The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1890-06-27
Ghelentoraf- Star
loon esa .naagEEs.n
A wife Learns SomF Masonic Facts as
10 Which She Had Bcen MisIniormed.

cheap bonnet, aud her hands puck
cred up and blue, as though she
had just gol her washing out, went
into tlle Office Of prominent Ma
son few mornings since, says
Peck'S SHR, and TOOK Il chair.
She wired her nose and the per
spiraiion from her face on blue
checked apron, and when the Ma
son looked al her with an interest.
ed, brolher!v look. "a though as
though she was in trouble, she
said:
"Are you the boss Mason 2"
He bluShod and told her he was
Mason, but not the highest in the
land.
She hesilated n moment, finger
ed the corner of her apron, and
curled:lt up like boy speaking y
piece in school, and asked
''Ilave you taken he Thole 233
degrees of masonry p
The man laughed and told her
there were 33 degrees. and that he
had only taken 80. The other de-
gree could only be taken by very
few, who We're recommended by
the Grand lodge, and they had TO
20 to New York to &, The 33l dc
gree.
The lady studied a moment, I'M
pinned the safeiy-pin that held her
shawl together and pul il in her
mouth, took a long breath and
said:
"Where does my husband gel
the other POO degrees then r.
The prominent Mason said he
guessed her husband never got 200
degrees, unless he had a degree
factory. lie said he didn't under
stand the lady.
'DoeS my husband have 10 set
up with a corpse three nights
week - she asked, her eyes flash
ing fire. 'Do you keep a loI OF sick
Masons On tap for my hu, baad to
sit up with Z"
The prominent Mason said he
was thankful ihat few Musons died,
and only occasionally was one sick
enough 10 call for masonic assist.
ance. When a Mason was sick,
and away from home, or when hi,
family desired 1t, tho brethren
were only too glad to st up with
him, but there We're 50 many Ma
Sons and so few sick Thai il was
only once in two or three months
that a brother was called upon to
sit mp with ANYBODY.
''But why do you ask lheSe ques-
tionS, maGanl.o said the prominent
Mason.
The woman picked the fringe of
her shawl, hung hen head down,
and said:
swell, my husband began to
join the MaSonS about lwo years
ago, and he has been taking de
grees or sitting w with sick people
every night since, and he comes
home al all times Of the night
smelling OF beer and cheese. |
thought AT first that The cheese was
the result Of his going to the NOR
que to help carry brother MaSOns
home after they had bee: found in
the river.
Il have kept littl track of it.
and figure that he has taken 233 |
degrees, including The grand sky
1ugle degree, which he took the
night he came home with his lip |
cut and his ear hanging hy piece
of skin"
"Oh, madam sad The promi-
nent Mason, There is no skyfuglc
degree in Masonry. Your hui u-band
has lied to YOU"
"That's what | Think said she,
as baleiul light appeared IN hpi
eye. ale said he was taking the
skyiugle degree and frll through
the skylight. | had him scwed up
and he was ready for more de-
grees.
"Aflcr he had taken, | think,
about $50 degrees, | lnld lam
shoul d think he Wonld let MP ON it |
andpui some potatoes in the cellar
Tor the winter but he said when n
man once got started on the de-
grecs he had 10 take them all or |
he didn't amount to anything.
"One lime | wanted a hat TO
wear to church with Il feather on, |
and he said feathers were all non
sense; and the next day he brought |
home leather case with a felt coal |
scutlle in if, and a leather on il |
that couldn't have cost less than
$40, the way | figure millinery.
And when he put it on and | laugh
ed at'his ridiculous appearance, he
began 10 throw ms arms around
and asked him what was The NAL.
ter, and he said it was the grand
haIling sign Of distress, and if II
didn't look out an ayenger would
from a dark closet and run
Il loadsticker through me for a scor-
fer.
"Jle must have spent n fortune
on The last $50 degrees. One morn
ing he came home with his coat
tail split right up the back and his {
pants torn Just as though a dog
had chewed him, and one eye clio {
set up, and a wad 0i hair pulled ,
right out nl his head, aud said he q
had been taking the 2O0lh degree.
bu. he woultln'l tell me how II
happened, bccsuse il was a dead
secret.