The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-15
A LADY FREEMASON.
HOW MISS ST. LEGER HAPPENED TO
BE INITIATED.
The TrAdsron IA Told All Over the World
Now Said Not 10 Be True-she Did Not
Intentionally secrete Herself to Steal
the Secrets of the order.

Intentionally secrete Herself to SITES
the Secrets of the Order.
In DR. Brewer Dictionary OF Phras
| and Fable" the following sentences occu
under the heading of "Fremasons:
| THE lady Frcemason was the Hon
Miss Elizabeth ~ Leger, daughter G
Lord Doneraile who says the tale hi
herself in an empty clock case when th
| lodge was held IT her fathers house an
witnessed the proceedings. She was dis
| covered and compelled To submit 10 intia
ton as member of the craft "
This tradition has had worldwide &c
ceptance but IL now appears. according {
correspondent of The standard who ha
been investigating the subject. that al
though clocks are usually contained il
cases there was no clock in this case Tn
correspondent IN his search after trutl
has come across evidence collected by tn,
Masonic historian, Brother Edward Con
der, which dispoScs once and. for all O
what is Masonic myth and tradition
which has no solid foundation BY tn,
kindness of Lord Doneraile Lady Castle
town of Upper Ossory. Colonel Aldwortl
OF Newmarket Court, Mr. James st Legel
and other members of the family Brother
Edward Gender has fortunately been abb,
to piece together a history of the incident
which may fairly be accepted as an au
thentic account of what actually trans.
pired.
1t would appear that the father of Miss
st. Lcger-Arthur st. Leger, first Baron
kilmayden and Viscount Doneraile-to.
gether with his sons and few intimate
friends, were accustomed TO open a lodge
and carry on the ordinary ceremonies al
the family mansion, Doneraile Court,
County Cork On one occasion, during a
period when the house was undergoing
certain internal alterations, Viscount Don
eraile with Others met for Masonic pur.
poses. The lodge was held in large room
on the ground floor of the house, and in
front OF this room was a small library,
divided from the back room by partition
wall. From plan of Doneraile Court,
supplied by a member of the family, it is
evident that the rooms to the right on en-
tering the hall are probably the ones in
question. The doors of these two rooms
both open into the entrance hall and are
not far apart. The alterations having re.
CURED the removal of some of the panel
ing from the larger room, the wall was i'm
~
this had been taken down and the bricks
loosely replaced without mortar in tho po-
sition they were ultimately to occupy.
Against these loose bricks the oak panel
Ing had been temporarily reared. On this
particular afternoon Miss st. Leger had
been reading at the library window, and,
Inc hight OF the winter afternoon having
failed, fell asleep.
The sound OF voices in the next room
restored her to consciousness, and from
her position behind the loosely placed
bricks of the dividing wall she easily real.
zed that something unusual was taking
place in the next room. The light shining
through the untitled spaces of the tempo
AIRY wall also attracted her attention.
prompted by not unnatural curiosity,
Miss st. Leger appears to have removed
me or more of the loose bricks, and thus
vas easily enabled to watch the proceed.
ngs of the lodge. For some time her i'm.
crest In what was transporting was suffi-
lently powerful to hold her spellbound
The quietness OF her. mind remained nns
disturbed for considerable period, and IL
vas not until She realized the solemnity OF
he responsibilities undertaken by the can
lidate that she understood the terrible
of her action.
The wish to hide her secret by making
'ood her retreat took full possession Of
Ter thoughts. For it must be fully under.
TODD that, although. she was perfectly
ware that her fathers lodge was held at
he house, she had no idea on entering the
library that on that evening a meeting
vas about TO be held in an adjoining room. |
Her passage into the hall was easy. but |
happened that the doors of the two
ooms were close together. Outside in the |
all the tyler was on guard, and from this |
oint her retreat was cut off. Miss St. |
'eger, realizing that the tyler, Lord Don.
rallies butler, well knowing the condi. !,
lon OF the temporary wall, would at once. |
rom her frightened appearance, grasp the \
ltuation, screamed and tainted. This |
Id and trusted family servant divided |
etween his affection for his young mis-.
'ess and the duties he owed to the lodge,
whether he should call for aid |
ON the household or alarm the lodge
caring, however, to leave the door un.
uarded he decided to summon his mas.
n. This course brought Miss st. Leger's
'ther, with her brothers and other mem.
ers of the lodge, into the hall
Having carried the young lady back
ito the library, and she being restored to
'nsciousness, they learned what had GO.
irred.. Leaving her in charge of some OF
'e members, they returned to the lodge
nd discussed what course, under the cir.
they had best pursue The
was prolonged for consider.
Die time, after which they returned, and,
iving acquainted Miss st. Leger with
70 great responsibilities she had unwit-
ngly taken upon herself, pointed out
AT only one course was open to them
he fair culprit endowed with a high
nse OF honor, at once consented to pass
rough the impressive ceremonies she had
ready in part witnessed and became a
Phe circumstances as above
corded took place Mt time when Miss
eyer was a young girl and unmarried.
he year was probably 1910 St. James
azette