The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-03-17
A Masonic Romance.
DY AN OFFICER OF rHE Z S. A.

During the late Mexican war. a lad
OF sixteen, daring volnS Virgihian,
leaned fence nnh CLIMBED a tiniaIipi
some hundred yards ahead of his
company, aud was taken prisoner /,
hut not before lie had killed three
Mexicans, aud mortallv wounded a
colonel. His mother, n poor widow,
bnt though poor, q la1gi (1nl why
not y heard OF his fate, anl, rs he
was an only son, her heart yearned
for his release. She wept at the
thought, but while the tears were
streaming down her checks sudden.
~ she reeollected that she was Ma
sons widow Hope lighted mp her
bosom nt the thought--she dried her
tears and exclaimed:
II will 20 and test the tnlisnanic
power Of the order my husband loved
and revered so much
She soil some articles oriurniture,
and with the money reached the city
OF Washington on foot
In her dusty attire she entered the
department OF the Secretary of War.
and with some difficulty obtained an
interview. A5 sh, cntere the apart
mcut in which he was seated, and he
saw how dusty she appcwcd. "Weil,
ma am" was the salntauon he gave
her. blt when she removed her veil,
and he saw the visahc Oi the laiv in
her face. he half raised him self in
his chair, and pointed to ascat. She
told him of her sons capture and
her wish to ro to him.
"''I can't help you, mann, he re.
Piled. "a very expensive Journey to
the city Of Mexico Your son will
be released by and by on exchange
of prisoners. "
"Sir," said tho widow, rs the tears
of woe rolled down her cheeks, can
YOU not help mo To passport ??
"Of course" he replied. "taat will
hr granted to you at the Secretary oI
States Office. but you are poor, how
do YOU expect to pay the expenses
OF such a journey ? 1t isa visionary
scheme Good morning ma'om.
"Sir," cried the lady, twill YOU be
so kind as to recommend me to the
officer in command of ,he regiment
that will sail from Baltimore in few
DAYS 2
"Impossible, ma'om. impossible, -
lie replied. Then turning to the
page. he said, "who did YOU say was
whiting for an audience ;? Tell them
I am Mt leisure now
Sir said the lady, II have one
more question to ask YOU before |
leave your office. aud pray you to
answer--nre YOU a Mason? p
Yes. maam," he replied.
"Then, sir" she said, "pernit me
to say that I am Mason widow =
with this declaration leave your of
fee"
That moment tho Secretary man.
ncr was changed to that OF the mos
courteous interest
lie cntrcated her to he seated until
he could write few lines to the Sec
retarv of State. In few moments
he presented her with note to the
Secretary, recommending her to hi-
sympathy and friendship. The See.
retary Of State received her kindly
and gave her n letter to the comman-
dant ut New Orleans, directing him
to procure her Il free pass to Vera
Cruz by the first steamer. Throngl
the agency of the two Secretaries
the Lodges placed in her hands three
hundred dollars, with a talismamC
card from the Grand Master at Wash
ington, AMI the widow left the city.
When she reached Pittsburg, tho
stage agent. seeing the letBer she horC
from the Grand Master, would re
ceive nothing for her passage
CapJuin Ut tho otnnmcr on which she
embarked for New Orleans, no soon
or dcciphcrel it than he gave her Tho
best state room he had, and when she
reached the Crescent Cltl, she h0d
two hundred and ninety dollars left
of her three hundred She there
waited on the General in com
mand of the station, with the letter
of the Secretary of State, who imme
diately instructed the Colonel in com
mand of the forwarding troops to see
that she had free passage to Vera
Cruz by the first steamer. BY all thC
officers she was treated with the great.
est politeness and delicacy, for they
were all Masons, and felt bound tc
her by ties rs strong and delicate n,
those which bind a brother to sis
ter, and rcjoiced in the opportunit,
offered them Of evincing the benign
and noble principles OF the craft
After n passage of five days she
reached Vera Cruz, and having let.
ter from the commandant at New Or
leans to the American Governor, sh,
sent it TO him, enclosing the talisman
ic card she received from the Crane
Master at Washington. The Gov
ernor Immediately waited on her a
the hotel, and offered her transpor
| IL. "a -