Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-25
NO TOWN KNOCKERS.
How coryville Got Rid of Bunch of
Unprouressives.

Unproqressives.
There was something doing in Cory.
vile. The G.. BIS were getting busy
Who Wee 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 Go 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
cracking critics, We're 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 ana clanored and hammered when
ever anybody suggested Il street i'm.
provement, Il new building, the organ
izatlon of n 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 reason and Il good one for not
letting the knockers know. The &.
BIS We're organized in secret. Tie
initial meeting was held in an old
abandoned schoolhouse half a mile out
of town. Grips and assWords and
other secret signs were adopted. Even
a mystic apron was devised, but Ii
- IL
usually are worn. 1t was to be tied
around the head just below the eyes.
thus seryia Ing as mask.
The G.. BIS had been in existence
oalya month or so. holding their meet
ingS every Friday night in tire old
schoolhouse, when one of the Knockers
discovered that such 4 society had
been formed. He straightway notified
his brother knockers. The group met
in Il grocery store.
Seems to he something mighty mys-
terious. about it, remarked the chief
knockcr.
Yes; cant imagine what they're up
to- said another. '"The society seems
to have thirty or forty members. and
lllOSt VI ttiClll al 4 TIC y OC-is9et tlttliNu'
around town. young business Fen
How did you find that out?" asked
knoeker No. 3.
WHY, one of the members told me, -
replied the other.
All of which was quite true. It was
true also that this member had VIC
lated no rule OF the G.. BIS. He had
49, INT no lore
with thee primary facts concerning
the society. Immediately the knocker
In chief had expressed a desire to at
tend meeting He was cordially III
vited along with his brother Knockers.
When the five town knockers filed
into the old schoolhouse 1T the regular
Friday night meeting they found a
most startling: Gsseinblage.. About for
ty men. with long White aproa-!ike
masks conceaIing their faces and
reaching far below their shoulders
were standing around the walls of the
chamber, which contained no seats
Every fifth man carried n blazing
torchIight Many OF the others carried
picks. spades and shovels.
The supreme saehem of the G. BIS
advanced to the group of visitors and
asked them solenlnly if they desired te
he Initiated into the order. They re
piled that they did. How can mar
knock unless he is on the inside? TlN
cIief knocker laughed scornfully as hi
assented to the initiation.
''1'lre ordeal is severe" said the su
prelne sachein, "but if you survive i
you are our brethren. Advance, G
BIS"
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 rope. Then tn
torch bearers came forward, the knock
ers were led outside, the other G. b.