Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-10-02
bRAY|NG DOG A N D
HOOT|NG OWL WARN
OF XII KLUX MEETING
ONE THOUSAND KLANSMEN SEEN
SATURDAY NIGHT IN FIELD
NEAR STARVED ROCK STATE
T. PARK-2oo CANDIDATES INIT.
ATED INTO MYSTERY OF
ORDER.

ORDER.
In the distance the bray of a dog
split the stiffness of the night From
an oak that stood silent sentry near
by came the who-oo-o.o Of an owl
calling to its mate to be ON guard
against man foe whose antics We're
all wierd and strange 10 him. Above
from cloudless sky cleaned white
silvery moon. The occasional whir-
r.r.r of a night hawks wings as 1t
scared in the still ether furnished ac-
compartment TO the bowling canine
and the screaming owl.
In the very center of Il field which
in daytime is given over 10 the peace
full munchings of bovine and noble
steed stood an object atlame. Us
glow not only lighted the pasture but
made shadows far back into the skirt
ing timber, through which skunk hare
and fox bent on pursuits known only
10 wild things. As though they felt
the mystery of the unknown, birds
from their nests occasionally chirped
an alarm.
AS though gripped IN common fear
and seeking protection one from the
other, denizcns of the forest seemed
to draw nearer together to muster all
force of the woodland army against a
common antagonist, whose like they
had never before laid eye upon.
Around the flame which threw a
light to the far reaches and made
fanciful shapes on the dew covered
sward. havCred white objects that
moved here AID there. The squirrel
from his point of vantage at the tip
OF an overhanging oak limb discerned
the white things TO be men in cos
tune. Little OF the men were yisi-
Bile, but there was much white
enough to cover them from the top OF
their heads 20 tho bottom OF their feet
Els estimated that fully thousand
of them were around that thing Of
fire. Nearer it and on their knees
were 200, he estimated not dressed in
white. They appeared to the SPUR
rel as being bent in solemn submis-
sion to some rules or other, and Occa-
sionally he would hear the chanting
Il will" and II do, indicating to his
cunning mind that an oath or obliga-
ton was being administered those
men he knew to be dressed like the
huntsman whose gun he had carefully
avoided only the day before.
Then one OF the assembled host
arose and for an hour or more he
talked in language neither the SPUR
rel, the braying dog nor the hooting
owl understood. Ripples that sound
or like waters playing through the
canyons moved through the white
robes, who now were seated on the
ground listening intcntly to what the
speaker said
To the beasts of the brush and the
birds OF the air the awe inspiring as
semblage meant nothing other thai
something TO whet their wariness and
be on -he lookout against their com
mon enemy-man.
To people of La Sale county who
have been following goblinism and
kleageIism for some weeks it meant
another gathering Of the Ku KluX
Khan and the initiation of a second
large class of candidates. all Of them
novitites in the ways of the klan3
men.
The man who had arised among the
gathered hosts was Rev. Sam Camp
bell of Atlanta Ga, brought here to
address the Ku Klux meeting and ac-
ceptance of 200 novCes into the myS-
terry of the order. The meeting was
held Saturday night at a lonely spot
just south Of Starved Rock State
Ilap VII in lu cd
for its secluSion and safety against in
truders. The flaming thing was the
flaring cross used by the khan in its
limitations Focusing their glow upon
the candidates We're 200 automobiles
all drawn up in circle formation. Be
yond the pale of the light sinking fig
ures moved here and there to prevent
eavesdroppers from interfering with
the meeting
The braying of the dog was proof
of a faithful canine on watch doing
his duty. His farseeing eyes had
noted the thing afiame in the field and
he howled his alarm.
Having issued his call the dog after
a while ceased his cries The owl, I
wearied by the glare against his great
big orbits, fluttered away into the
night The squirrel craWled back
to his mate in the waiting nest, and |
the fox and hare, still Sinking on,
went about their different tasks
Tho dog. unmindful of how well he /
had performed his service to the mas |
ter, is responsible for this story get /
ting out The master, unbeknownst /
to the white robes, stealthily advanced /
to point of vantage, where he saw
all without being seen.