The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-05-05
a MASONIC FUNERAL.
BY "CoRISNg.'


In June, 1894, a steamer wen3ei its way
up the Mississippi. L. was in Tie gray and
early morning, aud !st,essiy the curling
smuke from the steam pipes lJated away on
:he still Gala, air. The noisy rumble OF the
water wheels rlougAing through the RAPID
current, grated harshly on the ear to the sad
hearts on board, for ''the dark messenger Of
Death lowered there The sunkem eye, and
hollow cheek tod but too well Of thai u.d>
ious foe Cholera. And the many little mounds,
scattered along the river bank, pointed to the
Zone graves OF the western travellers. who
.seep far from home. victims to that fearful
scource. No loving hand To wipe the death
drops from their brow. or bear 10 cherished
goztd oYes The last sad tokens OF fathers
undyIng love
Al this early dAy. Comparatively few steam
e-s piled this mighty thor Egiiare, and the
s1ione-ri o. the iilt.e toRns haIi=i with joy III
pleasure every one that ne:rcd the laucing.
.hut corsternatien assumed the place of JOS
;slieu Z hecaTFe knOWR IA Il four o. The pas
-sengers were dead. awaiting iHteriueTr. and
another DYING. al were t. lie lefi shore.
Il litter was hastily prepared 10 convey the
dying man, and carefully they removed iiinl
n the only hotel The little -iiiage OF Lacrosse
then boosted. lie was i,arely conscious, brf
\ poweyiul slpulsut revived him. and rally
iag his sinking faculties, lie asked if there
was lnen.b-- Of the NasIuic fraternity pres
snr. Jrtunately the txo attending genfIelu-z
and tn phvsician all belonged 20 m It order.
HEIis DARK eve hlshei,'' with AN inteliisea.
aud tn,k IL! -xpres s.gr. 81 iaiHj.v r1urmrr,.l.
"T1Gak DAD. shall not die =.a..a = arG .h-i
ia brozrn ssceei:'S, ne ID: lis nOuru:ai story
How the ''nisiria TO "Is;T the greal west lad
taken l,,eSes>i..,i .,,f ilIs, aud mgaI,,sl The
do Z
,eft + beaui.t.l home on The banks T.. the
Hudson, and two beaall-ul children. Z e
tears ran dove his wasted cheek rs he rem
einbrred how long nj r!t-aIiuclv she be-
sought him not to leave Ier. telling him she
tad 4 y presertiiueut Il, would ie.iGc him: she
could EJt be r-couc.ei. and cIuug to ms
ueck until the h,r.r az his departure. almost
hssrt6r ,k~n. She .de him adien. saving.
re shaA uecsT, Hsrs.' meet a.sliu. Prophetic
words. Der fT,;.LS have ten tlu;I,..ul /
dollars in currency O. ily pesssn, witch /
wish sett to Ler. Oh, NV Brothers, by gi.,-
mystery o! gur holy order. break tie news
g-nlly 20 her. Tell her. al! tell ner y lie this
poor brain c!ung t. reason, AID this fond
heart continuei t. beat, its ir4ra. >,t aud Je.,
puisa'ions were for hsr. The remembrance
nt h.r SWEET. gentle face VIII - with me
through ike dark valley and ligh; my WAY
10 -arailse !; and tie Vrou-ezt legacy / can
bequeath her, is the honor Of once being the
ssife Of n R,yL 4rri Il fsOn 1t r0bs death
of Its bitterness , know nv brother. are with
me in this dark hour. ~ feel they may 20
with me 10 the brink of the valley, AMI
eprinkle tie never dying "Acacia'' above my
steeping dust
He closed his evzs from exhaustion. anl
hi Ind wanGerrs. Again he stood in his
borhood's home. and received the approving
smile from ~. ;,.JuH ,s!l father Once agai.
ne sir2i,r3 o1I The beautiful and romantic
ybanas Of ihe !Ii-lIa IDS aud ciaspeI the
lovely f,r. q, h. et,,f.,s .,iri wife 10 his proud
warm br.a,t. lre.,.!..r,zr. N low. gentle tones,
tbns. + nd un.lriat,ri,! = Of love That H3,trd
away in ne,er>,'yi.., harmony. Then came
from his DIVING in. II . bea!.r IL! words of th.
PsamIs-. Il ain Ihe resurrection and the hta
s,rrt;I the Lord I.I. though / wal, tbruupf
tbe valley and sb.lgw ofus.tb. viii f:..- no
.yii:
- Pauline. DARING. dill you Dat ou, the raso
.tis 50 d,.rk I.y lo.y. t}etr q. f. f,xri,1e.""
and the echo OF that ioud rain;. was waited
,l,evopd the dark river whose client banks
the diving man had lust crossed. The snrel
of dr.tl, had b-ch..s-d his soul to that far of
c,irn- N!,tr,. he!nav enter the grand loip4."
.-he Il ,ly Of iioIie, and uuderstt,ld the imDem-
s,rabie mysteries uf th. great Eternal.
Rar!diy the news spread of tue Strangers
death. and lis desire :, have Masonic
funeral, which would b--ihe first had ever
been celebrated in The itIle hamlet. The
;,,le church MS filed to auffocution, and rs
the solemn PROGRESSION entered. rJ5ed ia their
spDt'ess white badges. emblem ttic OF the
pure Grier 10 which Iary belonged. decorated
with the beautiful sJriSa Of hviCg green,
bearing the remains of the stranger brother.
: 4 lee ing Of a: we'' cr pit over me. After the
beauti!tft and impressive service Tor The
burial Of The dead had been read. and brief
retrospect OF the mourntai occasion which
had brought Them together, the coffin, winch
was sire"n with ias early spnn@ flowers, Was
borne away to Its hnat resting place. There
Vas NOT one CRY eye III tie h"use- Every
pure ifr"osed VINO 2r'e'; Tor mat Fo'r
Dere'''e 81 VIC AM ''''>r .-'l'r- i".'"'~' va
20" NV neai' went oSl--o ti'at nae b'"c
"r I1F' rs I'm s'o', i"nera1 'Fead, 'Eey h"f'
iis' :. rU'1i''.' - 'ie 'i'i' a',t' P'",ed
= 81 80. - ",t - 80.
: - - :. - D"to 49,
1'' e'''u ne"' 'li5
- -,
80 - ,i;@ ~, - ." III
-; 20 N' 81
~ - - 'o'0 W
",' --T a. i D"''
.Ns -. ma
., ~ t '.if me-