Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-11-18
A Woman's Curiosity.
HOW A SCRUB WOMAN TOOK HER FIRST DEGREE
IN ODD FELLOWSHIP.

IN ODD FELLOWSHIP
A certain lodge of the Independent Order o
Odd Fellows determined to have their lodge
room done UP clean and nice. Ii was resolved
unanimously that Mrs. X should be employed
to do the job. After the meeting adjourned
the guardian, who knew the iDquisitlve char.
acter of Mrs K, procured billy-goat and
placed him 10 the closet that was kept as re-
servoir from the secret things He then 10
formed the lady of the wishes of the lodge, and
| requested her TO come early the next mornlng,
as he would then show her what was and what
was not to be done. Morning came, and with
| it Madame K, with her broom. brushes, pals.
| tubs etc and found the guardian waiting for
| her.
Now madame said he, Il tell you what
| we want done, and how we came to employ you,
The brothers said it was difficult to get anybody
to do the joh and not be medjling with the Sc
cret 10 the closet we have lost the key. and
cannot find it 70 lock the door. | assured them
hat you could be depended upon."
Depended on guess eau My poor dead
and gone husband he belonged to the Free
Masons, or anti masons, | don't know which
He used to tell me all the secrets of the concern,
aud when he showed me the marks of the grid
iron made when he was initia ted, and told me
how they fixed poor Morgan, | never told aliv-
ing soul to this day; if nobody troubles your
closet to find out your secrets till do, they will
be there till they rot, they will. -"
Il thought so, said the guardian, ''and now
[ want you to commence in that corner and give
the whole room thorough cleaning, and
pledge my word and honor to the fidelity of your
promise ;,now don't go into the closet" and
then left the lady to herself
No sooner had she heard the sound of his
feet on the steps than she exclaimed. "'Don' {
get into the closet !! I'll warrant there grid
iron, or some nonsense, just like the aDti-masons
for all the world, I'll be bound. Twill take one
peep, and nobody will be any wiser, as l can
keep it 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 'bau j.
went the billy-goat, with spring to regain his
liberty, which came near upsettlng her lady
ship. Both started for the door, but it was
filed with implements of house cleaning aud all
were swept from their position to the bottom of
the stairs.
The noise and confusion occasioned by such
unceremonious coming down the stairs drew all
the town to witness Mrs K s efforts to get from
under the pile of pals, tubs, brooms and brushes
in the street.
Who should be the first to the spot but that
rascally doorkeeper After releasing the goat
which was a cripple for life and upliftiog the
rubbish that bound the good woman to the
earth, anziously inquired if she had been tax
ing the degrees.
Taking the degree!' exclaimed the lady /;
IF you call tumbling from the top to the bot
tom of the stairs with the devil after ye taking
things by degrees, | have them, and if ye
frightened folks as ye frightened me- and hurt
to boot, III warrant they will make as much
noise as [ did.
II hope you did not open the closet, madam, :"
said the doorkeeper.
open the closet? Eve ate the apple she
was forbidden. If you want 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. | wanted to know it. |
opened the door. and out popped the tarnal
criiter right Into my face thought the old boy
had me, and | broke for the stairs with the crit
ter butting me at every jump L fell over the
tub and got down stairs as you found US all in
heap
But madam" said the doorkeeper "you
are iu possession of the great secret OF our or
der, and you must go up to be Initiated aud
teen go ip the regular way.
Regular way?" exclaimed the lady, ''and do
you suppose | an goi near the tarGal place.
and ride that ar tarna critter without birdie
or Iady's saddle? Ne, l dan want anything
perched upon a billy goat, wouldn't |? No,
never Iii nover 60 nigh it again, nor you shall
nutber-if can prevent it, no lady shall ever
join the Odd Fellows. Why I'd sooner be a
Free Mason, broied on a gridiron as the
fire could be kept uader it, and pulled from gar
ret to cellar with halter. in pair of old
breeches and slippers, just as my poor dead hus-
band. And he lived over it, but [ never could
live over such another ride as | took to-day.