The Real Masonic Grip

Major James G:irriaon, Lo Roy, New York, though a email rnan, had a most powerful glip of bnnd. It v;is like a srnith'n vieo wheiDVer he chose to hw (treugth. It w-.s oue niiit i'i tbe hela li t ol 0 e ami Masonic excitement Of L836-T-8 thai a e% "anti" bj the name of Huiith ciine to Le Hoy, aud soulit the Major, aayiog that he had hesrd that he ( ba Major) culd ei?e the real JIusier Alasou's yrip, and tliut he had come ovor eighty miles oü foot lo obtaiD it. The meetiog look place in the bar room of the vilhige tavero, where, as usual, many persons were congregnted, whi, koowiog the strenfth of the Major's fj;rip, ware on the loakout for fun. Haviug, aaooráillg to the cu8tom.of thoas days, first look a drink, the Major extended his right haod, and slightly grasped that of Smith. "Aro you roüdy ?," said tho Mujor. "AUrpady," replied Smith Tbe Mnjor steadily looking Smi!h in the face, began to tihteu hú grip. Smith bccauio utieasy and litg-.n to wince. Tighter and tighter, prow the Major'a grip, aud Smith began to brg to bo let oLF. "Why, this is only the entered npprentico gi ip," said the Major. "I will givo you the fellow eraft," and the Mujor gave bis haüd soveral more turne, which caused more gronuing and many ludio rous contortions ou the part of Sroitli, who lus'ily begged tobo let oíF, sai J ho was satiK&ed and did not v:mt any more grips. Tbe Major, however, was inexorable, aud held on to Smith, all the time ihaking ln's hand, and every shake outiaing a groan. "Nqw," faiii tbe Major, "having come a long way to got the reul Mafon'a grip, j it wonld he wrong in me let you po home I ïvithoul it. Here it i," guid the Mj"r, "the real Mister Mason's grip, and ono you wiü not soon forget ;" and at the same time exerting to his utmost Lis great muscular powera, causing the bones of Smith'a liand to crack, and tho bloód to atart from uuder the finger nails ; Smith, io tho meautime, hallooing with pain. "Go home," Baid tho Mnjor, "and teil all your anti Masonic friends that if any oí thcm want the Master Mason's grip, to ooine to me, for I flatter myself that I oac give it as well as any otlier rran." The Major gave one more turn of the vise and then rcleased his victim. The next day, b'itith, with hia hand done up in a poultice, 6tartod home, entirely satisfifid with tue Masdnlo iofovmation he had so painfully obtaincd - a wiser if not a better man.