The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-01-06
The Private Closet.


town, determined to have their Lodge
room done up clean and nice, and it was
resolved, unanimously, that Mrs K should
be employed to do the job.
After the meeting adjourned, the guar.
dian, who knew the inquisitiveness of Mrs.
r.. procured billy-goat, and placed him
in closet that was kept as a reservoir for
the secret things. He then informed the
lady of the wishes of the Lodge, and re-
quested her to come early next morning,
az he would then be at leasure to show her
what was, and what was not to be done.
Morning came, and with it Madame K,
with her broom, brushes, pals, tubs, &C.,
prepared and armed for the job, and found
| the guardian waiting for her
Now, madam, said he, an tell you
what we want done, and how we came to
employ you. The brothers said it was diff.
ficult to get anybody to do the job, and not
be medling with the secrets in that little
closet; we have lost the Ley, and cannot
find it to lock the door l assured them
that you could be depended upon
Depended on = said she, Il guess can.
My poor dead and gone husband, who be-
longed to the Free Masons, or Anti Ma
sons, l don't know which, used to tell me
all the secrets of the concern, and then he
showed me all the marks the gridiron made
when he was initiated, and told me how
they killed poor Morgan never told liv-
ing soul to this day. IF nobody troubles
your closet to find out your secrets till |
do, they'll lay there till they rot-they
will"
i thought SO, said the guardian; and
now / want you to commence in that cor
ner and give the whole room q decent
cleaning; and have pledged my word
and honor for the fidelity to your promise;
now don't 60 into that closet and then
left the lady to herself
! No sooner had she heard the sound of
his foot on the last step of the stairs, then
she exclaimed;
| Don't 90 into that closeet I'll war.
rant there is gridiron, or some nonsense
| Just like the Anti Masons, for all the world
! I'll be bound. I'll just take peep and
nobody'll be any wiser, as | can keep it to
myself
Suiting the action to the word. she step
| ped lightly to the forbidden closet-turn-
| ed the button-which was no sooner done
than, bah went the billey, goat with
spring to regain his liberty, which came
near upsetting her ladyship. Both start
| ed for the door, but it was filled with i'm
! plements for house cleaning and all were
swept clear from their position down to the
| bottom of the stairs.
The noise and confusion occasioned By
such unceremonious coming down stairs,
drew half the town 10 witness Mrs. ks
effort to get from under the pile of pals,
tubs, brooms and brushes. into the street.
Who should be first on the spot but the
rascally door-keeper who after releasing
the goat which was 4 cripple for life, and
uplifting the rubbish which bound the good
woman to the earth, anxiously enquired if
she was taking the degrees.
Taking the the degrees, she exclaimed.
If you call tumbling down stairs, scared
to death, taking things by degrees, then |
have them and if you irighten folks the
way you did me, and hurt them to boot,
I'll warrant they'll make as mnch noise as
did,
i hope you didn't open the closet, mad
am?
Open the closet Eve ate the apple
she was forbidden IF you want a woman
TO do anything tell her not to do it, and
she'll do it certain. could not stand the
temptation The secret was there; l wanted
to know it. opened the door and out
popped the tarnal critter right into my
face thought was goner and broke
for the stairs, with Satan butting me at
every jump fell over the tub. and got
down stairs as you found us,all in heap.
But, madam, said the door-keeper, you
are in possession of the great secret ofthe
order,and must 60 and be initiated, sworn
and then go in, in the regular way
Regular way y exclaimed the lady; and
do you suppose am going near the tarnal
place again, and ride that ere critter with
out bride or lady's saddle? No, never.
don't want nothing TO do with the man
that rides it, I'd look nice perched on
billev goat, wouldn't y No. never I'll
never 60 nigh ii, nor your hall, nuther. If
can prevent it, no lady shall ever join
the Odd Fellows. Why, I'd sooner be
Free Mason, and broled on gridiron as
long as fire could he kept under it, and
pulled from garret to cellar with halter
in pair Of old breeehes and slippers, just
as my poor dead husband was he lived
over it, but i could never outlive such an.
other ride as took to-day
A w ALI RRoM THE SEA.-A note. of