Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-03-29
TWO MANY DEGREES


paca dress, worn shiny at the elbows, and a
cheap. shawl, and a cheap bonnet, and her
hands all puckered up and blue, as though
she had just got her washing out went into
the office OF prominent Mason few morn.
lnss since, and took chair. She said:
Are you the Boss Mason ?'
He blushed, told her he was a Mason but
not the highest in the land.
She asked him If he had taken the whole
2S3 degrees in Masonry.
The man assured her that there were only
thlrty-three degrees, and that he had only
taken thlrty-two. The OF her degree could
only be taken BY very few who were
recommended by the Grand Lodge, and they
mad to go to New York to get the thirty-
third degree. The lady studied minute,
and said '0'
"Where does my husband get the other
two hundred degrees?"
The prominent Mason said he guessed her
husband never got two hundred degrees, un-
less he had 4 degree factory. He said he
didn't unde, stand the lady.
Does my husband have to set up with u
corpse three nights n week ?" she asked, her
eyes flashing fire. 'Do you keep lot of
sick Masons on tap for my husband to set
up with the other three nights ?"
The prominent Mason said he was thank.
full that few Masons died, and only occa-
sionally one was sick enough to call for Ma
sonic assistance. But why do YOU ask
these questions, madam?' said the promi-
nent Mason
The woman picked the fringe Of her
shawl, hung her head down, and said:
"Well. my husband begun to join the Ma
sons about two years ago, and he has been
taking degrees or sitting up with people
ever since, and he comes home at all time
OF the night, smelling of beer and cheese.
thought ut first that the cheese was the result
OF his going to thcmorguo to help carry BROTH
er Aiasons home after they had been found
IN the river. He has come twice with the
wrong pair OF drawers on, and when ask
ed him how it was, he said it was a secret
he could not reveal under penalty of being
shot with IL cannon. All he would say was
that he took degree. l have kept Il little
track of it, and l figure that he has taken
233 degrees, including the grand Sky Fuglo
degree, which he took the night he came
home with his lip cut and his ear hangingby
apiece of skim;
20, 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 eye. "He said he
was taking the Sky Fugle degree, and fell
through the sky light. had him sewed
up, and he was ready for more degrees.
After he had taken; should think, about
hundred and fifty degrees, told him I
should think he would let up on it, and put
some potatoes in the cellar for winter; but
he said when man got started on the de-
grees he had to take them all, or he didn't
n n fn x..
q hat to wear to church with afeather on it,
and be said feathers were all nonsense, and
next day he brough home a leather case
with felt coalskuttle in it. and q feather
on it that couldn't have cost less than ten
dollars, the way l figure millinery. And
when he put it on and laughed at his ri
dlculous appearance, he began to throw his
arms around, and asked him whatwas the
matter, and he said that was the first hail
ing sign of distress, and if didn't look out
an avenger would appear from dark closet
and run toadsticker through me for SCOT
ter. Tic must have spent a fortune on the
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 q dog had chewed him, and one
eye closed up, and o wad of hair pulled
right out of his head, and he said he
had been taking the 2OOth degree, but he
wouldn't tell me how it happened, because
it was dead secret. Sometimes a brother
Mason comes home with him early in the
morning, anu they talk about 'ful.fush,
and they both act full as they stand on the
steps and talk about their pat hands, and
raising EN- out and calling, and 'bob-tial
flush One night when he was asleep, I
heard him whisper, |, raise you ten dollars,
and when asked him what it meant, he
said they had been raising purse for a poor
widow. Another time he raised up in bed
after he had been asleep, and shouted. I
stand pat and when asked him what it
meant he said he was ruined if told of it.
He said he had spoken the password, and
if the brethren heard of it, they would nut
him out OF the way, even us Morgan was
put out fthe way. Mister, is I stand pat
your password" ?"
The Mason told her that it was not. That
the words she had spoken was all expires.
sion used by men when playing draw poker,
and he added that he didn't believe that
her husband was Mason at ALL but he
had been lying to her all these wears.
She sighed and said, That's what I
thought when he came home with lot of
ivory chips in his pocket He said they
used them at the lodge to vote on candi-
dates, ,and that white chip elects and blue
chip rejects candidate. Ifyou will look
the matter up and see if he has joined the
Masons, I will be obliged to you. He says
he has taken all the 233 degrees, and the
boys want him to join the Knights of Pyth-
las. I want to get out an Injunction to pre-.
vent him from joining anything else until
we get some under clothes for winter. I'll
tell you what I will do. The next time he
says anything about Sky Fugle degrees
and consistory nonsense, I will take tine
washboard and make him think there Is
one degree in Masonry that he has skipped
and now goodbye. You have comforted
me greatly, and will lay, awake tonight
until my husband comes from the lndpe