Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-09-25

'saH' w H'IC, Wcic CohNSlSiuS "oo"u
husbands and the secrets of Free
masonry. Mr.. Brown was a Free.
mason; and the fact of not being
able to share the secrets of the or.
der with him made Mrs. Brown
very unhappy. She was pouring
ont her grief to Mrs. White, and
saying for the thousandth time: III
wonder what they do in tho lodge
rOom?"
81 have no doubt but it's dread
fnl," replied Mrs. White. "But if
my husband was a Mason, III bet
I'd find out what he did"
"But how :! They dare not tell"
"Ah! but I'd make him tell"
"now ! oh, how 7" asked Mrs.
Brown anXiOusly.
"Hush ! I'll tell you; but don't
breathe it for the world, because it
Is a ueau secret"
"No, no; | won't"
swell do you know that tickling
a PERSONS ear when they are asleep
will make them talk ?"
"No. Will it though 7"
"ies, Now you wait till Brown
comes home from the lodge next
time, and have broom straw in
bed with you. When he gets asleep
you tickle his ear with it gently,
and he will begin to talk about
what he has been doing at the
lodge, and in this way you can get
the whole of the business out of
him."
"Gracious me! You don't say
so, Mrs White?"
''TO he sure | do. | always get
my husbands secrets out of him in
that way"
"Ill do it!"
"And you tell me all about it,
won't you7 ?"
"Certainly. But you must never
say anything about it,"
"Oh, of course not. l am very
close mouthed," replied Mrs. White,
earnestly.
SO it was agreed upon and they
separated. But fortuna atcly Mr.
White had overheard the conspira.
cy, and lost no time in informing
Mr.. Brown, who laughed heartily
over it.
a few nights afterward Brown
attended a meeting Of his lodge,
and his wife was all anxiety about
it. On retiring, she armed herself
with spray from the broom and
wakefully awaited for her lord and
master to return. AT last she had
almost broken down the veil of Sc
crecy which had troubled her so
long, and her heart beat wildly
when she heard him open the front
door and come in.
OF course she pretended to be
asleep, and did not see the comical
smile on her husbands face as he
turned up the gas and began dis
rObing for bed. But in few miu-
lltes he was comfortably tucked in
and giving out premonitOry indica-
tons of approaching sleep.
Then Mrs. Brown opened her
eyes cautiously, aud convinced her
self that he had gone to that land
from which sleepy husbands never
return until some time next day.
Cautiously she reached under the
pillow, and took the broom straw
from it's hiding place. Then she
over carefully and began to
tickle her husbands ear, and he
was all the while doing his best to
keep from exploding with laughter.
Finally he began to talk a little,
and her ears were keenly alive to
every syllable.
eyes, he must die" said he. 'He
betrayed our secrets to his wife.
I've got to kill him-the lot fell on
me-"
Mrs. Brown screamed and leaped
rom the bed, while her husband,
unable to control himself, gave
vent to his laughter and disturbed
,he neighbOrs for the next ten min
ties. But they never came to any
about the strange at
fair. She never asked him what he
was laughing at, and he never in'
luired what it was that made her
scream and leap out of bed so quick.
y.
Mrs Brown and Mrs. White don't
sneak now. She thinks Mrs. White
played a joke on her, and she seems
% have lost much of her anxiety
the secrets of Freemason-
y.