The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-07-03
TOOK 2S3 DEGREES"
Some Masonic Facts as to Which Wife
Had Been Misiuformsd.
Her Husband Had Deceived Her Badly, but
His Game is Up Forevsr-shs Will Give
Him Degree That viii Paralyzs Him
His skyfugle Story.

ULue, dS CnOugn sne naQ just got neF
washing out, went into the Office of
prominent Mason few mornings
since, says Peck's Sun, and took
chair.
She wiped her nose and the per-
spiration from her face on a blue
checked apron, AID when the Mason
looked at her with an interested,
brotherly look, as though she was in
trouble, she said:
''Are you the boss Mason?'
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 curled it
up like boy speaking a piece in
school, and asked:
"Have you taken the whole 233 de-
grees of Masonry"
The man laughed and told her there
were thirty-three degrees, and that he
had only taken thirty-two The other
degree could only be taken by very
few, who were recommended by the
Grand lodge, and they had to 90 to
New York to get the thirty-third de-
gree.
The lady studied minute, unpinned
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 200 degrees, then?''
The prominent Mason said he
guessed her husband never got 200 de-
grees, unless he had a degree factory.
He said he didn't understand the lady.
''Does my husband have to sit up
with 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 prominent Mason said he was
thankful that few Masons died, and
and only occasionally was one sick
enough to call for Masonic assistance.
When Mason was sick, and was away
from home, or when his family desired
it, the brethren were only too glad 10
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.
"But why do you ask these questions,
"aomP" said the prominent Mason.
~,picked the fringe Of her
@ad down, and said:
swell. my hnsD;Aa hoa-.- x :;
the Masons about two years ago; and
he has been taking degrees or sitting
up with people every night since, and
he comes home at all times of the
night smelling of beer and cheese. I
thought at first that the cheese was
the result OF his going to the morgue
to help carry brother Masons home
after they had been found in the
river.
II have kept little track of it, and
figure that he has taken 233 degrees,
including the grand skyfugle degree,
which he took the night he came home
with his lip cut and his ear hanging
by a piece of skin"
ooh, madam" said the prominent
Mason. "There is no skyfugle degree
in Masonry. Your husband has lied
to YOU"
That's what 1 think" said She as
baleful light appeared in her eye.
''He said he was taking the skyfugla
degree and fell through the skylight.
i had him sewed up, and he was ready
for more degrees,
"After he had taken, think, about
$50 degrees, told him should think
he would let up on it and put some
potatoes in the cellar for the winter.
but he said when a man once got
started on the degrees he had to take
them all or he didn't amount to any,
thing.
''One time ! wanted a hat to wear
to church with a feather on it, and he
said feathers were all nonsense; and
the next day he brought home a
leather case with felt coal-scuttle
in it, and 3 feather on it that couldn't
have cost less than 80, the way
figure millinery, And when he put it
on and ] laughed at his ridiculous
appearance he began to throw his
arms around and 1 asked him what
was the matter, and he said it was the
grand hailing sign of distress, and if I
didn't look out an aven-aor would ap-
pear from q dark closet and run a
toa0Sicker through me for scoffer.
ale must have spent a fortune on
the last $50 degrees. One morning he
came home with his coat tail split
right up the back and his pants torn
just as though dog had chewed him,
and one eye closed up, and wad OF
hair pulled right out of his head, and
said he had been taking the 200th de-
gree, but he wouldn't tell me how il
happened, because it was q dead
secret
II tell you what l will do The
next time he says anything about
Skyfugle degrees and Consistory nom
sense I will use washboard and
cause him to believe there is one de-
gree in Masonry he has missed; and
now good by. You have comforted
me greatly, and will be awake to-
night till my husband comes from the
lodge with his pat hand and will
make him think he has forgotten his
ante"
The lady went out to a grocery tc
buy some bar soap, and the prominent
Mason resumed his business with a
feeling that we are not all truly good
and there is cheating going ON all
| uround