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Article MR. BOGGS A MASON. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Mr. Boggs A Mason.
MR . BOGGS A MASON .
BY BOAZ . MR . and Mrs . Boggs vrere living a quiet life in one of our retired streets . He had recently joined the Masons , and as a matter of course attended the lodge with
enthusiasm . Like all beginners he goes to lodge every ni ght . If there were double the ni ghts every week he u'onlcl have an engagement for every night ; in fact , there are not evenings for Boggs to get around , and Mrs . Boggs doesn ' t like it . He tells
her Avhen he gets home , that at nine o ' clock at lodge they had the lirst degree ; at ten , the second ; eloA'en , the third ; at twelve , the fourth . As there are only three degrees , he tolls her the fourth is a supplementary oneand sometimes it takes until one
, o ' clock , on special occasions to confer it ; that it is a beautiful degree , and , oh , how he wishes she could see it . She naturally Avishcs she could , curiosit y is immense with certain people . Whether this is a loading characteristic of the ladies it is not the
purpose of the Avriter to determine , but as Boggs is a man of undoubted veracity it is supposed she believed every word he said ; however , time Avill tell . By observing the manner Mrs . B . addresses her lord and master , you always toll Avhat kind of humour she is inwhen
, it ' s "Boggsy , " IIOAV sweet—sugar is a mild comparison ; Avhen it ' s " Mr . Boggs , " look out—there may be trouble brewing ; the coast is not clear ; but when it ' s "Boggs , " it ' s a never failing indication that a ttorm is imminenta regular old-fashioned
, typhoon . Boggs knows the condition of a Chinese port after one of those terrible battles of the elements , and ho takes the necessary precaution that his household shall not meet a similar fate .
The other evening our brother got home quite early , and gave as a reason that at lodge they had the first degree , initiation , only . She said with a sweetness that ivould rend the most obdurate heart , "Boggsy tell me all about it , ivhat you
did there—I would reall y like to know . Of course I am not inquisitive , do not Avant fa know Avhat is not my own affairs , but , Boggsy , I knoAv you are d ying to tell me , now ain ' t you ?" Boggs ( aside ) . — "Hang it ! no I ain ' t , I
Avish that word had choked her . What shall I do ? Suppose I must keep peace in the family . " " My dear , I will at some future time tell you all about it , but you must excuse me just UOAV , as 1 must go to my study and
tli ere Avrite an important letter Avhich I had quite forgotten . " He retired from the room , and in solitude gave himself to meditation . He concluded he would invent some sort of a story Avhich Avould ansAver the purpose . It is
easy enough to plan , but to put the same into practice is quite a different thing . He knew if he told her that they did nothing but sit around , and tell funny stories , that she would have good reasons for telling him that he had better stay at home .
Then again if he depicted the scenes of Satans , horned animals , and gridiron eccentricities that are generally attributed to this particular institution , she Avould tell him that was conclusive evideuce that
he should stay in nights , and not be making such a fool of himself . Whenever he would speak of being passed to the second degree she Avould wonder if that meant to be suddenly passed out through a hole in the Avail , as she had often seen the same done
at the theatre in the pantomines . When he spoke of being raised to the third degree she would invariably ask IIOAV many feet . He would tell her it was simply a figurative exrjression , and meant that he Avas elevated , fit to associate with a king ,
that he Avas above the common level of humanity , hig h toned , aristocratic , that he might look CIOAVII on mankind AA'ith silent contempt , a sort of mingled disgust . This was the significant meaning which he placed on the Avord raisedand Avhich he
, delivered Avith such emphatic enunciation that she had misgivings Avhether or no she was a fit companion for him . One evening Boggs came in very late . He thought he would be smart and deceive his Avife , thus making her think he had not
been out late , so he crept in cautiously so as not to disturb her , and moved the hands of the clock back , as he supposed , three hours , then while looking for a match and getting a light , he asked her Avhy she retired so early . She looked at the clock and addressed him in a manner that was
touching , m accents that spoke volumes . " Boggs , do you think I ' m a fool 1 This is early , isn't it f He looked at the clock ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Mr. Boggs A Mason.
