The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-01-04
Too Many Degrees.


A middle aged lady with black alpaca
dress. worn shiny at the elbows. and a
cheap bonnet, aud her hands puckcred 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 chair. She wiped her nose
and the perspiration from her face on a
blue checked apron, and when the Mason
looked at he! with an interested, broth.
crly look, as though she was in trouble.
she said
Are you the Boss Mason ~
lie blushed, told her he was a Mason.
but not the highest in the lanl She
hesitatcd moment, fingered tho corner
OF her apron. and curlcd it up like boy
speaking piece in school, and asked:
lave you taken the whole 233 degrees
in Masonry
The man laughed and told her there
were only thirty three degrees and that
he had taken only thirty.two. The other
degree could only be taken by very
few who were recommended by the
Grand Lodge, and they had to 20 to
New York 10 get the thirty third degree.
The lady studied minute, unpinncd the
safety pin that held her shawl together
and put it into her mouth, took a long
breath, and said
WI here does my husband get the other
two hundred degrees, then %
Tho prominent Mason said he guessed
her husband never got two hundred dc.
gees, un.ess lie had degree factory
lie said he d!an': understand the lady.
docs my husband have to set up with
corpse three nights week % she
asked, her eyes flashing fire. "Do YOU
keep lot of sick siasU,,s on tup for nv
husband to sit up with the other three
nights?"
The prominent Mason said he WAS
thankful TINT few died, and only occa
sionally one was sick enough to call for
Masonic assistance. When n Mason was
sick and away from home, or when his
family desired ii, the.brcthren were ONLY
too glad to sit up with him but there
were 80 many Masons and 80 few sick
that it was ouly once in two or three
months that brother vas called upon
to sit up with anybody. "But why do
you Ark these questions, madam ?" said
the prominent Mason.
The woman picked the fringe of her
shawl, hung down her head, and said
We'll, my husband began to Join the
Mnsons about two years ago, and he has
been taking degrees or sitting up with
people every night since, and he comes
nome al all times of night, smelling of
beer aud cheese. | thought mt first tha.
The cheese was the result of his going to
tho morgue 10 help carry brother Masons
home after they had been found in the
river. lie has come home twico with
The wrong pair of drawers OH, and when
l asked him how 1t was, he snid it was n
secret he could not reveal under penalty
OF being shot with cannon. All he
would say was that lie took degree.
have kepta little track of it and | figure
that he has taken 233 degrees, including
the grand ssSky Fugle degree, which he
took the night he came home with his
mp cut and his ear hanging by piece of
the skin"
30, madam" said the prominent Ma.
son, there il no Sky Fugle degree in
Masonry. Your husband has lied to
you"
That's what think" said she. as
baleful light appeared in her eyes. "He
said he was taking the Sky Ifugie degree,
and fell through the sky-light. had
him sewed up and he was ready for more
degrees. After he had taken | should
think abou. n hundred and fifty degrees,
told him should think he would let up
on 1t, and put some potatoes in tho cellar
for winter, but he said when a man once
got started on the degrees he had to take
them all or he didn't amount to anything.
One time wanted hat 10 wear to
church with feather on it. and he said
ieathers we're nonsense, and the next day
he brought home leather cese with n
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 appear
ance. he began to throw his arms around,
and i asked iim what was tho matter,
sid he said that vas the grand hsiiipR
sign Of distress, and if didn. look out
an avenger would appear from dark
closet and run a toad. .sticker through me
for scoler. He must have spent q for.
tune on the last hundred and fifty de.
grees. One morning he came home with
his coat tail split up the back and his
pants torn just as though q dog had
chawed him, aud one eye closed up and d
wad of hair pulled right off his head,
and he said he had been taking tho
20oth degree, but he wouldn't tell me
how it happened because 1t was dead
secret. Sometimes brother Mason
comes home with him early in the morn.
ing, and they both talk abou, full
flush and they both act full as they
stand on the steps and talk about their
pat hands and raising 'em out and call
ing and bob tail dush.' One night
when he was asleep heard him whisper
i raised you ten dollars and when
asked him what he meant he said they
had been raising purse for poor wi.
dow. Another time he raised up in bed
after he had been asleep and shouted
stand pat and when asked him what
1t meant he said he was ruined if l told
of it. He said he had spoken the past
word, and if the brethren heard Of is
they would put him out of the way. Mis-.
ter, is i stand pat your pass word ?"
The Mason told her it was not That
the words she had spoken was an express.
ion used by men when playing draw po
ker, and he added that he didn't believe