The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-11-14
THE LAST MAN sociErYZ1Ts ORIGIN
L AND PROGRESS. ssr-

.i The sixth of the present month was the an
niversary of the Last Mans Society.
j On Sunday, the Both of September, 1882,
seven young men were seated in the study of
u. r. Mason talking, as young men are wont
to do, of matters of desultory character.
I The cholera was at this time raging with
fearful sway in the villages surrounding the
city, but within the corporate precincts of
Cincinnati the dreaded scourge had not yet
seven finally turned upon the subject of chol-
era, and discussion sprang up between two
of them, who had Just received the degree of
NJ. D., whether or not the disease was conta-
gious. During the argument which the dis
ciples of Esculapius advanced, one of the par
ty, in speaking of the fatality Of the disease
said, 1--WE cannot tell how long any of us win
be here-to-morrow possibly we may be gone"
This remark was the. foundation on which
this superstrueture of the Last Nuns Society
was reared @'. p
Having agreed that the Society should have
an existence, the time of meeting was next
considered, and it was unanimously determined
that the first anniversary should be held the
following Saturday night, October 6, 1882.
and the meeting should be held on the same
day of the month annually from that time for
ward. '''4'3 17 s
A casket was made, and in it was enclosed in
d bottle of wine, and when the last man should
at tile anniversary supper seat himself at the
| table, that bottle was to be opened and the
Contents drunk IN 71sensortans of the six de-
ceased members. The casket|was an obelisk
aboat ten inches in height, and stood oa
| base seven inches square. In the base was Q
small drawer, in which was placed slips of oil
paper Containing the names, ages, places of
bifth; residence, and occupation of the tiieni-
bers, in their own handwriting. The obelisk
was neatly finished at the summit and crown
ed by small globe, the entire casket being
constructed of solid mahogany. 1t was the
/ duty of the members to notify any of their ab-
sent members of the time and place 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,
its delivery taking place at the anniversary
Lots were drawn to determine who should be
its custodian the first year, and SO on through
| the whole seven, after which it passed regu-
| larly from one to the other. #. N e4i;5-.r !
| At the supper seven plates were provided,
and if any were absent the plate remained un-
turned and the chair remained vacant at the
! table Never but once did all of them meet
together, and that was On the oecasioa of their
! first anniversary. One, tive, three, four five
years in quick succession few by, and still the
| circle was unbroken, but ere the seventh cycle
waned, dsath entered their midst and marked
4 his victim. The seventh anhifersary, and
there was one empty place, never to be filled
on earth again. .l+..
The supper was given by the member who
received the casket; it was his to 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. g tfz.t sa. ffr i,5f-.s - 3. ,.
Twenty one years subsequently to the or
to perform the solemn duty, which was sacred
ly promised the 30th of September, 1892
The task--for such it must have been-fell to
DIR. John L. Waiter, postmaster of Cincinnati,
who still lives, the only surviving Hember of
''The Last Man Society" His feelings at
the table, with the six vacant chairs, can bet
ter be imagined than described Cincinnati
| GdSette. ..tEE &C.. l.sr.,...-..k