho knockers chiefly knocked,
addressed the candidates for initiation:
I'VE 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
COryVilc. 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
decided that COryville can get along
without you. However. we are going
TO give you chance. If you will
promise SOlCmnly to boost and not to
knock hereafter. you may take your
own time and die natural deaths. But
always remember that the Grand Bury
els have the tools and that we can
dig"
Coryville has no knockers now.
BURR JOYCE.