New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-16
He TOOK A GREAT MANY DEGREES.
From Pcck's sun.

From Pcck's sun.
\ midle-aged lady with black alpaca dress. worn
shiny 1T the elbows, and cheap shawl and a cheap
and her hands puckered up and blue as thoush
she had just got her washing out went ih,o lhi
office of a prominent Mason few mornings since. ana
She wiped her nose and the perspiraion from her
face on Il bluc-chccked apron. and when the Mason
looked at her with Interested. brotherly Iooh' as
though she was in trouble she said;
re y on the boss Ma on 20
lie bushed and told her he was Mason but mol
the highest In the land.
she he>itatcd Il moment, fingered the corner OF
her apron, ana curlcd 1t up like boy speaking
piece In school, and asked
Have you taken the whole 233 degrees OF
rhe man laughed and told her there were thirty
three degrees, and that he had only taken tMrly "O
The other degree could ooiy be- taken by very iew
who were recommended by the Grand L~i-c' ana
they mad to 70 to New York 10 get tie thr'yt"lN
degree 49,.
The lady studied minute. unpinncd the safety
DIN that held her shawl together ana PAT IL IN hcr
mouth took Il long breath, and said: 80
Where does my husband get the othcr -oo oo'
The prominent Mason said he guessed her husband
never rot 200 degrees unless he had a degree
factory. lie said he didn't understand the lady.
does nv husband haze to sit up with corpse
thr... NIGHTS a wccki9 She asked, her eyes na,hng
ire DO YOU keep lot OF sick Ma'onS on tap
sr my husband to sit up WIN 1p :, ,r,. .,o,,,,.,
thai few Masons died and only occasionally Wa one
Sick enough TO call for Masonic assistance. Nhyn =
Mason was sick and away from home. or " men ms Hiu-
~ desired it, the brethren only too glad 10 ST. up
With him. but there were 80 many Mason; ana 50 Jew
tl. 1
tbui a brother was called upon TO sit up with any
int why do you ask these questions. madam
said the prominent Mason. -,
The woman picked the fringe oil her SHAWL hu''7
hc Neil my husband began to Join the Masons about
two wears ago. aud he has been taking degree, 81
sttin mn with people every night since and he comes
home at all time, of the night smelling Of beer ana
nbneSe ! thought at first that the cheese was the
result of his going to e morgue to help carry brother
Nasons home after they had been found IN the RIVER
have kcet little track OF IT, ana inquire tlat nc
has taken 233 degrees, including the grand skyiuS'
degree which he took the night he came nome WIN HIS
p cut and his ear hanging by piece OF SKIN ,,., l.
"Oh. madam said the prominent MaS0n' " theIe Is
no skyfuglc degree Ill hdson'S' i"''' '"'O" W
c that's m what think" said she. as 9aefrl light
scSyed M. and he was ready for more degrees ,
After lie had taken, think about 10y HcerS d t
some potatoes I'm the cellar for winter bt nc st WITH
man once got started the degrees he had 70 take
them all he didn't amount To any tnne, hurcb win
+" one time wanted hat TO wear 10 UhuIoh WIN
a feather on and he said feathers were an nonsense
and The next day he brought home leilher -. 49,
cnndn't have cost less than $40, the way n-ule
millinery And when he put II on anu laus'i ~
at his ridiculous appearance he 2eean ~ t matter
end he said Il was the grand Railing sign Of distress,
and II didn't look ont an avenger would appear nom
A dark closet and run toadstche? tiuOush iic lo' d
iIe must have spent fortune on the last 100
degrees. one morning he came home WIN III; cotD
t%nu,H a dog had chewed him. and one eye was closed
mn and wad of hair pulled right ont OF his head,
aud he said that he had taken the 5ooth dcge 9ae
" sometimes brother Mason comes home with
him along in the morning. and they CAB abont "A
ni nnsh5 and they both act full a. they stand on
he stems and CAB about their pat hands and
raising ;em OUT and calling and 'bobtail nush'