River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-03-22
Playing 233 Degrees of Mason
nv on n Wife.

A middIe-aged lady. with black alpa-
ca dress worn shiny at the elbows, and La
cheap shawl, and cheap bonnet, and
hands puckered up and blue, as though
she had just got her washing out, went
into the office ola prominent Mason, a
few mornings since, and took q chair.
She wiped her nose and the perspira-
ton from her face on a blue checkered
apron, and when the Mason looked at
her with an interested look, as though
she was in trouble, she said;
''Are you the boss Mason?"
He blushed, told her he was Mason,
but not the highest in the land. She
hesitated moment, fingered the corr
ner of her apron and curled it up like
boy speaking piece in school and
asked:
"Haye you taken the whole two hun
dred and thirty-three degrees of Ma
sonry?'
The man laughed, and told her there
were only thirty-three degrees, and that
lie had only taken thirty-two. The other
degree could only be taken by a very
few who were recommended by the
Grand Lodge, and they had togo TO New
York TO get the thirty-third degree.
The lady studied minute, unpinned
the safety pin that held her shawl to-
gether, and pat it in her mouth, took a
long breath and said:
"Where does my husband get the
other two hundred degrees them"
The prominent Mason said he guessed
her husband never got two hundred de-
grees, unless he had q degree factory.
He said he didn't understand the lady.
"Does my husband have to setup with
corpse three nights week." ste asked,
her eyes flashing fire. And do they
keep a lot of sick Masons on tap for my
husband to set up with the other three
nights"
The prominent Mason said he was
thankful that few Masons died, and only
occasionally was one sick enough to call
Tor masonic assistance But why do
you ask these questians, madamep said
the prominent Mason.
Tie woman picked the fringe Of her
showl, hung her head down and said:
well, my husband began to join the
Masons about two years ago, and has
been taking degrees or sitting up with
people every night since. He has come
home twice with the wrong clothes on,
and W hen asked him how it was, he
said it was Il secret he could not reveal
under penalty of being shot with can
non. All he would say was that he took
degree. / have kept little track of it
and figure that he has taken 233 de
grees, including the grand Sky Fugle de-
gree, which lie took the night ho came
home with his lip out, and his ear hang
ing by Il piece ct skin"
ooh madam, SAID the prominent Ma
son, there is no Sky Fugle degree in
Masonry Your husband has deceived
you"
''That's what think" said she, as
baleful light appeared in her eye. He
said he was taking the Sky Fugle degree
and fell through the skylight. | had him
sewed up and he was ready for more
degrees After he had taken hundred
and fifty degrees, | told him | should
think he would let up on it, and put
some potatoes in the cellar Tor winter,
but he said when q man once got start
ed on the degrees he has to take them
all or he didn't amount to anything.
Sometimes brother Mason comes home
along with him in the morning, and they
talk about full flush, and about their
pat hands, and raising 'em out One
night when he was asleep | heard him
whisper Il raise, you ten dollars and
when ask him what he
meant, he said they had been raising
purse for widow. Another time he
raised up in bed after he had been
asleep, and shouted: j stand Pat and
when | asked what he meant he said he
was ruined if he told it. lie said he had
spoken of the pass word, and if the
brethren heard of it they would put
him ont of the way, even as Morgan
was put out of the way. Mister, is Il
stand Pat your pass word?"
The Mason told her it was not. That
the words she had spoken was an ex-
preston used by men when playing
draw poker, and he added that he didn't
believe her huabsnd was Mason at all,
but that he had been lying TO her all
these years.
She sighed and said: That's what |
thought when he came home with lot
of ivory chips in his pocket. He said he
used them at the lodge to vote on cam
didates. and that white chip elects
and blue rejects Il candidate. If you
will look the matter up and see if he has
Joined the Ma5ons will be obliged to
YOU. lie says he has taken all the 233
degrees, and now the boys wants him to
join the Knights Of Pythias. want t
get out an injunction to prevent him
from joining anything else until he can
get some underelothes for the winter.
IN tell you what | will do. The next
time he says anything about Sky Fugle
degrees ! will take washboard and
make him think that there is one degree
in Masonry that he has skipped, and
now good-by. You have comforted me
greatly, and will lay awake tonight till
my husband comes from the lodge with
his pat hand, and will make them
think he has forgot his ante !"
The lady went out to buy some bar
soap, and the prominent Mason re-
sumed his business with feeling that
we are not truly good, and there is