The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1870-11-03
THE STORY OF A FRENCH FREEMAsoN.

The present war has been prOlnc III lIiusCi'
, tions of the value of Freemasonry IN DANGER
ons emergencies and the anecdotes are endles
of the lives saved by its means. Among !n
;, cart.loads of wounded of both nations wnicl
arrived from Sedan were two men whose coL
Isideration for each other was SO marked as u
occasion inquiry. They wore the Prusslan ane
French uniform respectively, and though mel
tber could understand word of each other,
Language they shared their rations, and seemed
to be interchanging signals OF amlty all al, Gay
lono Their story was a very simple one: ine
Pr1ssian. who is an officer, and man OF 80 OF
50 with a stern, grave face, and heavy over
HANGING moustache, had met the Freemason'
who is at least dozen years his junior. on the
battlefield, the latter being supported by two
comrades
Twice did the wave of the conflict bring
these men in contact, and on the last occasion
the Prussian, who was himself badly wounded
in the chest, pressed the young Frenchman
hard. and had indeed his sword uplitted to ad-
minister the coup de grace, when the latter'
who was faint from the loss of blood, made
hastv sign to his victor, which caused him TO
stay his hand. Farley was impossible, both
from the exigencies of language and the tur-
mol of battle; and besides, both men lost con-
seriousness and fell at each others side. lt
turned out that the young Frenchman had been
made FreemasOn few months before the
war, and that he had instlnctlvely made the
sign bv which members of the fraternity are
taught to ask their brethren for help. The
Prussian was an old Mason, who recognized 1t
instantly, and who as instinctively paused, and
before their was time for consideration both
men tainted away. When consciousness was
restored they found themselves side by side,
and with the dead and dying round them.
by strange coincidence, their wounds were
such that each could give the other some slight
relief, and the late enemies employed their idle
hours, in which they lay disabled and INTENDED.
n rendering little kndnesses to each other,
md in thus cementing the friendship which had
begun 50 strangely. When help came they Pc
itioned to be permitted to keep together, tell
ne thor story with considerable etiusiveness
o the doctor, who after some time came to
hem on the field. This gentleman, who was
lot military surgeon, but member OF the
lessed society which dates from Geneva, at
nee raised his hands and showed himself to
70 FreemasOn too so that three brethren of
he mystic tie were to be seen wondering over
he strange chance which had thrown them to-
ether. The wounded men are supremacy sat
SIZED at the result, and their story has given
hem quite celebrity among their FELLOWSHIP
.rers At Iges, where the French prisoners
'ere placed after the capituation of Sedan,
nd where, it is but too true, they were all but
arriving, some of their numbers contrved TO
lake it known to their captors that they were
Iasons, and though this was Intellectual in
ANY instances. the sturdy and uninitiated ,
russians laughing their Masonic gestures to
,orn, wherever it succeeded the men obtained
tile comforts which were priceless. A stout
copper was seen handing warm frieze coat
one prisoner, and giving part of his ratons
another; and explained his conduct to ar in
Iirer with sheepish smile, which spoke vol
nes. They are my brothers, though have
ught with them, and they are hungry and
I'D, and must be helped. They would do it
r me-" These are mere typical cases. But
is impossible to mix much with the troops. Y
after battle. without hearing OF !
ndred instances of Masonic Usefulness c.
,RdOR Times.