Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-08-14

1t Soon, Either.
A middle-aged woman with black
ALPACA dress, worn shiny at the ell
bows, and a cheap shawl, and cheap
bonnet, and her hands puckered up and
blue, as though she mad just got her
washing out, went into the office OF a
prominent Mason a few days ago and
took chair. She wiped her nose and
the Precipitation from her face with
blue checked apron, and when the Ma
son looked at her, with an interested
brotherly look as though she were IN
trouble, she said:
"Are you the boss Mason?"
He bushed, told her he was Ma
son, but not the highest in the land.
She hesitated a moment, fingered the
corner of her apron, and curled 1t up,
like a boy speaking piece at school,
and asked:
Have you taken the whole 233 de-
grees of Masonry"
The man laughed and told her there
were only SO degrees and that he had
only taken 80. The other degree could
only be taken by very few who were
recommended by the Grand Lodge,
and they had to go to New York to get
the 33d degree.
The woman studied moment, I'M
pinned the safety pin that held her
shawl together and put it in her
mouth, took long breath and said:
Where does my husband get the
other 2G0 degrees, then?'
The prominent Mason said. he guess
ed her husband never got 200 degrees
unless he had degree factory. He
said he didn't understand the woman
Does my husband have to sit up
with corpse three nights a Week?'
she asked, her eyes flashing ire. And
co they keep a lot CT s<h Masons on
tap for my husband to sit up with the
otner three nights?'
The prominent Mason said he was
thankful that few Masons died, and
only occasionally was one sick enough
to call fer Masonic assistance.
But why Go you ask these ques-
tons, MADAME" asked the prominent
Mason.
The woman picked the fringe Of her
shawl, hung her head d~Wn, and said;
"WeIl, my husband began to join the
Masons about three years ago, and he
has been taking the degrees or sitting
up with people every night since. he
has come home twice with wrong
clothes on, and when | asked tim how
it was, he said that it was secret he
could not reveal under the penalty OF
beinG shot with a cannon. All that ne
would say was that he took a degree.
Il have kept little track of it, and
| figure that he has taken 233 degrees,
includiL the grand Sky Fugle degree,
which he took the night he came home
with his lip cut and his ear hanging
by piece Of skin
20. madam" said the prominent Ma
son, there is no Sky Fugle degree in
Masonry. Your husband has deceived
you He is no Mason"
That's what | think" said she, as a
baleful light appeared in her eye. He
said he was taking the Sky Fugle de-
gree and fell through the skylight. |
mad him sewed up, auC he was ready
for more degrees. After he had taken
about a hundred and fifty degrees |
told him l should think he would let
up On it and put some potatoes In the
cellar for winter. but he said when a
man once got started on the degrees he
had to take them all or he did not
amount to anything.
Sometimes a brother Mason comes
home along with him in the morning
and they talk about a 'iull flush and
their pat hands and raising EN- out.
One night when he was asleep |
heard him whisper. 1 raise yCu $40,
and when | asked him what he meant
he said they were raising purse for a
poor widow.
Another time he realised up in bed
after he had been asleep, and shouted,
i staEd patti ana when | asked him
what he meant, he said he WIS ruined
if | told it. He said he had spoken the
password, and if the brethren heard Of
it they would put him out of the way,
even as Morgan was put out OF the
way. Mister, is stand pat your pass
WOTd?"
The Mason told her it was not. That
the words she had spoken was an ex-
preston used by men when playing
draw poker. and he added that he
didn't believe that her husband was a
Mason at all, but that he had been
lying to her all these years.
She sighed and said: That's what
thought when he came home with lot
Cl IVORY CHIPS III HIS JOChpl. Ilt Salu
that they used them at the lodge to
vote on candidates. and that white
chips eject and blue chips reject can
didate. If you will look the matter up
and see if he has joined the Masons
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
Pythias. | want to get out an injunc-
ton to prevent him pointing anything
else until we get some underelothes for
winter. I'll tell you what I'll do. The
next tinme he says anything about Sky
Fugle degrees l will take washboard
and make him think that there is one
degree in Masonry that he skipped, and
now goodby.
You have comforted me greatly and
I will lie awake tonight until my hus-
band comes home from the lodge with
his pat hand and | will make him
think he has forgotten his ante
The woman went out to the grocery
to buy some bar soap, and the promi-
nent Mason resumed his business with
feeling that We are all not truly good
and there is cheating going on all
around.-Rehoboth Sunday Herald.
TOO HASTY.