Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-12-07
M{isfellaneoms &eadiug,
TOO MANY DEGREES.

dress, worn shiny at the elbows, and cheap
dress and a cheap bonnet, and her hands
puckered up and blue, as though she had
just got her washing out, went into the office
Of a prominent Mason, ~ few mornings since,
and took a chair She wiped her nose and the
perspiration from her face on a blue checked
apron, and when the Mason looked at her
with an interested, brotherly look, as though
she was in trouble, she said:
care you the Boss Mason 2"
He bllslled told her he WAS Mason, but
not the highest in the land. She hestated I,
moment, fingered the corner of her apron,
and curled it up like a boy speaking a piece
in school, and asked: - ...'' ....i .
''IIave you taken the whole 233 degrees in
Masonry"
The man laughed and told her there were
only thirty-three degrees and that he had TAX
en- only thirty-two. The other degree could
only he taken by a very few who were recon-
mended by the Grand Lodge, and they had to
90 to New York to get the thirty-thrd degree.
The lady studied a minute, unpinned the
safety-pin that held her shawl together and
put it into her mouth, took long breath, and
said:
"Where does my husband get the other two
hundred degrees, then -
The prominent Mason said he guessed her
husband never got two hundred degrees, un-
less he had degree factory. lie said he
didn't understand the lady.
s'Does my husband have to set up with a
corpse three nights week 20 she asked, her
eyes flashing fire. ''Do you keep a lot of sick
Masons on tap for my husband TO sit up with
the other three nights 20
The prominent Mason said he was thankful
that few died, and only occasionally one was
sick enough to call for Masonic assistance.
When Mason was sick and away from home,
or when his family desired it, the brethren
were only too glad to sit up with him but
there were so many Masons and so few sick
that it was only once in two or three months
that a brother was called upon to sit up with
anybody. "But why do you ask these ques-
tions madam 20 said the prominent Mason
The woman picked the fringe off her shawl,
hung down her head, and said
'Well, my husband began to join the Ma
sons about two years ago, and he has been
taking degrees or sitting up with people every
night since, and he comes home at all times
of night, smelling of beer and cheese. |
thought at first that the cheese was the result
of his going to the morgue to help carry
brother Masons home after they had been
found in the river. He has come home twice
with the wrong pair of drawers on, and when
| asked him how it was, he said it was Sc.
cret he could not reveal under penalty of be.
ing shot with a cannon. All he would say
was that he took degree. 1 have kept a
little track of it and figure that he has taken
233 degrees, including the grand Sky Fugle
degree, which he took the night he came home
with his lip cut and his ear hanging by a piece
of the skin"
go, madam" said the prominent Mason,
'there is no Sky Fugle degree in Masonry.
Your husband has lied to you.'
''That's what think" said she, as bale.
full light appeared in her eyes. "IIe said he
was taking the Sky Fugle degree, and fell
through the sky-light. l had him sewed up
and he was ready for more degrees. After he
had taken l should think about hundred and
fifty degrees, told him l should think he
would let up on it, and put some potatoes in
the cellar for winter, but he said when man
once got started on the degrees he had to take
them all or he didn't amount to anything.
One time wanted a hat to wear to church
with feather on it, and he said feathers were
all nonsense, and the next day he brought
home leather case witha felt coal scuttle in
it, and a feather on it that couldn't have
cost less than ten dollars, the way figure
millinery And when he put it on, and |
laughed at his ridiculous appearance he be-
gan to throw his arms around, and 1 asked
him what was the matter, and he said that
was the grand hailing sign Of distress, and il
I didn't look out an avenger would appear
from dark closet and run toad-stickel
through me for ScOffer. lie must have
spent fortune on the last hundred and fifty
degrees One morning he came home with
his coat tail split right up the back and his
pants torn just as though a dog had chawed
him, and one eye closed up and wad of hair
pulled right off his head, and lie said he had
been taking the 200th degree, but he wouldn't
tell me how it happened because it was dead
secret. Sometimes brother Mason comes
home with him early in the morning, and
they both talk about a full fusl' and they
both act full as they stand on the steps and
talk about their pat hands, and raising em
OUT and calling and bob tail tlush.' One
night when he was asleep 1 heard him whs-
per- Il raised you ten dollars,' and when l
asked him what he meant he said they had
been raising a purse for a poor widow. An
other time he raised up in bed after he had
been asleep and shouted i stand pat, and
when asked him what it meant lie said lie
was ruined if told of it, He said he had
spoken the pass word, and if the brethren
heard of it they would put him out of the way,
Mister, is Il stand pat your pass word %
Inc Mason COlQ ner IL was uOC. lndC CHe
words she had spoken was an expression used
by men when playing draw poker, and he add
ed that he didn't believe her husband was Il
Mason at all, but that he had been lying to
her all these years.
She sighed, and said 'That's what l
thought when he came home with lot Of
ivory chips in his pocket. He said they used
them at the lodge to vote on candidates, and
that white chip elects and blue chip re-
jects candidate. If you will look the matter
up and see if he has joined the Masons, l will
be obliged to you. He says he has taken all
the 233 degrees, and now the boys want him
to join the Knights of Pythias. I want to
get out an injunction to prevent him from
joining anything else until we get some under
clothes for winter III tell you what l will
do. The next time he says anything about
Sky Fugle degrees and consistory nonsense
will take a wash board and make him think
there is one degree in Masonry that he has
skipped, and now good by. You have COM
forted me greatly, and | will lay awake to-
night until my husband comes from the lodge
with his pat hand, and will make him think
| he has forgot his ante ..-...
| The lady went out to a grocery to buy some
bar soap, and tile prominent Mason resumed
his business with Il feeling that we are not all
truly good, and there is cheating going on all
around.-Pech's Sun.
Mr.. TALMAGE ON TIE RECENT ELECTION.
At the Brooklyn Tabernacle, Sunday morning,
Rev. DIR. Talmage spoke about the ''Morning
Without TVou6c vhao tbara chou1d no bop