Year: 1873

Degree in Odd Fellowship.
A certain lodge of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows determined to


have their lodge room done up clean


and nice. twas resolved unanimously


that Mrs. X. should be employed to


do the job. After the meeting ad-
iourned the guardian, who knew the


inquisitive character of Mrs. h, pro-
cured billy-goat and placed him in
the closet that was kept as a reservoir
for the secret things. Hethen inform
ed the lady of the wishes of the lodge,
and requested her to come early the


next morning, as he would then show


her what was and what was not to be


done. Morning came and with it


Madame K, with her broom brushes,
pals, tubs, etc., andfound the guardian
waiting for her.


Now, Madame" said he, I" i tell
you what we want done, and how we
came to employ you. The brothers
said 1t was difficult TO get anybody to
do the job, and not be meddling with
the secret in the closet we have lost
the key, and cannot find it to lock the
door. | assured them that you could
be depended upon


Depend on / guess / can. My
poor dead and gone husband, he be-
longed to the Free Masons, or anti-ma-
sons, / don't know which. He used to
tell me all the secrets of the concern,
and when he showed me the marks of
the gridiron, made when he was initia-
ted, and told me how they fixed poor
Morgan | never told living soul to
this day if nobody troubles your clos
ct to find out your secrets till i do,
they will be there till they rot, they
will"


| thought so, said the guardian,


and now want you to commence in
that corner and give the whole room a
thorough cleaning, and | pledge my
word and honor to the fidelity OF your
promise; now don't go into that clos
ct !" and then left the lady to herself.


No sooner had she heard the sound
of his feet on the steps than she ex-
claimed, Don't get into the closetr
III warrant there's a gridiron, or some
nonsense just like the anti-masons for
all the world, I'll be bound. | will
take one peep, and nobody will be any
wiser, as can keep it to myself"


Suiting the action to the word she
stepped lightly to be forbidden closet,
and turned the button, which was no
sooner done than bahI' went the billy
goat, with a spring to regain his liber-
ty, which came near upsetting her
ladyship. Both started for the door,
but it was filled with implements for
house cleaning, and all were swept
from their position to the bottom of
the stairs.


The noise and confusion occasioned
by such unceremonious coming down
stairs drew half the town to witness
Mrs. KS. efforts to getfrom under the
pile of pals, tubs, brooms and brushes
in the street.


Who should be the first to the spot
but that rascally doorkeeper. After re-
leasing the goat, which was a cripple
for life and uplifting the rubbish that
bound the good woman to the earth,
anxiously inquired if she had been
taking the degrees.


Taking the degreer" exclaimed
the lady; " if you call tumbling from
the top to the bottom ofthe stairs with
the devil arter taking things by de-
grees, | have them, and if We frighten-
ed folks as ye have frightened me, and
hurt to, boot, III warrant they will make
as much noise as | did,


" l hope you did not open the closet,
madam, said the door-keeper.


Open the closet? Eve eat the ap-
pie she was forbidden. If you
want woman to do anything, tell her
not to do it, and she'lldo it certain. /
could not stand the temptation. The
secret was there. / wanted to know it.
/ opened the door, and out popped the
tarnal eritter right into my face. |
thought the old boy had me, and I
broke for the stairs with the critter
butting me at every jump. | fell over
the tub and got down stairs as you
found us all in heap"


But, Madam, said the door keep
er, you are in possession of the great |
secret of our order, and must 60 up to
be initiated and then go in the regular
way"


Regular way~ exclaimed the lady,
" and do you suppose | am going near
the tarnal place, and ride that ar tarnal
critter without bride or lady's sad
die? No, / don't want anything to do
with the man that rides it. I'd look
nice perched upon a billy-goat,
wouldn't l? No, never! I'll never
go nigh it again, nor you shall nuther
if | can prevent it, no lady shall ever
join the OddFellows. Why, I'd SOON
er be Free Mason, and broild on a
gridiron as long as the FIRE could be
kept under it, and pulled from garret
to cellar with halter in a pair of old
breeches and slippers, just as my poor
dead husband. And he lived over it,
but L never could live over such an
other tide as took to-day"