New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-31
4 CHARMING WIDOW AND TWO SILLY
SWANS.

SN 1iNS.
It's said OF some French judge or project OF po-
lice that when great criminal was brought petore
him. or when n startling crime had been commit
ted he always asked for the woman In the
While we, Masons. suffer duly from ic-
male impostors. as Is also too OFTEN the chse'
suffer because have not means enough 10 succor
the real worthy and needy ones. 1t does not orteh
occur that any harm comes to us throush women
yet recollect period In the history OF the lodge
at one time when II came very near being wrecked
by the indirect agency of a very interesting ana
bewltchng WILDLY" And It happened thus
Brother Watson had suffered long and intensely
from innammatory rheumatism. and was Sick IN ped
from the effects OF this excruclating malady. we
often called him to console and cheer MN, Dut
this was a hard and thankless Job. Whether Brother
Watson got soured and cranky from long suffer-
ing or whether II came natural TO him we could
never determine. only e knew that every time any
called. no matter how much the sick brother
had improved the visitor greeted with vol
June of abuse for not calling oftener, and II got
at last that the members absolutely refused 10
visit this chronic GROWER at all and II was left 10
the Master Secretary ard other officers TO call on
him n matter Of duty. and. OF course. they were
obliged to listen to his growing as part Of their Of
fetal duty. and. besides all this. the man was never
very popular in the lodge. even when he did visit
u.s. before he taken down, and wtha1 he was
a very disagreeabe person; red. stubby hair. and
frecked face and rawboned. and very raw" other
wise-uncultured and coarse in manner and thought
He had sailed before the mast" at one period
OF his life. and had travelled great deal but his
travels had not improved his mind as much as
might. have been expected. When he settled IN
New-York he had some money saved, and with
this he opened sailors clearinghouse and made
overlook bm Gr g sGf sick and laid up them
his wife his mainsay. died from hard work ana ex-
house and lived privately on his money and then
began 10 look around for another vile, ana we az
marvelled at his success In this line for his secon9
with her ugly and cranky husband, and not only
pered, and never WINGED under the coarse and
rude orders from her husband. who was ABOUT
AT first had standing committee TO visit
him then speSda ey0yl% meGn an the
Ter and myself: with an occasional call from
0 The e' time Of Which am now speaking vas
toward the end Of deerep 1t Sa vraGn
worse V% we fa ata and sE '' had to sit up ali
night 10 afford his exhausted family ne mucn,,
Was Brother TerwiiiieeT widower who said he
did not mind Brother Watson's growing. and often
Inc absence d the Mastsr who wan was then
oten waited al G'f Upon old roiher Watson but ne
to the relief Of the sufferer who had lain on his
bed Of pain and torture for many weary years We We
broad mantle OF charity over his foibles and short
comngs and in sympathy Tith MS long suffering
Laid him way to oo his ar ae r %Go
CON ai %as eorTnr 70 her rights and see
that she obtained what was coming to her. for a
around the lone woman to secure for themselves
Rs a but hf this Waph ad s
creased until there was little left Tor the poor
widow. ,
Among the committee so appointed were Brother aI
working fTF the wt so md little
balances left In some OF the savings banks all OF
aR qus and Mrs asos
own name and whenever report was maze 10 she
and Widow Watson getting a2nF his Sase as
knew e y e brehren
to this matter faithfully, and | had enough to see
TO TO S be heard Ssd' that hS Brothefs Tervsr The
Acting Master were attentive and that i feel
ordinary Masonic interest brotherly love; in
It was broadly int bseS Of 59a the o9 Fair
Watson. and II she showed extra attention 10 one
se Gthe %a SS aonsed which Would SHOW Itself in the
lodge by an opposition to every measure me me one
this may seem each OF these gallant brethren had
his friends and followers among the members:
courtshp which was carried on by these two smit-
would So move to appoint special committee 20 visit
Mrs. Watson and ascertain her wish or desire. but
rem were ready to vouch that she wanted nothing
from the s Knew Sef own mind G We
the latter usually with an emphasis which con
cealed some hduen meaning.
Now Mrs Watson not a candidate FOR office
in the lodge but the Senior Warden and Iirother
Tcrwilliger were and such bitter feeling existed
between these two account OF this lady, that
bv the time we had election there was n very
lively strife as to who should gain the ascendancy
over the other Many OF the members ranged them
selves on one side the other. and the contest be
came very exciting and when election came. and
the ballots were counted II was found that both
the contestants were laid the shelf
The Senior Warden was satisfied with his nrst
defeat (for MASTER but Brother Terwiger insisted
upon being a candidate for nearly every Office In
the lodge and was badly beaten for each. Most
OF the brethren well pleased with the result,
as II ended the contest between these two brethren,
ot least in the lodge and the Senior Warden soon
after took his dimt But after that the contest
between these two was confined 70 the trial or OBJ
tanning control OF Widow Watson's hand and heart,
and Il seemed that the election In the lodge was
a forecast OF what going 10 happen TO these
two silly knights. for Mrs Watson slyly shelved
them both and gradually discouraged their visits.
About three years after the death OF her husband
she married a very worthy mana German grocer
who was not a Mason. but had very prosperous
business which he carried at the corner o. the
street where Mrs Watson lived
Brother Terwilliger swore that he never seriously
thought OF marrying that woman only he was
provoked 10 see our Senior Warden making fool
Of himself and especially bringing such silly things
into the lodge. and spreading foolish gossip among
the brethren, then leaving the lodge altogether.
taking two or three personal friends out with him.
1t was only in the interest OF Masonry and good
order in the lodge that this good brother was work
ing and OF course all believed him.
AN OLD SECRETARY