hile in Bradford, I became acquainted with many members of the Royal
Order of Ante-diluvian Buffaloes. A lodge was held at the Hope and Anchor
Inn, and the meetings were attended by many professional gentlemen,
including Wallett, the Queen's jester, at times. Before I left Bradford I
was made a "primo" of the lodge. Back to Keighley again, I found that a
Shakspeare Lodge of "Buffs" was held at the Ship Inn. The saying is,
"Once a Buff., always a Buff.," and I at once allied myself with the
lodge in my native town. During my office as primo I initiated upwards of
200 members, among whom I may mention Mr James Walsh, the late Mr David
Hudson, Mr Joseph Town, Mr John Fortune, and Mr James Blakey. Being the
only officer who could initiate a member, I "had my hands full," and I at
last decided to communicate with the Bradford lodge as to the
installation of a few primos in Keighley. Accordingly, several primos
came down one Sunday afternoon and installed half-a-dozen primos; so that
for the future I was relieved of much work in connection with the lodge.
There is one very laughable incident I have to chronicle. The townspeople
had got across with a certain gentleman, of whom Alfred Harris and I made
an elaborate effigy, which we intended to burn. It was a beautiful
looking figure and no mistake. We took the effigy to the lodge-room until
such time as we required it, hanging it behind the door. One night the
landlord (Mr Patrick McShee) had occasion to go into the lodge-room; he
knew nothing about the effigy, and as soon as the poor landlord saw the
"figure of a man hanging himself behind the door," he gave a series of
the most weird and penetrating howls. It was not long before he was
downstairs, and asking his wife in an excited voice, "Does ta know whoa
wor at t'last lodge meetin' an' didn't cum dahnstairs?" "Noa," said his
wife, "What's up?" "Ther's somebody hung thersel a back o' t' door," said
the trembling landlord. "Oh! nonsense," said Mrs McShee. Nevertheless,
she went up into the room; and fine fun there was, you bet, when it was
discovered that the "man" was a dummy. The incident caused unlimited
amusement for the customers, but the landlord was not able to appreciate
the fun, and, indeed, was some weeks before he got over the shock.

CHAPTER XXIII

A TRAMP INTO LANCASHIRE

After a short stay in Keighley, my roving nature again asserted itself,
and I set off on a tramping expedition, with two companions,