The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-02-15
A REAL WOMAN MASON.
How She Received the Degrees Of Apprer
Sice md Eetlowcraft

How She Received the Degrees Of Appren.
tiee and F~eiloweraft.
In the office of the grand secretary
Of the Grand Lodge, in the Masonic
Temple, hangs an oil painting OF a
I'M dressed in Masonic regalia. 1t
was presented TO Colonel Ehlers, and
is a portrait of Hon. Mrs. Aldworth.
the heroine OF this legend. She is said
TO have received, about the year 1875.
the first and second degrees of Free
masonry in Lodge No. A, Doneraile,
Ireland. The circumstances of this
initiation were first published in Cork
in 1907, and it was claimed that they
were substantiated by an eyewitness
to the ceremony. Subsequently they
appeared in n memoir published by
Spencer, the celebrated Masonic
bishop, in London.
Mrs. Aldworth. nee Elizabeth st.
Eeger, was the youngest child and
only daughter of the first Viscount
Doneraile. of Ireland The lodge in
which she WAS initiated was an aristo-
cratic lodge, consisting principally of
the gentry and most respectable and
wealthy inhabitants of the country
around Doneraile. The commanica-
tons were usually held in the town.
but during the m~astership OF Lord
Doneraile, brother Of Mrs. Aldworth.
the meetings were held at Doneraile
House, his residence.
Spencer relates this story of the af-
fair: 1t happened on this particular
occasion that the lodge vas held in Il
room separated from another by stud
and brick-werk. The young lady be-
ing giddy and thoughtless, and. de-
termined to CRAFTY her curiosity,
made arrangements accordingly. With
a pair Of scissors, as she herself relat-
ed to the mother of our informant. she
removed a portion of a brick from the
wall and placed herself so as to COM
mand Il full view of every thing which
occurred in the next room. She then
witnessed the first two degrees in
masonry, which was the extent Of the
proceedings of the lodge that night.
Becoming aware from what she heard
that the brethren were about TO sep
arate, she felt alive to the awkward
ness and danger of her situation. and
began to consider how she could retire
without observation. She became
nervous and agitated, and nearly
tainted, but so far recovered herself as
to be fully aware of the necessity OF
Withdrawing as quickly us possible.
Being in the dark, she stumbled and
overthrow something, a chair or some
ornamental piece of furniture. The
crash was loud, and the tyler. who
was in the lobby OR landing, on which
opened the doors both of the lodge
room and that where the young lady
was, gave the alarm, burst open the
door and, with 4 light in one hand and
sword in the other, appeared to the
terrified and fainting lady. He was
soon joined by the members. Her life
would have fallen a sacrifice to what
was then esteemed her crime.
The first care of Lord Donerailc was
to resuscitate the unfortunate lady
without alarming the house. and en-
deavor to learn from her an eXplana-
ton Of what had occurred. Having
done this, many of the members being
furious at the transaction, she was
placed under guard OF the tyler, and 81
member in the room where she was
found. The members ~reassembled
and elaborated as to what was to be
done. For over two hours she could
hear the angry discussion and her
death deliberately proposed and see
onded. At length the good sense of
the majority succeeded in calming in
some measure the angry and irritated
feelings of the members. It was re-
solved to give her the option of SUBJ
hitting to the Masonic ordeal to tho
extent she had witnessed (Fellow-
craft), and if she refused, the brethren
We're again to consult. Miss st. Leger,
exhausted and terrified by the stormi-
ness OF the debate, gladly and unhesi-
tatingly accepted the offer and was
initiated. Sister Aldworth, as she
was called, came into a large fortune
by her marriage, and the poor in gem
eral and the Masonic poor in particu-
lar, had good reasO TO be thankful
for her numerous and bountiful acts of
kindness.-N. Y. H0Yk1.