The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-28
NEW SCOTTISH RITES.
knights of Pythias Establish
.sSide Degree"

Every Knight of Pythias in good
standing and whose obligations to so
ciety do not prevent him from taking
a nip now and then, knows what is
meant by taking Scotch degree"
Only a year or two ago this rung in
the ladder of secret society mysteries
was unknown, in the abstract, although
many people went against it without
knowing that it had regular place In
the personal ritual
The inventor of the Scotch degree"
was M E. Murray, the tonSorial artist
There Is a very interesting tale con-
nected with the establishment or the
degree which Murray tells with con-
siderable pride Murray is a K. P. and
was kept very busy taking the degrees
Of the order. He would no sooner re-
cover from one meeting than he would
apply for another degree, and then he
would take that. One night, after he
had climbed up rather high in the
order, he found himself one of quite
class. The exercises had used him UP,
and SO he invited his fellow candidates
to join him in a little effort to recuper-
ate. The party of six repaired to
buffet Murray was out for fun, and
as he looked down the line Of knights
before the railing, he planned little
initiation all for himself. The colonel
asked the gentlemen their pleasure
Murray being the host, on ordinary oc-
casions would have let his guests select
their choice first, but this time this
plot would not let him stand on con-
ventionalities. So he leaned carelessly
on the table and said:
Colonel just bring me that bottle Of
Scotch whisky, tall glass and bot
tie of ginger ale. 1 want to make up
something very light for myself, but
the others can take what they wish.
"I'll take the same, / guess" replied
one Of the party, and the result was
that all ordered the Scotch and ginger
ale, although they did not seem to
know exactly how to make the mixture
So Murray took the bottle first. He
put a little piece Of ice in the bottom
of the glass, and then poured with evil
intent twice as much of the Scotch
stuff onto the ice as he otherwise would
have done. Then he filed the glass
with ginger ale and looked around with
satisfaction. The others initiating
Murray, poured out the same quantity
and all drank at the same time.-E
That's out of sight, Murray" said
one.
at appears to be very light, too
commented another.
do you like 1t, gentlemen" asked
Murray innocently. "Then have
another while the taste is in your
mouths"
So they filed 'em up again. and after
that the dear colonel did the honOrS
making three in all, before the effects of
any of them could be felt. Murray was
the most distracted and absent-minded
man Of the lot, apparently. He talked
on matters of the order, and waited
waited like spider ir the web. He
did not have to wait long.
A steeIly glitter came into the eyes of
the nearest man in a few moments,
and his tongue commenced to wag at
both ends. Then the next man got it,
and the next. and the next, until the
five, not counting Murray, were bah
bling like the brook. Every one said
that the light drink was the best
they had ever had, and every one
wanted another
At last the time came when the last
car was due. So all to the curb stone
went, and there separated with more
or less ELUSIVE farewells. One of the
six took an 1nterurban. He only want
ed to go as far as College avenue, hut
he went way out to Lexington by mis-
take and had to walk in.
Another so frightened his wife that
nounced the moor fellow overWorked.
Another of Scotch descent dreamed of
bag-pipes until noon the next day, and
SO on, all of the six except Murray en-
joyed the effects of the light drink
Some wag with ready wit. who wanted
to be mysterious dubbed the experience
taking the Scotch degree" and now
it's very popular. -"