Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-09-05
TOOK 233 DEGREES"
A Wife Learns Some Masonic Facts as to
Which She Had Been Misinfor0ed.

\ middte-a~cd lady with black a.
nara dress. worn shincy nj the elbows
ana cheap shawl and A cheap bonnet,
and h"- llal> puckrrci M and blue rs
t.r."-.a She had just got her washing
out went into the office of prominent
Mason few mornings since. says
Ptck's .StH. AMI took a chair.
She wiped her ,N>n anl the perspi-
ration from her face on Il bluechecked
akron. and when She Mason looked at
l"r VT. an interested. brotherly look,
u, though she was in trouble. she said:
Are YOU the boss Mason?"
He flushed and told her he was q
Mason. but no; the highest in the land.
She hc>tatrl moment, fingered the
corner of hex apron. and curlcd it up
like :. boy speaking a piece i'll school,
and asked:
Have you taken the whole 233 de-
frees of Masonry?'
The man laughed and told her there
were thiriy-three degrees, and that he
had only taken ihirty-two. The other
degree could be taken by very few.
who were recommended by the Grand
lodge. and thew had to 20 to New York
to get the thirty-third degree.
The lady studict minute, unpnned
the safe,y-pin that held her shawl to-
scther and put it her mouth, took a
long breath. and sd:
when does my husband 2 the
other 200 degrees. ',en?"
The prominent Jason said he guess
ed her husband never got POO degrees
= co. 10
said he didn't understand the lady.
docs my ,iu-3aad have TO sit up
with corpse three nights 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
only occasionally was one sick enough
to call for Masonic assistance. When
Il Mason was sick, and away from
home. or when his family desired it..
the; krethrcn were only too glad to 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 quest
ions, madam" said the prominent
Mason.
The woman picked the fringe of her
shawl. hung her head down, and said:
'Well, my husband began to join
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. ]
thought at first that the cheese was the
result of his going to the morgue to
help carry brother Masons home after
they lad been found in the river.
Il have kept little track of it. and
and figured that he has taken 233 de.
grees, including the grand Skyfugle
degree which he took the night he
came home with his lip cut and his ear
hanging by piece of skim"
oh, Madam" said the prominent
Mason. there is no skyfuglc degree in
Masonry. Your husband has lied to
YOU"
That's what think" said she, as
Il baleful light appeared in her eye.
He said he was taking the skyfugle
degree and fell through skylight.
had him sewed up, and he was ready
for more degrees.
After he had taken, l think, about $50
degrees. told him should think that
he would let up on it and put some po-
tatoes in the cellar for the winter, but
he said when q man once got started
OH the degrees he had to take them all
or he didn't amount to anything.
''One time l wanted hat to wear to
church 18th Il feather on, and he said
feathers were all nonsense; and the
next day he brought home u leather
case with felt coalscuttlc in it, and a
feather on it that couldn't have cost
less than $40. the way l figured mil
linciy. And when he put It on and
laughed at his ridiculous appearance he
began to throw his arms around and I
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
avenger would appear from q dark
closet and run toadsticker through
me for scoffer.
HE must have spent 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 n wad OF
hair pulled right out of his head. and
said he ha,' been taking the 200th de-
gree. but he wouldn't tell me how it
happened, because it was dead secret.
''Somc times q brother Mason comes
home with him along in the morning.
and they CAB about a full Aush,' and
they both act full rs they stand on the
steps and CAB about their pat hands.
and raising EN- out, and calling, and
'bobtaii dushes.' One night when
he was asleep / heard him whis-
per. Il raise you &c. and when
i wanted to be told what ii
meant he said they had been raising u
purse for poor widow. Another
time he raised up in bed after he had
been asleep and shouted. I stand pat,
and when wanted to know what that
meant, he said he'd be ruined If told
Of it. He said he had mentioned the
password. and If tho brethren heard
Of it they would put him out of the
way. Mister. is L stand pat your
paseworl?"
Tho Mason told her it was not; that
the words she had spoken werc an ex.
preston used by men when playing
draw-pokcr; and he added that he
didn't believe her husband was q Ma.
son at ali. but that he had been lying
to her all thes'. wears.
She sighed and said: That's what
/ thought when he came home with q
lot of ivory chips in his pocket.
HE said they used them at the
lodge to vote ON candidates, and that
a white chip elects and blue chip re.
jects \ candidate.
IF you will look the matter up and
zee if he has joined the Masons, I will
be obliged to you. He says he has taken
all the 233 degrees. and now the boys
want him to join the Knights of Pyth-
las. want to get out an Injunction
to prevent him from joining anything
else until VIC get some underclothes
for winter.
"rll tell you what ! will do. The
next time he says anything about Sky.
fuglc degrees and Consistory nonsense
l will Nse the washboard and cause
him to believe there is one degree in
Masonry he has missed; and now good
by. You have cOmforted me greatly,
and l will be awake tonight till NV
husband comes from the lodge with
his pat hand and l will make him think
he has forgotten his ante"
The lady went out to a grocery to
buy some bar soap. and the prominent
Mason resumed his business with a
feeling that VIC are not all truly good
and there is cheating going on all
around.
Saying OF Bismarck.
a Erancl, ,ur:xo~ r. l.