The age-herald., 1901-03-07
Order of Eastern Star.

beyond the portals of which a secret so- ciety is in session. If the anteroeYn ,s lighted only by the rays that flicker at intervals through a transem, the rnxs- teFieus atmosphere becomes almost un canny, but loses none of it's fascination: and If she makes up her mind to have # out. she gets to the point where she ia In mortal dread that an incautious per son may suddenly open the door and spei1 her impressions with great floods of light.
 newspaper woman that I know wait ed half hour yesterday In the dark It. tie antereem adjoining the Masonic Lodge rooms, where the Order of the Dastern Star was holding business session. She 1rst climbed two dismal flights of stairs which In themselves were long and dark enough to frighten far more wnry ner- son than herself. As the Order of the Eastern Star Is composed of the wives sisters and daughters of Mnsons she ex peeted to find woman sentinel at inc door, and she knocked at the first door she came to. It was opened by a man. who led her into the anteroom and to whom she explained her mission. By the light of the dying eoals fin an open gra ee she found her card, and she was left alone, while the sentinel disappeared As A drowning man would grasp at a straw. so she welcomed & gleam of light that came through the partiy-open door, and with her nerves at the highest tension she listened for every sound, The sentinel returned and the newspaper woman learned her fate. She must sit there in. the dismal anteroom for half hour and then if she would be good she would oe allowed a glimpse of the Most Worthy Grand Matron of the Order of the East epn Star.
 It was worth waiting for, and besides here was the Ideal room where a rest cure might be effected. She might have been under subterraneous cavern, for all the sound of the outside world that reached her She could not even hear the rumble of the elevated or the whiz- zing by of automobiles. She felt as If she had penetrated into vast unheard of cavern, where perhaps in centuries gone there had been orgies and the dead coals were all that was left to tell the tale. But presently when the darkness and the stiffness were beginning to grow appal- ling, a door opened and two women en-
 
 ized that the Order of the Eastern Star ized that the arder of the Eastern Star was distinctly feminine She began to re- gret that she had not been initiated. and could not be taken into the condolences of these two women, and in one of her widest moments the mad thought passed through her brain of passing herself off as visiting delegate. There could not have been worse penalty than staring into impenetrable darkness
 She found herself presently watching a jeweled pin that glittered on the womans breast. It was star of rubies and the | fire light fell directly across it. It glowed | brilliantly red, and the newspaper wom- | an watched it's changing lights with an l absolute fascination.
 Another door opened presently and a tall, attractive woman came in. She was very interesting and to her amazement the woman disclosed large cake beau tifully embossed
 The newspaper woman definitely de- cided that cake walk was the twentieth century method of initiation into Ma sonic order. She had long contended that women were growing more progressive and now she had absolute proof. She almost laughed aloud at the dead and gone goat indea The introduction of the cake walk into Masonry was immense ly fashionable.
 One of the women began untying package from which she drew brilliantly hued ribbons. The fire began to flicker brightly and objects became clearer af- ter the eyes had grown accustomed to the | darkness.
 | The seminal entered from the holy of holies, and the newspaper woman threw him an inquiring glance. They are still at it he told her. but it was long past the hour of adjournment and she would not have to wait much longer. Meanwhile she was finding out many things. The ribbons were badges. and the cake was | a part of the luncheon to be served when the morning session was over. She was | mistaken for delegate and might have sallied forth gaily be-decked with yards of ribbon but she did not want to sail under false colors.
 She learned that the Order of the East ern Star was composed of both men and women; that the men prevented the usual wrangling that CharacteriZes organiza- tions composed exclusively of women. The advisabilty of excluding the men must | have been discussed at the business ses | sion for at a certain point the sentinel vehemently expressed himself as in favor of allowing the women to have it all their own way.
 A tall, dark, interesting-looking man who had a patronizing air came from the lodgeroom. woman pinned badge on his coat and they ohatted in whispers. The man left the door slightly ajar, and from the room beyond the voice of the | Most Worthy Grand Matron reached the | newspaper woman who was rewarded presently by hearing the move for ad- journment. The sentinel seconded it warmly, and the secret session was at an end. The members and visiting delegates crowded the anteroom.
 If all that wranglng had been in dulged in by women," said a woman, fas- tening her furs about her throat, the men would declare it was just like a woman but the men were entirely to blame for all the controversy"
 In the glare of day the newspaper wem- an felt it would not be ethical to discuss a subject of which she knew nothing. Be- sides, the sentinel, grey-haired by this time making his way to her side. With him came Mrs. Ewing, the Most l Worthv Grand Matrop of tho 0rdar of tI,a