Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-10-27
(Qlortester Daily Spp.

The LAST Man 'SoCIETY-Hs Orj1ia anil
ProFess The sixth OF the present month was
the anniversary OF the Last Mans Society. On
sunday, the 3Oth of September, 1882. seven
young men were seated in the studio of J. r.
Mason, talking, as young men are wont to do.
OF matters OF a desultory character The cbol-
era was at this time raging with fearful sway
IN the villages surrounding the city but with
IN the corporate precincts Of Cincinnati the
ureadiul scourge had not yet made its appear
ance. The conversation of the seven finally
turned upon the subject of cholera, and a dis
cusslon sprang up between two OF them, who
had just received the degree Of NJ. d., wheth.
er or not the disease was contagious. During
the argument which the young disciples of Es-
cplapius advanced, one OF the party, in speak.
ing of the fatality of the deceased. said, eve
cannot tell how long any of us will be here
tomorrow possibly we may be gone" This
remark was the foundation on which this SUI.
perstructure of the Last Mans Society was
reared.
Having agreed that the society should have
an existence, the time of meeting was next
considered, and it was unanimously determin.
ed that the first anniversary should be held on
the following Saturday night, Oct s, 1882
and the meeting should be held on the same
day of the mo 18th annually from that time for
ward. a casket was made and in ii was en-
closed bottle of wine, ana when the last man
should at the anniversary supper seat himself
at the table, that bottle was to be opened and
the contents drank in memoram of the six de-
ceased members. The casket was an obelisk
about ten inches in hight, and stood on base
OF seven inches square. In the base was a
small drawer, IN which was placed slips of oil
paper containing the names, ages, places of
BIRTH, residence, and occupation of the mem
bers i'll their own handwriting. The obesk
was neatly finished at the summit and crown
ed by small globe the entire caskct being
constructed Of solid mahogany. 1t was the
duty OF the members to notify any Of their alb
sent members OF the time and plsce OF meet
ing, and it was that members duty in return to
be present, if in his power.
The casket was to pass in succession to each
of the seven, and was to be retained one year
It's delivery taking place at the anniversary
Lots were drawn 10 determine who should be
Its custodian the first year, and SO on through
the whole seven, after which it passed regular
ly from one to the other. AT the supper seven
plates were provided, and if any were absent
the plate remained unturned, and the chair
remained vacant at the table. Never but once
did all OF them meet together, and that was on
the occasion OF their first anniversary One
two, three, four, five years in quick succession
flew by, and still the circle was unbroken. but
ere the seventh cycle waned death entered
their midst and marked his victim. The
seventh anniversary, and there was one empty
place, never to lie filed on earth again
The supper was given b. the member who
received the casket; it was his 10 choose what
it would be, and if he set before his fellow
members but cup of water and a crust of
bread, it was their duty to partake heartily Of
his cheer. Twenty one years subsequently
to the organization of the society, and the last
man met to perform the solemn duty which
was sacredly promised the Both of September,
1882 The task-tor such it must have been
fell to DR.. John l.. Waiter, who still lives, the
only surviving member of "The Last Man
Society" His feelings at Il table, with the six
unturned plates aud the six vacant CHAIRS can
he better imagined than described. - Cincinnati
Gazette.