The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1869-11-24
Only Female Mason.
How SHE OBTAINED HER DEGREES
--HER PORTRAIT IN EVERY
LoDoE Room IN IRELAND. .s ,a.

How SHE OBTAINED HER DEoREEs
--HER Po oRTRAITi IN EVERY
LoDoE ROOM IN IRELAND. ss,g
The Hon. Elizabeth st. Leger
was the only female who was ever
initiated into the mystery of Free
masonry. She has had two de-
gress-tbo first and second-con-
ferred on her. As it may be in
to the general reader, we
give the story as to how Miss St.
Leger obtained this honor, premis-
ing that the information comes
from the best of sources. Lord
Doneraile, Miss St. Leger's father,
a very Jealous Mason, held a war.
rant and occasionally opened lodge
ut Doneraile House, his sons and
some intimate friends assisting;
and it is said that never were Ma.
sonic duties more vigorously per-
formed than by the brethren of
No. $50, the number of their war.
rant. s-raes a-earas n.. $3.50 rs.r a
1t appears that previous to the
initiation of a gentleman to the
first degree of Masonry, Miss St.
Leger, who was a young girl, hap
pencd to be in an apartment ad.
joining the room generally used as
a lodge room, but whether the
young lady was there by design or
merely accident, we cannot conf.
IDENTIFY state. The room, at the
time was undergoing some altera-
tion ; among other things, the wall
was considerably reduced in one
part, for the purpose of making a
sal loon. The young lady having
heard the voices Of Freemasons,
and being melted by the curiosity
natural to al to see this mystery
SO long and so secretly locked mp
from the public view, had the
courage to pick a brick from the
wall with her scissors, and thus
witness the two first steps OF tlle
ceremony.
Curiosity grstifed. fear at once
took possession of ermind, and
those who understand this passage
well know what the feeling of any
person must be who could unIaw-
fully behold that ceremony let
them judge what were the feelings
of a young girl under such extra
ordinary circumstances. The ere
was n o mode Of escape, except
through the very room where the
concluding part of the second step
was still being solemnized at the
far end, and the room a very large
one. Miss st. Leger had resolu,
tion to attempt h er escape that
way, and with Ii ght but trembling
steps glid e d along unobserved,
laid her hand on the handle of the
door and opened ii, but before her
stood, to her diemay, grim tiler
with his long sword unsheathed.
A shrek that pierced through
the apartments alarmed the mem.
bers Of the lodge, who, all rushing
to the door, and finding that Miss
st. Leger had been in the room
during the ceremony, resolved, it
is said, in the paroxysm of their
rage, to put the fair spectatress to
death but at the moving and ear.
nest supplication of her youngest
brother, her life was spared, on
condition of her going through
the two remaining steps of the SOL
emn ceremony she had unlawfully
witnessed. This she consented to,
and they conducted the beautiful
and terrified young lady through
those trials which are sometime:
more than enough for masculine
resolution, little thinking they were
taking into the bosom of their Graf
member that would reflect lus
tre on the annals of Masonry.
Miss St. Legcr was cousin to
Gen. Anthony St. Legcr, who in.
stitutcd the interesting race, and
celebrated Doucaster St. L eg el
stakes. Eventually she married
Richard Aldworth, Esq, OF New
market, a member of a highly hon
orable and ancient family. When
ever q benefit was given at any o
the theatres in Dublin or Cork, fol
the Masonic Female Orphan Asy
lum, Mrs. Aldworth walked at the
head Of the Freemasons, with hel
apron and other insignia of Free
masonry, and sat in the front row
of the stage box. The house wa,
always crowded on these occasions
The portrait Of this estimable wo
man is in the lodge room of almos
every lodge in Ireland.