The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-03-10
A HIGE-UP MlSON.
THE MAN WITH 23S DEGREES.
Milwaukee SUM-

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
a few mornings since. and took a
chair. She wiped her nose and
the pcrSpiration from her face ON
d blae.eheeked apron, and when
the Mason looked at her with an
interested brOtherly look, as tho
she was in trouble, she said:
"Are you the boss Mason?n
He blushed and told her he was
a Mason, but not the highest in
the land. She hesitated a moment,
fingered the corner of her apron,
and said:
"Have you taken the whole two
hundred and thirty-three degrees
of Masonry"
The man laughed and told her
there were only thirty-three de-
grees, and that he had only taken
thirty-two. The other degree
could only be taken by a very few
and they had to go to New York.
The lady studied a minute, I'M
jointed the safety pin that held her
shawl together and put it in 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, unless he
had degree factory. He said he
didn't understand the lady.
"Docs my husband have to sit
up with a corpse three nights in
"a week?n she asked, her eyes
| flashing fire. "And do they keep
a lot Of sick Masons on tap for my
husband to sit up with the other
three nightsl"
The prominent Mason said he
was thankful that few Masons died
and only occasionally was enc sick
enough to call for Masonic assist
ance.
"But why do You ask these
questions, madam ~
"Well, my husband began to
Join the Masons about two years
ago, and he has been taking de.
grees or sitting up with people
every night since. He has come
home twice with the wrong pair OF
drawers on, and when | asked him
how it was, he said it was u secret
he could not reveal under the pen.
atty Of being shot from a cannon,
All he would say was that he took
a degree. | have kept track OF
it, aud | figure that he has taken
233 degrees, including the grand
Sky Fugle degrees, which he took
the night he came home with his
lip cut and his ear hanging by a
piece of skin.n
"Oh, madam said the promi.
nent Mason, "there is no Sky Flu.
gle degree in Masonry. You
husband has deceived you."
"That's what | Think" said she
as a baleful light appeared in heI
eye. "IIe said he was taking the
Sky Fugle degree and fell through
the sky-light. [ had him sewed
up and he was ready for more de
grees. After he had taken about
a hundred and fifty degrees, | told
him | should think that he would
let up on it, and put some pota
toes in the cellar for winter, but
he said when man once got star
ted on the degrees he had to take
, them all or he didn't amount to
anything. Sometimes a brother
Mason comes home with him along
towards morning, and they tall
about a full q flush,' and about
their pat hands, and raising ZEN
OUT One night when | was asleeI
| heard him whisper: Il raist
you ten dollars and when / asket
him what it meant he said they
, hal been raising purse for a pOol
widow. Another time he raiset
up in bed, after he had been asleep
and shouted, / stand pat, ant
when / asked him what he mean
he said he was ruined if | told it
He said he had spoken the pasl
word, and if the brethren heard o
it they would put him out of tht
way, even as Morgan was put GU
of the way. Mister, is Il stanC
pat your password I"
The Mason told her it was not
, That the word she had spoken wai
an expression used by men wher
playing draw poker, and he addet
that he didn't believe her husband
was Mason at all, but that he hai
been lying to her all these years.
She sighed and said: "That'l
what thought when he camt