Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-09-08
wOMAN's CURIOSITY

| week De1Ore last, tne DTetHfeu vi TIC
: Lodge of Odd Fellows at Woodstown, n. j.,
determined to have their Hall swept out
and cleaned, when it was unanimously re-
solved, that Mrs. Keep Secret, should be
called upon to do the job.
After the lamplighter, who well knew
the inquisitive character of Mrs. Keep Sc
cret, went and procured monstrous Billy
goat, and placed it in closet which was
kept as reservoir for all secret things, he
then proceeded to the domicil of the good
lady, informed her of the job of cleaning
and sweeping the Hall; and requested her
TO come early next morning, as he would
be at leisure to show her what was to be
done.
The morning came, and with it, Madame
Keep Secret appeared according to prom
Use, with her brooms, brushes, pals, tubs,
sc. Door keeper in waiting for her.
Now, madam, said the mischievous door
keeper, l will tell you what we want done,
and how we come to employ you.
One of the brethren said it would be
difficult to get any body to do the job, who
would not be meddling with our secrets in
that closet, because we've lost the key and
can't lock it. I assured them that you
could be trusted, and so they ordered me
to call on you, as knew you could be de-
pended upon.
"Depend upon," says Madam, 81 guess l
can, my poor dead and gone husband, who
belonged to the Free Masons, or Anti Ma
sons, don't know which, used to tell me
the sercets of the concern, and when he
showed me the marks of the gridiron, how
he was initiated, and told me all how they
fixed poor Morgan, / never told livin'
soul to this day, and if nobody troubles the
closet till do, they'll lay there and rot,
that they will"
81 thought So" says the door-keeper,
sand now want you to commence at that
corner, pointing with his finger to place
where some undigniied and indecent bro
ther had thrown out guilds of tobacco, and
give the whole room decent cleansing,
and have pledged my word and honor
for your fidelity to promiseS-r5- don't 60
in that closet,w and left our lady to her
self.
No sooner had she heard the sound of his
feet upon the last step of the stairs, than she
exclaimed, the closet what on earth can
be there I'll warrant there's a gridiron,
or some such nonsense, Just like the Anti
Nlasons for all the world; she stepped softly
to the door of the forbidden closet--turned
the button-which no sooner done, than
baba, ba, ba, went Billy, with spring to
regain his liberty, which came nigh up
setting her ladyship. Both started for the
doorway, which was filled with her imple-
mcnts of house cleaning, when all was
swept clear from their position to the bot.
tom of the stairs, and drew half the towr
to witness Mrs. Keep Secrets effort to ge
from under pile of goat, pals, tubs, broom
and scrubbing brushes.
Who should be the first on the spot but
the rascally door-keeper, who after releas
ing the goat, who was made cripple fol
life, and unpilng the other rubbish which
bound the good lady 10 the floor, anxiously
inquired if she had been taking the ode
grees."
"Taking the degrees" exclaimed oul
lady," "f you call tumbling from the toT
to the bottom ofthe stairs with tarnal goa
to jump upon We as We ha me, and hur
'en to boot, Pll warrant ye they'll make a
much noise as me-" ..
Il hope you din'nt open the closet, Ma.
dam," said the door-keeper.
| "Open the closet! an sure / did, ant
didn't Eve eat the apples when forbidden
If YOU want woman TO do any thing
tell her not to, and she'll do it sartin.
couldn't stand the temptation. There was
the secret, wanted to know it, and as
opened the closet, out popped the tarna
goat, right in my face. Thought besure il
was the Devil, and run for the stairs with
it at my heels, when fell over the tubs
and we all arrived at the bottom as you
found us in heap together.
, "But madam" says the doorkeeper, ''yor
are in possession OF the great secret of ths
order, and you must go up and be initiated
, sworn. Sworn and ride the goat in the re.
gular way"
. Irregular ways exclaimed the lady, ''dc
, you suppose am going near that tarna
critter again-without a bride or LADY,
, saddle--no, never, don't want nothin' to d.
with it, or man that rides it. I'd lool
nice perched on goat, wouldn't 1! III
never go near it again, nor your hall nuth
, er, and if can prevent it, no lady shall
q ever join any of the Odd Fellows. VIII,
5 I'd sooner be Free Mason or Anti Mason
f and be broiled on gridiron as long as
J.. fire could be kept under it, and pulled from
garret to celler with halter, IN pair of oil
/ breeches and slippers, just as my poor dea'
: and gone husband used to tell me the,
,, served him, and he lived over such rid'
as took with the goat 10 day, and yo'
may rest assured shall never see goa
. again but what J. shall think OF the Ode
g Fellows"
G WHEN AN FORWARD, says the Rev
s | Tho,,,,. h,lams to sneak the evil know. ol