The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-07-12
TOO MANY DEGREES.
milwaukee Mans wife Learns q
Few Things About Masonry
That Surprised Her.
IFrOm Perk'a SunI

TFr0m Peck's Sun.
| A middle.aged lady, with a black
alpaca dress, worn shiny at the elbows,
and cheap shawl and bonnet, and her
hands puOked up aud blue, as though
she had just got her washing ont, went
into the office of prOmint mt Mason a
few mornings since, and took chair.
| She wiped the perspIration from her
face on blue checked apron, and
when the Mason looked at her with an
interested, ,brothery look. as though she
was in trouble, she said:
| "Are you the bOss Aiason2"
| He blushed, told her he was 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 piece in school.
and asked:
| "Have you taken the whole 233
degrees 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 Il
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 q minute, unplnned
the safety pm that neld her shawl to-
gether, and put it in her mouth, took a
long breath and said:
"Where does my husband get the
other 200 degrees, theH7"
The prominent Mason said he guess
ed her husband never got 200 degrees
uuless he had degree factory. lie
said he didn't understand the lady.
"Does my husband have to sit up
with a CORPSE three nights week. p
she asked, her eyes flashing fire. "DO
you keep lot of sick Masons ON tap
Tor my husband to sit up with?,
The prominent Mason said he was
thankful that but few MasOns died land
only occasionally was one sick enough
TO call tor masonic assistance. Why
did she askt
swell, my husband began to join the
Masons about two years ago. and he
has been taking degrees or sitting NJ
with people every night since, and ht
comes home at all times of the nigh
smelling of beer and cheese. thought
at first that the cheese was the result o
his going to the inOrgue to help carr,
brother Masons home after they hat
been found in the river. | have kept
little track OF it, and | figure that h
has taken 233 degrees, including the
great skyfugle degree, which he tool
the night he came home with his lii
cut and his ear hanging by piece
, skin"
! "Oh, madam said the prominen
Mason, "there is no skyfugle degree il
y masonry. Your husband has lied L
YOU"
"That's what think" said she, as
l baleful light appeared In her eye. Ii
:, said be was taking the skyiugle degree
! and fell through the skylight. i ha
him sewed up and he 10 ready for NOR
i degrees.
"After he had taken, think, abou
9 15O degrees, | told him should thin
: he would let up OIL it, and put som
q POTATOES in the cellar for winter: bu
he said when a man once got starte
on the degrees he had to take them 81
J. or he didn amount TO anything.
"Sometimes brother Mason come
u home with him along In the morning
u and they CAB about 'iuii iiush,' a.
i they both act full a. they stEnd OH 1t
q steps and CAB about their pat hands
70 and raising 'em OUT aud 'calliDg,' al
70 .bobtaiI flush; mister, is Il stand pa
IL vonr pass word!'
20 The Mason told her it was not. Th
10 the words she had spoken were an e.
le preston used by men when playil
Dr. draw poker, aud he added that
le didn't believe her husband was Mast
er at all, but that he had been lying to h
~ all these years.
. She signed and said: "That's wha,
q, thought when he came home with
30 lot Of ivory chips in his pocket.
OF "He said they used them at the lod
he to vote on candidates, that white ch
t. elects and blue chip rejects cane
Ok date.
lis "If you look the matter up and see
d. he has Joined the Masons l will
obliged to you. He says he has tax
ar all the 233 degrees, and now the bo
want;him to join the Knights OF Pythi
70 want to get out an injunction to pl
b. vent him from joining anything el
,n until we get some underclothes
nc winter.
Nv "rll tell you what will do. The nt
ed time he SAYS anything about skyfnl
ne degree and cousistory nonsense "
ic use q washboard and cause him 10 b
m, lieve there is one degree In Masonry
Ill has ,n;aaed -