New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-10-16

How . ab- " ssk Her fret Degree
la Odd EsIIsWshtp.

/ A certain lodge Of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows determined f. have thea
I lJdce-room done mp clean AMI uicc. IL wa,
resolved unanimously that Mr.. h. should be
employed To do the Job. After the meeting
/ adjourned the guardian, who knew the inqus-
I tive character Of Mrs. X, procured billy
goat AMI placed him in the closet that was
kept as reserve for the secret things. lie
/ then informed the lady Of the wishes OF the
| lodge, and requested her 10 come early the
next morning, rs he would then show her
what WAS aud what was not To- he done
Morning came, and with it Madame n, with
/ her broom, brushes, pals, tubs, &c.. and
/ found the guardian waiting for her.
"Now, madame, - said he, II tell YOU " hat
We want done, and how we came TO employ
| you. The brothers said it was difficult To
get any body to do the job, and not be med
/ ding with the secret in the closet We have
! lost the key, and cannot iin1 il to lock the
door. assured them that YOU could be Ie-
pended upon"
depend Oh, guess can. Ny poor and
dead gone husband. he belonged To- the Free
MaSous, or ant-masons | don't know which.
He used to tell me all the secrets of the con-
ccrn. and when he showed me the marks oi
the gridiron made when he was initiated, and
told HE how they fixed poor Morgan, never
told living soul to this day; il nobody trou-
bes Your closet to find out v"ur secrets
till do, they will be there till they rot, they
WILL"
II thought So" said the guardian, land
now | want YOU to commence in that corner
and give the whole room a thorough clean
ing, and pledge my word and honor to the
| fidelity of your promise; now don't 90
into that closet" and then lett the lady to
herself.
hnI ha Al l.,gI l.;
feet on the steps than she exclaimed, "Don't
get into the closetn' I'll warrant there's a
gridiron, or some nonsense, lust Ike the
nti-Masons for all the world. I'll be bound
| Will take one peep, and nobody will be any
wiser, as | can keep ii to myself
| Suiting the action to the word she stepped
lightly To the forbidden closet, and turned
the button, which was no sooner done than
bah" went the billy-goat, with spring
tn regain his liberty, which came near upset.
ting her ladyship. Both started for the door,
but it was filled with implements for house
cleaning, and all were swept from their posi-.
ton to the bottom OF the stairs.
The noise and confusion occasiuned by such
unceremonious coming down the stairs drew
half the town to witness Mrs. Ks efforts Ia
get from under the pile OF pals, tubs, broorns
and brushes in the street.
Who should be the first to the spot but that
rascally door-keeper. After releasing the
goat, which was cripple for life, aud uplft-
ing the rubbish that bound the good woman
to the earth, anXiously inquired if she had
been taking the degrees.
Taking the degrees :" exclaimed the lady
''if you call tumbling from the top To the
bottom of the stairs with the devil after We
| taking things by degrees, | have them, and
if We frightened folks as he frightened me
and hurt to boot, I'll warrant they will make
as much noise as | did"
II hope you did not open the closet mad
am,' +, said the dOorkeeper.
"Open the closet? Eve eat the apple she
was forbidden. If you want woman to du
anything, tell her not to do it, and she III dl
it certain. | could not stand the temptation
The secret was there. | wanted to know it.
| opened the door, and out popped the tarnal
critter right into my face | thought the old
| boy had me, and broke Tor the stairs with
the crtter butting me at every Jump. fell
over the tub and got down stairs ~ you found
us all in heap"
But, madam" said the doorkecpcr
~ gu are in possession Of The great secret
OF our order, and you must 60 up to be intia-
| ted and then go in the regular way"
Irregular way:' exclaimed the lady, "and
do You suppose am going near the tarnal
place, aud ride that al tarnal crittcr without
brittle or lady's saddle: No, don't want
anything t" 10 with the man that rides il
I'd look nice perched upon hiliy-Ioat
wouldn't |" No, never! I'll never 20 nigh
it again, nor YOU shall nudder il can pre-
vent it, no lady shall ever join the Odd Eel
| lows Why, IA sooner be Il Free Mason,
and broilcd on grdiron As long as the fire
could be kept under it, and pulled from garrett
to cellar with halter, in IA pair OF ole!
breeche. aud slippers, just as my poor dead
husband. And he lived over ii, but never
could live oyer such another ride a. | took
to-day - Erchdng,.