Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-05-11
DUTIES OF MASONRY.
A Nice Old Lady inquiries About
Her Husbands Degrees.

Her Husbands Degrees.
The middle-aged lady with the black
alpaca dress, worn shiny at the elbows,
and a cheap shawl and clean bonnet,
and her hands all puckered up and
blue, although she had just got her
washing out went into the Office of a
prominent Mason a few days ago and
took a chair, says the Scottish Rite
Bulletin. She wiped her nose and the
perspiration from her face on blue
checkered apron, and when the Mason
looked at her with an interested,
brotherly look, as though she were
troubled, she said:
Are you the boss Mason?n
He blushed, told her he was Ma.
son, but not the highest in the land.
She hesitated moment, fingered the
corner of her apron, and curled it up
like boy speaking piece in school,
and asked:
Have you taken the two hundred
and twenty-three degrees of Masonry"
The man assured her that there were
only thirty-three degrees and that he
had only taken thirty-two. The other
degrees could only be taken by few
who We're recommended TO the grand
body. The lady studied minute, un-
pinned the safety pin that fastened her
shawl together and put it in her mouth,
drew breath, and said:
Where does my husband get the
two hundred degrees, theng"
The prominent Mason said he
guessed her husband never got two
hundred degrees unless he had q de-
gree factory. He said he didn't un-
derstand the lady.
docs my husband have to sit UP
with dead corpse three nights in q
week." she asked, her eyes flashing
fire. ''Do you keep lot of sick Mas
ons on tap for my husband to sit up
with the other three nights
The prominent Mason said he was so
thankful that so many Masons died and
only occasionally was one sick enough
to call for Masonic assistance. When
a Mason took sick away from home, or
when his family desired it, the breth-
ern were only too glad to sit up with
him; but there were so many Masons
and so few sick that it is only once in
two or three months that brother
was called upon to sit up with anybody.
But why do you ask these questions,
MADAME" said the prominent Mason.
The woman picked the fringe off her
shawl, hung her head down, and said:
''Nell, my husband began to join the
Masons about two years ago. and he
has been taken degrees OF sitting up
with people ever since, and he comes
home all hours OF the night, smelling
of beer and cheese. / thought at first
the cheese was the result OF going 20
the morgue to help carry brother Mas
ons home after they had been found in
the river. | have kept little track of
it, and figure that he has taken two
hundred and thirty-three degrees, in
cluds1g the Grand Sky Fugie degree,
which he took the night he came with
his lip cut and his ear hanging by q
piece of skim
20, madam" said the prominent
there is no Sky Fugte degree
in Masonry; you're husband has lied TO
you"
That's what think" said she, as
Daleful light appeared in her eve. ale |
said he was taking the Sky Fugie de- |
gree and fell through the skylight. I |
had him sewed up, and he was ready /
Tor more degrees. After he had taken, /
should think, about hundred and |
fifty degrees. told him | should think 4
ne would let up on il, and put some 4
in the cellar for winter: but he I
'aid when man once got started he /
had to take them all, or he didn't 4
uncut to any thing. One time | want
ID a new hat to wear to church with a
Gather on, and he said feathers were
vi nonsense, and the next day he
brought home a leather case with a
cit coal-skuttle in IL, and feather on
I that couldn't have cost less than ten
dollars, the way that reckon millinery.
Ind when he put 1t on and | laughed
t his ridiculous appearance he began
o throw his arms around, and asked
i'm what was the matter, and he said
was the grand mailing sign OF distress,
nd II i didn't look out an aYenger
1ould appear from dark closet and
un toad-sticker through me for a
Golfer. He must have spent fortune
n the last one hundred and fifty de-
rees.
Zone morning he came home with
is coat-tails split right up the back
nd his pants torn just as though dog
ad chewed them, and one eye closed
p and wad of hair pulled right out
his head, and he said he had been
iking the two hundredth degree, but
q wouldn't tell how it happened be-
ause it was dead secret. Sometimes
brother Mason comes home with him
arly in the morning and they talk
bout full flush, and they act full as
ley stand on the steps and talk about
at hands, and raising 'em out and
.alling,' and .bobtail flush One
light, when he was asleep, heard him
hisper: j raise you ten dollars, and
hen / asked him what it meant he
lid they had been raising purse for
poor widow. Another time he raised
p in bed and shouted: i stand pat !
nd when | asked him what he meant ,
3 said he was ruined il / told IL. He
I'D he had spoken the password, and
his brethren heard OF IL they would
ut him out OF the way, even as Morgan /
as put out OF the way. Mister, Is Il J
and pat, your PASSWORD"
Tho Ma9pV, 4cf1 In.. Ia $500. | II