Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-10-11
TOOK 233 DEGREES.


One Mans Wife Learns Few Now Things
About Masonry.
A lniddle-aged lady, with black al
paca dress, worn shiny at the elbows, a
cap shawl and bonnet, and her hands
pucke ed 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 chair, says
FeckS Sun.
She wiped the perspiration from her
face on a .ue-checked apron, and when
the Mason looked at her with an inter
ested, brotheriy look, as though she
was in trouble, she said:
Are you the boss Mason?"
He bu,hed, tod her he was Mason,
but not the highest in the land.
She he@itated moment, fingered the
corner of her apron, curled it up like
b ~ 81 eaking piece in school, and
asked:
Have you taken the whole 233 de-
gree3 Of Masonry? ?"
The man laughed and told her there
were only 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
go TO New York to get the thirty third
degree.
The lady studied minute, unpinned
the safety pm that held her shawl to-
ge her and put it in her mouth, took a
long breath, and said:
Where does my husband get the
other 200 degrees, them"
The prominent Mason said he guessed
her husband never got 200 degrees I'M
less lie had a degree factory. He said
he didn't understand the lady.
Does my husband have to sit nip
with corpse three nights week." she
asked, her eyes flashing ire. do you
keep lot OF sick Masons on tap for my
husband to sit up wiih?"
The prominent Mason said he Sss
thankful that few Masons died, aud
only occasionally was one sick enough
to call for Masonic assistance. Why
did she ask?
We'll, my husband began to Join the
Masons about two years ago, and he has
been taking degrees or sitting up with
reop'e every night since, and ne comes
of beer and chez e. | thought at first
that the cheese was the result Of his
ing to the morgue to help carry
brother Masons home af er they had
been found in the river. / have kept a
little track of it, and l figure that he
has taken 233 degrees, including tho
grand skyfugle degree, which he took
the night he came home with his lip
cut and his ear hanging by piece of
skin"
"Oh, madam" said the prominent
Mason, there is no skyfugle degree in
Masonry. Your husband has lied to
YOU"
"rhat's what think, said she, as
baletnl light appeared in her eye. He
said he was taking the skyfugle degree,
AID fell through the skylight. ! had
him sewed up, and he was ready for
more degrees.
AFTER he had taken, think, about
one hundred aud fifty degrees l told
him | should think he would let
up on it and put some potatoes in the
cellar for 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 anything.
Sometimes a brother Mason comes
home with him along in the morning,
AID they CAB about full fush,' and
they both act full as they stand on the
steps and CAB about their pat hands
and raising 'em out and calling and
'bobtail flush Mister, is L stand pat
your password"
The Mason told her it was not; that
the words she had spoken was an ex-
preston used by men when playing
draw poker, and he added that he didn't
believe her husband was Mason at all,
but that ne had been lying to her all
these years.
She sighed and said: %That's what
l thought, when he came home with
lot OF ivory chips in his pocket.
"He said they used them at the lodge
to vote on candidates, AMI that a white
chip elects and blue chip rejects
candidste
"If You will look the matter up and
see if he has joined the Masons l will
be obliged to you. He says be has
takel all the 233 degrees, and now the
boys want him to join the Knights Of
Pythias. l want to get out an injunc-
ton to prevent him from joining any
thing else until we get some under
clothes for winter.
4I'Ii tell you what / will do. The
next time he says anything about sky
fugle degree and consistory nonsense j
will use a washbnard and cause him to
believe there is one degree in Masonry
ne has missed.