The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-01-19
The Lady Free-Mason.

Hon. Elizabeth st. Leger was the
only female who was ever initiated in
to the ancient and honorable mystery
OF Freemasonry. How she obtained
this honor,we shall lay before our read
ers, promising that our information is
derived from the best sources. Lord
Doneraile, Miss St. Leger's father, a
very jealous Mason, held a warrant
and occasionally opened lodge at Don
eraile House, his sons and some init
mate friends assisting and it is said,
that never were Masonic duties more
rigidly performed than by the breth-
ren of No. $50, the number of their
warrant. 1t appears previously TO the
initiation of gentleman to the first
steps of masonry, Miss St.Leger, who
was a young girl, happened to be in an
apartment adjoining the room general
ly used as lodge room, but whether
the young lady was there by accident
or design, VIC cannot confidently state.
The room at the time was undergoing
some alteration ; among other things,
the wall was considerably reduced in
one part, for the purpose of making a
saloon. The young lady having heard
the voices Of the Freemasons, and be-
ing prompted by the curiosity natural
to all, to see this mystery so long and
SO secretly locked up from public
view, had the courage to pick a brick
from the wall with her scissors, and
thus witnessed the two first steps Of
the ceremony.
Curiosity gratifed, fear at once
took possession of her mind, and those
who understand this passage well know
what the feelings of any person would
be who could unlawfully behold that
ceremony: let them then judge what
were the feelings of young girl un-
der such extraordinary circumstances.
There was no mode of escape, except
through the very room where the con.
cluding part of the second step was
still being solemized, at the far end,
and the room very large one.-Miss
st. Leger had resolution sufficient to
attempt her escape that way, and with
light but trembling steps glided along
unobserved, laid her hand on the han
die of the door, and opening it, before
her stood, to her dismay, grim and
surly Tgler, with his long sword un-
sheathed.
A shrek that pierced through the
apartment alarmed the members of the
Lodge,who, all rushing to the door and
finding that Miss St. Leger had been
in the room during the ceremony, re-
solved, it is said, in the paroxysm Of
their rage, to put the fair spectatress
to death ; but at the moving and earli-
est supplication of her youngest broth
er, her life was spared on condition Of
her going through the two remaining
steps of the solemn ceremony she had
unlawfully witnessed. This she con-
sented TO-, and they conducted the
beautiful and terrified young lady
through those trials which are some
times more than enough for masculine
resolution, little thinking they were
taking into the bosom of their craft o
member that would afterward reflect q
lustre on the annals of Masonry,
Miss st. Leger was directly de-
scended from Sir Richard de st. Leg
er, who accompanied William the Con
queror to England, and was of that
high repute that he with his own hand
supported the prince when he frs
went out of his ship to land in Sussex
Miss st. Legcr was cousin to Genera
Anthony st. Leger, Governor of st
Louis, who instituted the interesting
race and celebrated Doncaster St