When Casey Joined the Lodge

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Casey is being initiated into a new order. The members remove the blindfold, he glances around, surprised and bewildered, and is given the different signals and signs. While the attention of his fellow-members is diverted for a moment, Casey leans carelessly against a barrel marked "gunpowder," lights his pipe and drops the match. A terrific explosion follows, the members are thrown all about and a fearful gap is made in the wall. The next day Casey meets his chum Riley and commences giving the signals. Riley is disgusted and pokes fun at his fellow-countryman, particularly at an old hat which Casey is wearing. Casey thereupon starts for the Bowery and at "Halloran's" purchases an "Eight-Day" hat for $1.90. He struts in and down the street, and is just passing Dunlap's when he sights Riley coming toward him. Casey jumps into the doorway and steps out just as his friend is passing, and almost paralyzes him by telling him that his hat is a Dunlap. They start for a saloon and emerge a little full. At Riley's home Mrs. R. is setting the table as the two men enter. She has no candle for light and her husband is sent for one. He spies a store, in the window of which is displayed a sign: "Pin-wheels, skyrockets and Roman candles." He buys one of the latter and starts for home. As he is about to enter he lights the candle and it goes off: the light from it discloses his friend Casey making love to his wife. This is a cue for a fight. The two men are soon at each other and in the mix-up fall down stairs rudely awakening a policeman, who is taking a nap in the doorway. He arrests Riley and takes him off to the station-house where the injured man is fined $10. Another scene at the lodge room. The different members arc in attendance. A new member is led in and put through the degrees. When the blindfold is removed the new member proves to be Riley, and he and Casey continue their fight. Riley grabs a brick and soaks Casey on the head. A knock at the door stops the disturbance and another applicant is brought in and initiated. The bandage being removed discloses a coon. Riley throws a stick of dynamite under the chair, the colored gent goes up through the ceiling and into the clouds. By a peculiar coincidence lie descends through the roof of his own home, landing on a chair at the table, and goes right on eating as if nothing had happened. Riley now proceeds to the station-house, into which he throws another stick of dynamite and the officers fly skyward, Riley with them. The trouble-maker descends first, lands in the lodge room, where Casey stands face to face with him. They renew their fight and are hard at it when the cops fall through the lodge room, arrest all hands and drag them off.