A Tale Of "Mistiry" And Of "Hawe."

Ho places her gently on a chair , Before the grim conclave , And gives her " vinegar " and air , And does her forehead lave AVith water , until upon her cheek Tho colours soon revive , And tho dame at once begins to speak And prove that she's alive .

Oh , mighty power of the tongue AVhich rules Freemasons still , AVhoso utterance evermore has flung Delight o ' er good and ill !

An alarming silence reigns around , As in wliisper'd accents low , With their eyes -all bent upon tho ground , The pallid Deacons go On some dim errand of the Master Beyond the portal there , And each heart it beats tho faster For tho poor woman fair ;

As eacli Brother , of ages ruder , Stern laws of ancient date Kemombers , for each intruder , AVhat must be the hasty fate !

But before tho Master speaks tho doom Of that culprit grave that night , He looks benignly round the room , And his eyes aro full of light As ho says in accents trembling , " Your attention now I crave , For in truth without dissembling The situation ' s very grave

In which the advent of this stranger Has placed our ancient Craft , Tho difficulty and the danger " And here tho fair one laughed .

" Oh , sir , " says she , " now let me speak , And don't say any more , For tho' I was compelled to shriek Behind that walnut door , I ' m not tho least alarmed at all , So pray at onco begin , I shall bear the fate which may befall Her who listeu'd that clock within ;

But this I offer now to you , I'll your lodge this moment join , And he to it a sister true , And put on your apron ' foin . '"

Tite Brethren drew their breath , all fear And distress had pass'd away , Tho Inner Guard brush'd away a tear , The Master look'd quite gay . They open'd the lodge both there and then , Aiid made her a Mason there , And welcomed her again and again , As a sister dear and fair ;

And clothed with tho apron lined with green , She graced the lodge that night , A prettier Mason ne ' er was soon , Nor face or form , so bright !

And when the " stance " it was ended , And to " refreshment " nigh , Tlie noble " Phalanx " wended In courage calm and high , And the Master proposed their Sister's name To the loyal craftsmen all , The rejoicing shout of their glad acclaim Besounded thro' the hall ,

A Tale Of "Mistiry" And Of "Hawe."

Until that " Sister " gaily said , Though in words with feeling rife , " 1 once had thought to have lost my head , But to-day ' s the proudest of my life . ' Somo say indeed that tho explanation Was simply this in truth , — That the lady was good-looking ,

And in her freshest youth ; And that as Freemasons ever , over Adore the ladies now , And that as Frecmasous never , nevei-Disown a classic brow , True to their ancient teaching , And loyal to their creed , AVhen they saw a female was beseeching

Their aid in time of need , They at once in chivalry antique , Raised her from doubt and fear , And did as loving brethren seek To hail a sister dear , That henceforth with them together , For many and many a day

, Thro' good and evil weather , She might travel on her way ; . And often and often in later days , Sister Aldworth was well known , And with much of pleasure and of praise , Freemasons claimed her as their own .

Moral.

MORAL .

Now ladies all attend to mo , And learn a moral from my talo , You who abhor all secrecy , And oft some helpless wight assail AVith queries and with mocking jest About the Mason ' s " secret" now VEKY ALARMING !

, About those " signs ''ho guards tho host , Tho emblem and the vow ; AYo could not now the mercy show AVo did of oldon date To her who would our secrets know , No—yours would be a horrid fate 1 Yesbelieve meif you ever seek

, , , Within a clock's tall case , AVith throbbing heart and paling cheek , Whatever be your grace , To find out what Masons say or do , AVhen in their lodge room still , When loyal hearts and brethren true .

The mystic sanctum fill , I repeat , if a iady fair we find In a clock , without remorse , Without a word or soft or kind , The doom will be put in force . Now whether my talo bo all too long , My moral is , I fear ,

So I will not further the legend prolong Of an old and buried year . But I would add , oh , ladies fair , You Sisters yet can be To those who here and everywhere In Freemasonry can see The Tie which binds us , one and all , Thro' all the days of time , And whatever any may befall , In a Brotherhood happy and sublime ,