Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-05-04
The ONLY Female MACON.

Ihe hon. EllzaDetn Dt. Leger was Ine
only female who was ever initiated into
the mystery of Freemasonry. She had
two degrees-the first and second-cOn-
ferred on her AS it may be interesting
to the general reader, we give the story
as to how Miss st. Leger obtained this
honor, promising that the information
comes from the best Of sources. Lord
Doneraile, Miss St. Legers father, very
jealous Mason, held warrant, and
occasionally opened lodge at Doneraile
House, his sons and some intimate
friends assisting; and it is said that
never were Masonic duties more rigor-
ously performed than by the brethren of
No. l50 the number of warrant under
which they worked.
1t appears that previous to the initia-
ton Of gentleman to the first degree
of Masonry, Miss st. Leger, who was a
young girl, happened to be in an apart
ment adjoining the room generally used
as lodge-room, but whether the young
lady was there by design, or merely ac-
cident, we cannot confidently state. The
room at the time was undergoing some
alterations; 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 Freemasons, and being melted by the
curiosity natural to all to see this mys-
terry, so long and so secretly locked up
from the public view, had the courage
to pick brick from the wall with her
scissors, and thus witness 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 feeling of any person must be who
could unlawfully behold that ceremony;
let them judge what were the feelings OF
a young girl under such extraordinary
circumstances. There was no mode OF
escape except through the very room
where the concluding part of the second
step was being solemnized at the far end
and the room a very large one. Miss
st. Leger had resolution enough to at
tempt her escape that way, and with
light but trembling steps glided along
unobseryed, laid her hand on the handle
of the door and opened it, but before her
stood, to her dismay grim tiler with
his long sword unsheathed.
A shrek that pierced through the
apartments 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, resolved
it is said, in the paroxysm of their rage
to put the fair spectatress to death; but
at the moving and earnest suppllcation
of her youngest brother, her life was
spared, on condition of her going through
the two remaining steps of the solemn
ceremony she had unlawfully witnessed.
This she consented to- and they con-
Quoted 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 a
member that would reflect a luster on
the annals of Masonry.
Miss ST. Leger was cousin to General
Anthony St. Leger, who instituted the
interesting race, and celebrated Doncas-
ter st. Leger stakes. Eventually she
married Richard Aldworth, Esq, of
Newmarket, a member of a highly hon
orable and ancient family. Whenever
benefit was given at any of the thea
ters in Dublin or Cork, for the Masonic
Female Orphan Asylum, Mrs. Aldworth
walked at the head of the Freemasons,
with her apron and other insignia of
Freemasonry and sat in the front row of
the stage box. The house was always
crowded on these occasions. The por-
trait of this estimable woman is in the
lodge-room of almost every lodge in Ire
land