Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1867-03-06
THE SOLDIERS MOTHER,
or TIE MYSTIC TIE.
A Tale of the Merican War.

daring young Virginian, leaped fence
and climbed a parapct some yards ahead OF
his company, and was taken prisoner; but
not before he had killed three Mexicans and
mortaly wounded Il colonel. His mother,
a poor widow lady, heard of his fate, and us
he was her only son, her heart ycarned for
his release. She wept at the thought, but
while the tears were streaming down her
checks, she suddenly recollected that she
was Mason's widow. Hope lighted.up in
her bosom at the thought-she dried her
tears and exclaimed:
81 will go and test the talismanic power
Of the order my husband loved and rever-
cd so much"
She sold some articles Of her furniture,
and with the money reached the city Of
Washington on foot.
In her dusty attire, she entered the De-
partlnent of the Secretary of War, and with
some difficulty, obtained an interview. As
she entered the apartment in which he was
seated and he saw how dusty she appeared,
We'll, madam" was the salutation he
gave her; but when she removed her veil'
and he saw the visage Of the lady, he half
raised himself in his chair, and pointed her
to seat. She told him of her sons cap
ture and her wish to go to him.
81 can't help you, madam" he replied,
it is very expensive journey to the city
of Mexico. Your son will be released by and
by on an exchange of prisoners. !"
"Sir," said the widow, as the tears of
voc rolled down her cheeks, "can you help
me to passport"
"Of course, he replied, "that will be
furnished you at the Secretary Of States
Office; but you are poor-how do you cx-
spect to pay the expense Of such journey?
1t is n visionary scheme. Good morning,
madam"
"Sir," said the lady, twill you be so
kind as to recommend me to the officer in
command of the regiment that will sail from
Baltimore in few days?"
Impossible, madam, impossible" he
replied. Then turning to the page, said
"Who did you say was awaiting an audi
ence? Tell them | am at leisure now."
"Sir," said the lady, 81 have one more
question to ask you before L leave your
Office, and pray you answer it-are you
Mason?"
"Yes, madam" he replied.
"Then, sir, permit me to say am Ma
sons widow, and my poor son in prison is a
Mason son-with this declaration ! leave
your Office.
That moment the Secretary's manner was
changed to that of the most courteous inter-
est.
He entreated her to be seated until he
could write line to the Secretary Of State
In few moments he presented her with
note to the Secretary, recommending her
to his sympathy and friendship. The secrc-
tary of State received her most kindly, and
gave her letter to the commandant at New
Orleans, directing him to procure her pas
sage to Vera Cruz by the first steamer
Through the agency of the two Secretaries
Lodges placed in her hands three hundred
dollars with talismanic card from the
Grand Master at Washington, and the wild
ow left the city.
When she reached Pittsburg, the stage
agent, seeing the letter she bore from the
Grand Master, would receive nothing for
her passage-the captain of the steamer on
which she embarked for New Orleans, no
sooner dcciphered it, than he gave her the
best state room he had, and when she reach
ed the Crescent City, she had 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 immediately in.
structed the colonel in command of the for
warding of troops to see that she had u free
passage to Vera Cruz by the first steamer.
BY all the officers she was treated with the
utmost politeness and delicacy, for they were
all Masons, and felt bound to her by ties as
strong and delicste as those which bind
brother to sister, and rejoiccd in the op-
portunity afforded them Of evincing the be-
nign and noble principles Of the craft.
After passage Of five days, she reached
Vera Cruz, and having letter from the
commandant at New Orleans, to the Ameri-
can Governor, she sent to him. enclosing
the talismanic card she received from the
Grand Master at Washington. The Gov
ernor Immediately waited on her at the ho-
tel, offering transport to the city of Mexico
by train that would start the next morn
ing. The colonel who commanded the train
kindly took her in charge, and offered her
every facility and comfort on her journey,
provided her with a carriage where the
country was level, and with mules and pa
anquins over the mountains.
Within ninety miles Of the city they were
overtaken by detachment Of dragons es.
corting a government official to the COM
mand. Anxious to go on faster, she asked
spermission Of the colonel TO join the detach-
81 L. I~-~o.