PETER INSOLE'S FIRST NIGHT IN MASONRY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 369, 1 July 1874, Page 5

PETER INSOLE'S FIRST NIGHT IN MASONRY.

As Communicated to his Friend, Walter Clapperton. Dbae WATTy, —Your welcome letter came safely to hand. I was proud to hear o' your weelfare, and highly pleased wi' the grand descripton o' the JN T ettlewood Masonic demonstration ; and as I promised to gie a true and faithfu' account o' my tirst night in Masonry, and the trials and temptations that I encountered in a vain attempt o' oor Tibby to find out the Mason word. I'm proud to say that it was a vain attempt ; but oh Watty I was sair tried. It was maybe wrang in me to be made a Mason without acquaintin' Tibby aforehand, but as I'm naturally of an ! easy turn o' mind 1 thought I wad be a Mason first and te!l Tibby after. Now Tibby's a thrifty wel-doing woman, but she has a way of her am, and she's aye countit the head o' the house amang the neebours, and as I'm fond o' peace 1 seldom disturb her reign. Weel. Watty I was made a Mason, and after a tumbler or twa o' whisky toddy wi' the brethern I toddled awa hame. I halted awee at the door. Thinks I will I tell Tibby the night or wait till the morn. I expected a dirdum, and after considerin' a while thinks I I'll ease my conscience and hae dune wid, especially as I'm in gie quid fettle wi' the toddy ; sac in I gangs. " Guidsake, Peter, where hae ye been to this time o' night ?" " I've been at a Mason's meetin', Tibby." " Mason's meetin' !ir they for their wages up again ? stick to your lasts and your ingleß, Peter." Hoots, Tibby, its no the operative masons, it's the Freemasons. I'm a merry Mason noo lass," though, faith, I lookit onything but merry at the time, for I saw she was in terrible temper, and that there was a storm brewin'. " Peter," says she, and her een was like twa lowen candles, "will ye tell me that ye've joined that unhallowed squad." " Dinna be angry Tibby, the Masons are real nice chields, there's naething but quid moral lessons in a Freemason's lodge." " Moral lessions ! feastin', and fuddlin'. and comin' hame in the sma' hours o' the mornin'. Nice moral lessons, truely; but yell scart your name oot o' their book in the morn or I'll tell the minister." "Losh, woman, the minister's a Mason himsell," ''Diuna lee, Peter; the minister wad never join sic a crew, nor meddle with their bustlin' aims, and red het pokers, and riding on goats. Na, na, Peter, that cock 'ill no feight." " It's a fact, he was at the meeting the night." "Irye no jokin' Peter ?" " No, 'J 'ibby ; the minister's a Freemason. Masonry's a' in the Bible, woman." Weel, Watty, this seemed to dumfonder her a wee, for she sat for five minutes and never spoke, and I began to louse my buttons for bed, thinking that 1 had gained the victory, Imt oh, "Watty the warst's to come to. " Peter," says she, " I'm sorry for havin' misca'dthe mSson's," and she cam' and sat down beside me, "Do ye mind the days o' langsyne Peter, when ye cam' to coort me. I soon gied Sandy Riddell, the plaisterer, the back o' the door ; I aye likit you best Peter. Now I've just a request to make, just ane, and I ken yell no refuse me Peter ?" "Ye ken that I can refuse you naething. What is't Tibby?" " Then Peter, its just to tell me the mason's word ?" " Aha, lass, catch a weasel asleep ; na na, Tibby, that's a word 1 winna tell to woman kind." " Now, Peter, ye ken there should be nae secrets atween man and wife ; the minister's wife, honest woman, wadna' need to ask him twice for the mason's word. Tell me Peter, hinny, and 1 11 be satisfied ?" Weel. Watty, she slipit her arm round my neck, and, as the song says, " She looked in my face till my heart was like to break," but I never flinched ; she might as weel have tried to move RuVierslaw. •'Tibby," says I. l< If the minister's wife, or any other woman, asked him sic a question, he wad set them oif with a flea in their lug. He wad read them a lecture. Mind lass how our first parents w»s turned out o' the Garden o' Eden, and a' through the sinfu' curosity o' a woman." " Are ye buisted wi' a redhot aim Peter? Where was ye buisted on ?" Od, Watty, my very bluid bes;an to boil. " Woman," says I, " will ye drive me mad." " Peter," says she, "if ye winna gies the word yell surely gie us the masons grip?" and she held out her hand. I grap it, Watty, and I doubt I hurt it, for she hopit across the floor on ac fit, and crammed her fingers into her mouth ; but from that day to this Tibby *a never asked for neither word nor grip frae me. The post's gaen, sac I maun stop In my next I'll inform ye how she tried to find out the buist. — Yours fraternally. Peter Insole, 424.