MR . BOGGS A MASON .
BY BOAZ . MR . and Mrs . Boggs vrere living a quiet life in one of our retired streets . He had recently joined the Masons , and as a matter of course attended the lodge with
enthusiasm . Like all beginners he goes to lodge every ni ght . If there were double the ni ghts every week he u'onlcl have an engagement for every night ; in fact , there are not evenings for Boggs to get around , and Mrs . Boggs doesn ' t like it . He tells
her Avhen he gets home , that at nine o ' clock at lodge they had the lirst degree ; at ten , the second ; eloA'en , the third ; at twelve , the fourth . As there are only three degrees , he tolls her the fourth is a supplementary oneand sometimes it takes until one
, o ' clock , on special occasions to confer it ; that it is a beautiful degree , and , oh , how he wishes she could see it . She naturally Avishcs she could , curiosit y is immense with certain people . Whether this is a loading characteristic of the ladies it is not the
purpose of the Avriter to determine , but as Boggs is a man of undoubted veracity it is supposed she believed every word he said ; however , time Avill tell . By observing the manner Mrs . B . addresses her lord and master , you always toll Avhat kind of humour she is inwhen
, it ' s "Boggsy , " IIOAV sweet—sugar is a mild comparison ; Avhen it ' s " Mr . Boggs , " look out—there may be trouble brewing ; the coast is not clear ; but when it ' s "Boggs , " it ' s a never failing indication that a ttorm is imminenta regular old-fashioned
, typhoon . Boggs knows the condition of a Chinese port after one of those terrible battles of the elements , and ho takes the necessary precaution that his household shall not meet a similar fate .
The other evening our brother got home quite early , and gave as a reason that at lodge they had the first degree , initiation , only . She said with a sweetness that ivould rend the most obdurate heart , "Boggsy tell me all about it , ivhat you
did there—I would reall y like to know . Of course I am not inquisitive , do not Avant fa know Avhat is not my own affairs , but , Boggsy , I knoAv you are d ying to tell me , now ain ' t you ?" Boggs ( aside ) . — "Hang it ! no I ain ' t , I
Avish that word had choked her . What shall I do ? Suppose I must keep peace in the family . " " My dear , I will at some future time tell you all about it , but you must excuse me just UOAV , as 1 must go to my study and
tli ere Avrite an important letter Avhich I had quite forgotten . " He retired from the room , and in solitude gave himself to meditation . He concluded he would invent some sort of a story Avhich Avould ansAver the purpose . It is
easy enough to plan , but to put the same into practice is quite a different thing . He knew if he told her that they did nothing but sit around , and tell funny stories , that she would have good reasons for telling him that he had better stay at home .
Then again if he depicted the scenes of Satans , horned animals , and gridiron eccentricities that are generally attributed to this particular institution , she Avould tell him that was conclusive evideuce that
he should stay in nights , and not be making such a fool of himself . Whenever he would speak of being passed to the second degree she Avould wonder if that meant to be suddenly passed out through a hole in the Avail , as she had often seen the same done
at the theatre in the pantomines . When he spoke of being raised to the third degree she would invariably ask IIOAV many feet . He would tell her it was simply a figurative exrjression , and meant that he Avas elevated , fit to associate with a king ,
that he Avas above the common level of humanity , hig h toned , aristocratic , that he might look CIOAVII on mankind AA'ith silent contempt , a sort of mingled disgust . This was the significant meaning which he placed on the Avord raisedand Avhich he
, delivered Avith such emphatic enunciation that she had misgivings Avhether or no she was a fit companion for him . One evening Boggs came in very late . He thought he would be smart and deceive his Avife , thus making her think he had not
been out late , so he crept in cautiously so as not to disturb her , and moved the hands of the clock back , as he supposed , three hours , then while looking for a match and getting a light , he asked her Avhy she retired so early . She looked at the clock and addressed him in a manner that was
touching , m accents that spoke volumes . " Boggs , do you think I ' m a fool 1 This is early , isn't it f He looked at the clock ,