New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-07
BROTHER SANDY WGREGOR.
WEAK BROTHER WITH A STRONG WIFE.

A WEAK BROTHER WITH a STRONG WIFE
| Bonnie Scotland and upon arriving IN this country
| Joined his fortune with the ST Johns Grand Lodge
After the union OF the several then existing fac
| tons he, with several others affiliated with our
| lodge. Whether he had ever been an active Mason
never knew. do know. however that he never
| served any committee, never attended funeral
Of deceased brother, never Joined us at our social
gatherings and never seen at the lodge except
at the annual meeting. and even then ne would only
come to the secretary's desk pay his dues. take
his receipt and disappear before the lodge had act
Yally been opened ! always felt annoyed about
this man. although | really had reason for IT,
He never troubled me in the least; only when
] would send out tickets. say for excursion
promptly by return mail every ticket would be re-
turned without single WORD Of excuse or apology
Did | send invitation ever so urgent for some
festive occasion, Third Degree night. no an
swer was ever vouchsafcd. did Brother Nc
Gregor ever come except TO pay his dues on cleo
ton night.
Year after year this done. until finally one
time to my great surprise my Brother Sandy did
not appear AT my desk on election night TO DE-
mand his receipt ! then made up my mind TO call
on him-pump him 1t We're. and find out some
thing obou, him. the why's and wherefores in his
case In fact ! thought 1t was about time that
the secretary knew al about this man.
This was a, a time when thought the Masonic
universe revolved around the secretarys desk wheh
considered It proper that every brother should
come TO that important parsonage and ask permis-
sion If he desired to visit another lodge; when |
thought no brother had any right 10 do anything
without the knowledge and consent or the secre-
tary; had business 10 buy new suit or cIo'''S'
start in business. change his address or get married
without first consulting the secretary; and as for
staying away from the lodge whor the secretary dd
not k low the reason that a Masonic offence ana
a crime against Masonry Itself In fact, thought
the lodge the legitimate domain OF the secretary
and the brethren were the mere vassals OF the man
with the pen and the robook. have learned better
since and have found that the power OF loige =
lodged COR should be) In the hand that holds the
yavel No doubt there are many secretaries to-day
who still think the same way; not because ihey arc
Young and inexperienced as | was IN those Yeas
gone by but because they have the inordnate am
hltion rule the Master, The lodge and the brethren
But all these will learn better. all in good time.
for the fate OF every boss is fall from his high
perch" which usually ends disastrousy to him
Brother McGregor lived at No, 60 Mangin-S'.. ana
one morning l started out 10 hun; him ~. Ipoh
arriving at tina, number inquired 70. him. No one
knew him there At the corner store where accord
ing TO New-York ideas everybody ought 10 ne
known / could obtain no information about him.
Now not 10 be known al the corner or the grocery
or the bakery is serious business My letters were
sent out with return address. and Brother SnndyS
ALWAYS Stuck" so | knew he must be Whereabouts.
j
for information. and he directed me 10 a building
IN the rear OF the house with the above number but
with the entrance around the corner. The crowd OF
women and urchns who had gathered aDoui me BY
this time broke forth 'Oh, its the old brushinakci
Why, yes OF course. everybody knows him. ana
thew u0inted out the road for me. ! carefully made
my way TO the rear building. an old dnapidated
notwithstanding between barn and wood
5@ Pet or stuy g ' " ro,he Charles G. Vii
had not then begun his crusade against rear
Knocked very softly ana carefully at first, for
NJ answer. ] knocked harder, when voice gruni-
Cd out WelI% Well ! pushed the door 0 I,,il:
was not overjOyed at my sudden and unexpected
GA a1 nv brothery e? Visit, but sr1ned out whether
/ had come to collect the lodge dues. told min
but rather to see II anything was the matter
with him that he had not been to the nPdg ga on
felt it my duty to hunt ny The 9retnTgn 70 ,r 5SS
hard TO Ind another excuse for the calling bu, nag
to do an the talking. and talked at the rate oil
ler py To reccyc r was an occasional Of ap
proval could not make any headw"{ wiIn inc me-
stopped his work and seemingly haq made up
his mind TO DO something desperaed in e wee" corer
Of the room. brought forth some none ana sio"l{.
with trembling hand he paid the amount OF MS
Now. had often asked the brethren for dues
bad fe'9rea to Of 6 so 6d 90 b 20 TO
"comp,mction'' for taking this none. and y"
s raRe to S neve mi MIND 10 the reeeP b.
fore could give him 5ecsp; nc or P p0d he
woman strobe in cxclalmng: "Nhat - ms VINO
is hs E none one M n,ertsted win his
brushcs but grunted out something about the
Thc woman whom / had 20 belize vas
Mrs McGrgoT hcn beg&h o al gdts ne al his nj yT
one Of hGsG do o9 9Ss fc dc w MI WIT did you 10
With ali the money have already PAID yS SuG1
of the lodge ana the good Of Masonry but INC
vrago would not listen She talked az Inn herr q.
self firmly 6foTs mG Ther she s'ooG six
feet tall, "A great bony woman arms IKE rolling,
pins With hands IKE prize IAN, and hair n,x on
Of brick dust ana cayenns pP Sbe aS s oy
lig mad at q" eat deliverhs TRADE against poor mca
forcible. would moi look well in print and would
her, Do Jya Gq e chsr to FGs
an orphan these twenty years an ara ths ori
n nare 90 On T these Houses Charity And would
pay pay the the axss on me
10 poor. dumb Sandy losing time ruhhns 10 yTg
y Sase large Tes9 sums M G9fG dues With none
CLARITY sTy 70 .. nc SS s@Ra VI When
Thinking OF ne vast amount Of money pal, a M
los, by this smile aFSh nwa Mhe I'D not
smile aloud Just hsp With this Pow Sfore a mc
hS rathsr G %shea mysef safely out y ovf5soai
McC;regor and the orphan had planted herself
between II and me. -
now began strategic movement 10 supervene
the angular corners Of Mrs. McGreRor. the object
i've point OF which was my coat and nat. gradually
edgnc forward and toward and nearer TO my dry
goods and when finally reached II made a grab
never thought OF shaking hands with the pr9th,er
or his very amiabie wife. and when reached the
street in safety breathcd frecr but quietly, re-
more ca refu In finding out the why and where.
fores" and the reasons why brethren do not attend
the meetings OF the lodge. 49, 49,,
said never a word to any 81 the brethren or this
lfttie es.apade with Brother Sandy McGregor, ana
when the next year Whereabouts his name came
I'M for llnaffiliation. one had anything 10 say,
hut some good naturcd brother suggested mat inc
secretary be requested to call upon the brother
and ind out all about him. The secretary. In his