The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1917-12-21

\
able to comprehend Sans silent with
drawal, and, instead of summonina
him back for further questions, she
waited uptil he was out of hearing and
then began to laugh.
Sans action was in obedience to one
of the rules adopted, at his own sug
gestion, as law of the order. Penrod
advocated 1t warmly. From Margaret
he had heard accounts of her friends
in college and thus had learned much
that ought to be DONE On the 9th
hand, Herman subscribed to it with
luctance, expressing decided opinion
that II he and Verman were questioned
upon the matter at bone and adopted
the line of conduct required by the
new rule, 1t would be well for them to
depart not only from the room In
which the questioning took place but
from the house, and hurriedly at that
"An' stay away!" he concluded.
Verman, being tongue-tied-not with.
out advantage in this case, and surely
an ideal qualification for membership
was not so apprehensive. He voted
with Sam and Penrod, carrying the
day.
New rules were adopted at every
meeting Though it cannot be said that
all Of them were practicable) for, in
addition to the information possessed
by Sam and Penrod, Herman and Yer
man had many ideas of their, own,
founded upon remarks overheard at
nome. Both their parents belonged to
secret orders, their father to the In
napenent 'Nevolent lodge ESQ stated by
Herman) and their mother to the Or
der of White Doves.
From these and other sources, Pen
rod found no difficulty in compiling
material for what came to be known
as the "rixual;" and it was the ritual
he was reading to the members when
Mrs. Williams happened to observe
the ceremonial raising of the emblem
of the order.
The ritual contained the oath, a key
to the secret language, or code (de-
vised by Penrod for use in uncertain
emergencies), and passwords for adj
mission to the shack, also instructions
for recognizing a brother member in
the dark, and rather alarming sketch
of the things to be done during the
initiation of candidate.
This last was employed for the bene-
fit of Master Roderick Magsworth
Bits, Jr., on the Saturday following
the flag-raising. He presented himself
in Sans yard, not for initiation, in
deed-having no previous knowledge
of the Society of the In-Or-In-but for
general purposes Of sport and pastime
AT first sight Of the shack he expressed
anticipations Of pleasure, adding some
suggestions for improving the archi-
tectural effect. Being prevented, how
ever, from entering, and even from
standing in the vicinity of the sacred
building, he plaintively demanded an
explanation; whereupon he was com.
manded to withdraw to the front yard
for time, and the members held meet
ing in the shack. Roddy was elected,
and consented to undergo the initia-
ton.
He was not the only new member
that day. A short time after Roddy
had been taken into the shack for the
reading Of the ritual and other cere-
monies, little Maurice Levy entered the
Williams gate and strolled round to
the backyard, looking for Sam. He was
surprised and delighted to behold the
promising shack, and, like Roddy, en-
tertained fair hopes for the future.
The door of the shack was closed !:
board covered the window, but a
murmur of voices came from within.
Maurice stole close and listened.
Through crack he could see the flick
er Of candle-flame, and he heard the
voice of Penrod Schofield:
"Roddy Bits, do you solemnly
swear?"
"Well, all right" said the voice of
Roddy, somewhat breathless.
"How many fingers you see before
your eyes?"
"Can't see any," Roddy returned.
SLOW could I, with this thing over my
eyes, and laying down on my STUN
mick, anyway"
"Then the time has come" Penrod
announced in solemn tones. 1.-THE time
has come"
Whack!
Evidently a broad and fiat imple-
ment was thereupon applied to Roddy.
"Ow!" complained the candidate.
"No noise % said Penrod sternly, and
added: "Roddy Bits must now say
the oath. Say exackly what I say,
Roddy, and If you don't-well, you bet
ter, because you'll see! Now, say 4
solemnly swear"
81 solemnIy swear" said Roddy.
'"To keep the secrets"