The Republican journal., 1874-01-01
Why MR.. Herbert Loved Masonry.
AN MES. ADELE HNIIEiI.

| ii'i'''lt 7"'tsl ~ I' l'' A' 'l ii'i '''i
monnac, in which she had deposited the
ously disappeared. and the lady arose hastily
| and east a rapid. searching glance undcl
| and about her seat
80. sir | have lost my ticket. and not
only that. bnt my money and checks iol
| my baggage.
The conductor was a young man WhC
had been but a few weeks upon the road
| in his present capacity; and felt himself
greatly elevated in his position lie prided
| himself in his ability to detect any person
in any attempt to avoid paying the regll-
lar fare, and had earnestly wished that an
| opportunity might offer which would en-
able him 10 prove his superior powers Of
| penetration. and the ease with which he
could detect imposition. Here. then, was
a case just suited TO his mind: and he
| watched Mrs Herbert with a cold. scr1l-
tinizing. suspicious eye, while She was
| searching 50 eagerly for the missing ticket
| With still extended hand he said
II must have your fare, madam"
| ''But, sir have no money: | cannot
pay you
''IIow far do You wish to 90 p" he asked.
Il an on my way to Boston. where !
| reside. | have been visiting relatives in
| Wisconsin,
"WeI, You can 60 no farther ON this
train unless You can pay Your fare.
| A bright thought occurred to Mrs. Her
| bert. II will place my watch in your
| keeping" she said; "whcn | reach De
| troit | will pawn il for money TO pursue
| my journey. My husband will send for
| and redeem it.
THAT will do, said the CONDUCTOR II
will take your watch and give you a checl,
| for Detroit have no authority 10 do 50
from the railroad company bu may. upon
my own responsibility"
But Mrs Herbert'S embarrassment was
not to be rclieyed SO readily a. she hoped.
Searching for her watch, that also was
not 10 be found
oh, What shall ! do - She said. her
| face growing very pale, My watch II
gone too muSt have been robbed in
| Chicago,
You can leave the train a, the next
station, he SAID quickly and decidedly
| that's What you can do
The whistle sounded ior down brakes. :,
| and the conductor stepped ont on the plat
form. Of the car, Mr7. Herbert tn"l-o osi
| around her There We're few passengers
in the car, some We're reading. eenc look
| mo ont of the windows on the town they
were juSl enterm@ No one seemed Ia
have heard the conversation between the
conductor and herself, or at least 10 lave
become interested in her behalf
The train stopped the conductor APP
| peared; and, taking her shawl and travel
| ing basket from the rack above her head,
bade her follow hm. intrn minutes more
| the train had gone. and Mrs lerbprl sal
alone in the L. depot, irving TO decide
upon the course best 10 pursue She had
no money 10 deiray her expenses at :,
hotel She had nothing with which to pay
u hackman Tor taking her 10 one but
after n few minutes reflection, She re-
solved to inquire for the residence OF the
clergyman Of that church of which she
was herself member, and ask him, in the
| name Of Christian charity, and Kindness,
| to give her home until she could send 4
| telegram to her husband and he could
| furnish her With means 10 pursue her
Journey
Inqniring OF the ticket agent the name
OF the clergyman she hoped to find and
| being politely directed to his house. she
| was soon at the door and rang the bell.
He answered the summons in person, and
| ina few hurried sentences she made known
| her misfortune and her request
| The Rev. Mr.. Ripley was thin, tall and
straight. lie was apparently about forty
five years of age; polished, but pompous ;
| no particle of dust could have been found
| upon his fine, black broadcloth, or nicely
| polished boots; the tie in his cravat was
| taultle>> his hair was brushed carefully
| forward to conceal coming badness. Very
dignifed, very important, very ministerial
| appeared the reverend gentleman but rs
| Mrs. Herbert looked into his cold gray
| eyes, She felt that benevOlence was by no
| means as strong an element in his com
| position as sellishness Her heart seemed
to chill in his presence; she conld not
| help contrasting him, mentally with the
good Mr. Weston, who was pastor Of her
| own church at home. All, not often had
| the hand now thrust into the bosom of the
| tightly buttoned dress coat been prompted
by the cold heart beneath it to place a
bright little coinupon the palm of beggared
| childhood; not often had his footsteps
found their way to povertv's door, Yet
| this unworthy representative OF the Chris
| tian Church preached charity to his rirll
| congregation, at least twice every Sab
| bath and:so far as himself was concerned
made preaching supply the place of prar-
| tice.
"Madam,' he said. after eyein@ her
from head to foot, You have u pretty
story but the streets of l. are full of
such stories at the present day Did I
| listen to one-half | hear of the kind |
should have my house filled with poor
| mendicants all the time. and perhaps few
| l,f+ 4 Ia Inv,
| cannot keep You as you request
| Mrs Herbert turned from the inhospit-
able door of the Rev Mr.. Ripley The
cool insolence with which he had treated
| her had almost driven courage from her
heart but she determined now to seek a
hotel, where at least, she might rest her
self and decide upon some new course of
action. She had eaten nothing since morn
ing; indeed, she had not even thought of
| food, but now she felt faint and weary,
| and the consciousness that she was alone
| in strange city, frendless and penniless,
with the shades of evening already falling,
quite unnerved her As she glanced up and
down the streets the first thing that at
tracted her attention Was-not q public
house sign, but in large, gilt letters the
words" Masonic Hall" Her heart gave
a quick, joyful jump. Her husband be-
longed to the Masonic Fraternity, and she
knew that any duty a Mason owed to his
brother, he owed equally to that brothers
wife or daughter She remember also
that to that noble order she was ms
debted for nearly all of the happines,
she had known in her life. But, fami-
liar as she had been with its workings
in her native city, she had never real
lzed its universally; and never under
STOOD how, like some great talismanic
Delt' it circles the earth, embracing all
mankind in its protecting folds; soften
ing the asperities of dissenting religionists
shedding the purple light Of love on the
fierce rapids OF commercial life, enlighten-
ing and ennobling politicians. and har-