The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-12-20
COATING THE OLD MAN.
The Bad Boy Plays Mason, and
Gives His Pa the Royal Bum.
per Degree.

milwaukee Shn.]
Say, are you a Mason, or a nod
fellow, or anything?H asked the bad
boy of the grocery man, as he went
to the cinnamon bag oR the shetland
took out a long sticklof cinnamon
bark to chew.
"Why, yes, Of course l am, but
what set you thinking of that??n
asked the groceryman, as he went to
the desk and charged the boys ia.
ther with a half pound Of cinnamon.
"Well, do the goatsbunt when you
nishiate fresh caudidale2p
"No; Of coarse not The goats are
cheap ones, that have no life, and
we muszle them, and put pillows
over their heads, SO they can't hut
anybody" says the grocery man, as
he winked at brother Odd Fellow
who was seated on sugar barrel,
looking mysterious. "But why do
you ask?"
20, nuthin, only wish me and
my chum had muzzled our goat with
a pillow. Pa would have enioved
his becoming member of our lodge
better. You see, pa had been telling
US how much good the Masons and
Odd Fellows did, and said we ought
to grow up good SO We could JON the
lodges when we got big, andIasked
pa if it would do any hurt for US to
have a play lodge in my room; and
purtend..to nishiate, and pa said it
wouldn't do any hurt. He said it
would improve our minds, and learn
us to be men. So my chum and me
borried soat that lives in q livery
stable and carried him up to my
room when pa and ma was cut rid.
ing, but he blatted SO we had to tie
a handkerchief around his nose, and
his feet made such noise on the
floor that we put some baby's socks
on his feet, Well, sir, my chum and
me practiced with that goat lntilhe
could bunt picture Of goat every
pop. We borried u buck beer sign
from a saloon man, and hung it on
the back of a chair, and the goat
would hit it every time. That night
pa wanted to know what we were
doing up in my room, and l told him
we were playing lodge, "and improv-
ing our minds" and pa said that
was right; and that there was moth.
ing that did boys at our age half SO
much good as to initiate men, and
store by useful nollidge. Then my
chum asked pa if he didn't want to
come up and take the grand bumper
degree, and pa laffed and said he
didn't care if he did, just to encour,
age US boys in innocent pastime, that
was 80 improving to our intellex.-
We had shut the goat up in a closet
in my room, and he had got over
blatting, SO we took of the handker.
chief, and he was eating some of my
paper collars, and skate straps.
awe went up stairs and told pa TO
come up pretty soon and give three
distinct raps, and when We ask him
who comes there be must say, "a
pilgaric who wants to join your
ancient order and ride the goat"
Ma wanted to come up, too, but we
told her if she come in it would
break up the lodge, cause a woman
couldn't keep secret. and neither
did we have any side saddle for the
goat. Say, if you never tried it, the
next time you initiate a man in your
Mason's lodge, you sprinkle little
kyan pepper on the goats beard just
before you turn him loose. You can
get three times as much to the square
inch of goat, You wouldn't think it
the same goat. Well, we got all fix.
cd and pa raped, and we let him in,
told him he must be blind fooled,
and he got on his knees lafing, and
| tied towel around his eyes, and
then | turned him around and made
him get down on his hands also, and
then his back was right toward the
closet door, and I put the buck beer
sign right against pas clothes. He
was lalliug all tho time, and said
we boys were as full of fun as they
made EN-, and we told him it was a
solemn occasion, and we wouldn't
permit no levity, and if he didn't
-. l. n. "a So: At