Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-11-11
Frcelnassnry and tho war.

This present war has been prolific in illus
trations of the value Of Freemasonry in dan.
gerous emergencies, and the anecdotes are
endless of the lives saved by its means.
Among the carloads of wounded of both ma.
| tions which arrive from Sedan were two men
whose consideration for each other were Sc
marked as to occasion inquiry. They wore
the Prussian and the French uniform respec.
lively, and though neither could undcrr>nd
a word Of the others language they sl,NAd
their rations, and seemed to be irterclnans-
ing signals of anlity all day long. Their
story was simple ono. The Prussian, who
is am officer, and man of thirty.fve or so,
with stern, grave face, aud heavy over
hanging moustache, had met the Frcnchman,
who is at least n dozen years his junior, on
the battle field, the latter being supported by
q couple of comrades. Twice did the wave
Of conflict bring these men in contact, aud on
the last occasion the Prussian, who was him
self badly wounded in the chest, pressed the
young .Frenchmau hard, and had indeed his
sword upliftcd to administer the coup de
grace, when the latter, who was faint from
loss of blood, made hasty sign to his victor
which caused the latter to stay his hand
Farley was impossible, both from tho exiyen-
cies of language and the turmoil of battlc !;
and, besides, both men lost consciousness aud
fell at each others side. 1t turned out that
tho young Frcnchman had been made a Free.
mason few months before the outbreak of the
war, and that he had instinctly made the sign
by which mcmbers of the Fraternity are
taught to ask their brcthercn for help The
Prussian was and old Mason, whe recognized
it lnstently and who as instinctly paused, and
before there was time for consideration both
men tainted away When consciousness was
restored, themselves side by side aud 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 weary
hours in which they lay disabled and untcnd
ed, in rendering little kinducsscs to each other,
and in thus cementipg the friendship Which
had begun so strangely. When help came,
they petitioned to be permitted to keep to
gcther, telling their story with considerable
eifusivcncss to the doctor, who after some
time came to them on the field This gentle
man, who was not military surgeon, but a
member Of the blessed society which dates
from Geneva, raised his hands ia pleased as
tonishment at the tale nc heard, and Mt once
showed himself to be Frecmason too 50
that three brethren Of the mystic tie were to
be seen wondering over the strange chance
which had thrown them together. don't
profess to be able to explain the particular
influence brought into play, or the kind
Of solncc which Frcemasons find in each
others company, but it is certain that the
wounded men are supremely satisfied at the
result, and that their story has given them
quite a celebrity among their felow-sufferers
At lges, where the French prisoners were
placed after the capitulation of Sedan, aud
where, it is but too true, they were all but
starving, some of their number contrivcd to
make it known to their cnptnrs that they
were Masons, and this was Intellectual in
many instances, the sturdy uninitiated Prus
slams laughing the Masonic gestures to scorn
wherever il succeeded the men obtained little
comforts which were priceless a stout
trooper was seen handing Il warm frirze coat
ID one prisoner, and giving part of his ration>
to another and explained his conduct to al,
inquirer with a sheepish smile. which spoke
volumes, "They are my brothers, although |
have fought with them, and they are hungry
and cold, and must be helped They would
do it for me-" These are merely typical
cases. But is is impossible to mix muc.
with the troops, particularly after battle,
without hearing of kindred instances of Ma.
sonic usefulness. The NIasons themselves
are very proud Of their Order, aud of the
way in which its principles have, they shy.
risen superior to war. How it is that these
loving brethren can ever have flown at each
others throats, and manglcd each other
bodies is another question, particularly ;s
they tell you that Louis Napoleon aud Prince
Frederick William Of Prussia arc both Free.
masoDs Of high degree. London Daily
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