Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-10-24
A W0MAN's CURIOSITY.

tVfiN VII StSub anu HUG. III was
resolved unanimously that Mrs.
X. should be employed to do the
job, After the meeting adjourned,
he guardian, who knew the in
uuisitive character of Mrs. X, pro-
cured billy-goat and placed him
in "a closet that was kept as a res
ervoir for the secret things. He
then Informed the woman of the
wishes of the lodge, and requested
her TO come early the next morn
ing. as he would show her then
what was and what was not To be
done. Morning came, and with i
Madam X, with her broom, brush
es, pals, etc, and found the guar
dian waiting for her.
" Now, madam" said he, " I'll
tell you what we want done, and
how We came To employ you. The
brothers said ii was difficult to
get anybody TO do thejob, and not
be meddling with the secrets in
the closet; we have lost the key,
aud cannot find it to lock the
door. | assured them that you
can he depended on"
" Depended on i! | guess / can.
My poor dead and gone husband,
he belonged to the Free Masons or
Masons | don't know which.
He used 10 tell me all the secrets of
the concern, and when he showed
all the marks OF thS gridiron made
when he was initiated, and told
me how they fixed poor Morgan, ]
never told living soul to this day;
If nobody troubles your closets TO
find out your secrets till ] do, they
will lie there till they rot, they
will"
II thought So" said the guard
an" and j want you TO COM
mence in that corner and give the
whole room 4 decen cleaning !;
now, don't go into the closet, and
then left the woman TO herself
No sooner had she heard he
sound of his feet on the last step Of
the stairs than she exclaimed,
Don't go into that closet! I'll
warrant there's gridiron rsome
nonsense, just like the anti Masons
for all the world, I'll be bound. i
will take one peep, and nobody
will be any wiser, as | can keep it
to myself" Suiting the action to
the word. she stepped lightly to
the forbidden closet. turned the
button, which was no sooner done
than " bah! !" went the billy-goat
with spring TO regain his liberty,
which came near upsetting her la
dyship. Bo h started for the door
but it was filled with implements
for house cleaning, and all were
swept clear from their position
down to the bottom of the stairs.
The noise and confusion occa-
stoned by such unceremonious
coming down the stairs, drew half
the town to witness Mrs. KS eff
forts to get from under the pile of
pals, tubs, brooms and brushes in
the street.
Who should be the first at the
spot but the rascally doorkeeper /!
After releasing the goat, which
was a cripple for life, and uplifting
the rubbish which bound the good
woman to the earth, he anxiously
inquired if she Rad been taking
the degrees.
"Taking the degrees! If you call
tumbling from the top to the bot
tom of the stairs with the devil af-
ter we taking things by degrees, /
have them, and fye frighten folks
as we frighten me, and hurt to
boot, I'll warrant they will make
as much noise as / did"
81 hope you din't open the clos
ct, 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 thai tar
nal critter right in my face. /
thought the old boy had me, and !
broke for the door with the critter
butttng 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 of the Order. and
you must go up to be initiated and
sworn, and then go in the regular
way"
:" Regular way ~ exclaimed the
lady, and do you suppose Pm GO
ing near the iarnal place, and ride
that tarnal critter without a bride
or lady's saddle? No, never! /
don't want nothing to do with the
man that rides it. I'd look nice,
perched upon bilIy-goat,
wouldn't j? No, never! I'll never
60 nigh it again, and if / can pre-
vent it, no woman shall ever join
a