# Hand Slightly Inside the Coat



## Scotty32 (Jun 25, 2011)

A friend showed a picture of his grandfather at lodge with his hand slightly inside his coat. I noticed also that other masons throughout the years have done the years (Washington, Napoleon, etc) have done the same. 
In the Archives of Brazos Union I found this photo of one of our Past Masters.







Is there something it alludes to that I am missing?


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Jun 25, 2011)

My Brother, this could be simply due to the amount of time that one would have to stand "posed" for a painting or photo to be completed. Some place for ones hand to rest for an extended period of time.

If memory serves me correctly the old tin-type images took over an hour of exposure to "take".


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## Benton (Jun 25, 2011)

According to Wikipedia (for what it's worth) that's a gesture that originates from Classical times, when Aeschines, founder of a school for rhetoric, suggested that speaking with an arm outside one's toga was rude. Since people back then were much more classically trained than we are today, I could see that as being plausible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand-in-waistcoat


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## Scotty32 (Jun 25, 2011)

Thanks guys. Think I will do the same for my Master photo


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## chancerobinson (Jun 25, 2011)

If it was good enough for Henry B., it's good enough for me.


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## jwhoff (Jun 26, 2011)

I don't have much to say about this.  Guess I should ware a coat more often.


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## Jacob Johnson (Jun 27, 2011)

I seem to remember being told that, in the famous painting, Napoleon was actually holding a bullet wound that used to flare up. Anyone know if that's just a legend?


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## JJones (Jun 27, 2011)

Jacob Johnson said:


> I seem to remember being told that, in the famous painting, Napoleon was actually holding a bullet wound that used to flare up. Anyone know if that's just a legend?


 
Who knows?  I heard a similar tale that he placed his hand in his coat because he had appendix (sp?) problems.  I don't think anyone knows for sure. :wink:


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## jwhoff (Jun 29, 2011)

Indigestion?  Parisian food is quite rich you know.

Of course, I heard Waterloo was a bitter pill to swallow.


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## chancerobinson (Jun 29, 2011)

I couldn't resist the urge to post a little Stonewall Jackson ...

[video=youtube;41u3_vyAJTk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41u3_vyAJTk&feature=related[/video]


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## MikeMay (Jun 30, 2011)

jwhoff said:


> Of course, I heard Waterloo was a bitter pill to swallow.




Yeah, that would cause some indigestion for sure....


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## Nate C. (Jul 1, 2011)

Maybe his hand got cold?


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## jwhoff (Jul 4, 2011)

Nate C. said:


> Maybe his hand got cold?



In Russia?  Maybe that's how he lost count of the _*lost army*_.


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## tom268 (Jul 4, 2011)

Hm, to my knowledge, Napoleon was never a mason, at least not Emperor Napoleon. Many of his Generals and Marshalls were, and he forced the Grand Orient to accept his brother as Grand Master.

As far as I learned it in school, the story about the health problems (whaever it was, stomach. liver,) is the most probable.


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## jwhoff (Jul 4, 2011)

Not surprised about the health issues.  He did have a lot of gall.

Let's C:  Russia, Egypt, "A"ngland ...


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## Jacob Johnson (Jul 5, 2011)

He had a lot of Gaul, too. (sorry, I had to.)


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## jwhoff (Jul 7, 2011)

You should have!  And ... yes he did.


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