The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1884-02-15
Cir 1airp Bulletin,
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1884.
Too Many Degrees.

shawl and cheap bonnet, and her hands |
pucllcrcd up and blue, as though she had |
Just got her washing out, went into the |
office of prominent Mason a few mornings |
since, and took a chair She wiped her |
nose, and the pelspiration from her face on |
blue checked apron, and when the Mason
looked at her, with an interested, brotherly |
look, as tho oh she was in trouble, she said, |
Z" Are you the Boss Mason?"
He blllshed, told her he was Mason, |
but not the highest in the land. She hcsi-
tated moment, fingered the corner of her
apron, and crrled it up like a boy speaking
piece in school, and asked;
g Have you taken the whole 233 degrees
of Masonry?'
The man laughed and told her there were
only thirty-threc degrees, and that he 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 to 90 to New York to get the 33d
degree. The lady studied minute, rlnpim-
ned the safety pin that held her shawl to-
gether, 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.
6 Does my husband have to sit up with
a corpse three nights a week?' she asked,
her eyes flashing fire ''Do you keep lot
of sick Masons on tap for my husband to
sit up with the other three nights?''
The prominent Mason said he was thank
full that few masons. died, and only occa-
sionalIy was one 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
brother was called upon to sit up with
anybody. g But why do you ask these
questions, madam" said Che prominent
Mason
The woman picked the fringe of her
shawl, hung her head down, and said
Well, my husband began to DIN the
Masons about two years ago, and he has
been taking degrees or sitting up with peo-
pie every night since, and he comes home
at all times of the 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,
dllcI uicN lldt DCcn lOllllu Ill Lllc river. lie
has come twice with the wrong pair of
drawers on, and when | asked him how it
was, he said it was a secret he could not re-
veal under penalty Of being shot with
cannon All he would say was that he took
a degree. | 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 skim
90, 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
baleful light appeared in her eye. :" He
said he was taking the Sky Fuglc degree,
and fell through the sky light. | had him
sewed up, and he was ready for more de-
grees. After he had taken, | should think,
about a hundred and fifty degrees, | told
him | 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 u hat to wear to church, with
feather ON, and he said feathers were all
nonsense, and the next day he brought
home Il leather case with felt coal scuttle
in it, and 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
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