Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-03-17
MI>GELIANf.
The Narrow Escape.
A REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT

and his faIr young vile, Altnea. i ne
blasts of war, which was desolating
the land, long DELAYED to reach their
borders, and as yet each true-hearted
American, their neigbbor, dwelt I'M
molested under his own vine and fig
tree. IL is true that many of the young
men, the forward, the enterprising, the
crossed in love, and the bowed down
with debt, had enlisted and in their
communications, blood stained from
the various battle-fields, awakened
sympathy and gladness, by turns,
among their friends at home. But Mr..
Israel felt no call to leave the blooming
wife, and the merry twins, whose voice
was his home music, for the stern
music of the war. He served his conn
Try in a more quiet but perhaps equally
efficient way, 10y working sedulously in
his vocation, paying the large taxes IN
cumbent on the war drafts, making an
occasional loan to government Irom
his thriving treasury, and nursing up
the promising twain whom Providence
had vouchsafcd as the fruits of welded
love. But the sounds of strife began
to come nearer his district. The de
frats upon Long Island. and the dark
season that followed, sent many poor
fellow back to his sneighbOrhood. manned
OF ragged, OF starving, to tell how the
heart of the great Washington was nigh
drspairing at the gloomy prospects
ahead, and To ask an aim of the full
handed farmer for God Almighty sake
Such appeals were not suffered to fall
unheeded. There was bread and to
spare in the butteIy; there was raiment
and To spare in the old clothes press
there was shelter and to spare IN the
big gable-roOfed house These were
bouniifully dispensed to suffering pa
triots at the hands of the kind hearted
Israel or his affectiOnate spouse. For
Israil Israel was a Free Mason. Ii is
with such as he that our pen Is most
pleased. There is "A freer flow at its
point when it glides upon this topic.
Brother Israel was a Free Mason. lie
was what a writer styles "a born Mason;
4 Mason in the bud and flower; a
Mason in the milk and grain; Ma
son in the lint and thread, in the cloth,
dye and garment; thoroughly Mason,
Therefore the man was lberal-it is
one of the virtues of Masonry to be
hberal-and patriotic; the world wide
attachments of the craft do not, in
the least, blunt the delicate home sym
pathies which are natural to us all.
The Masonic lodge in this vicinity
acknowledged the superior ability of
Mr. Israel, and placed him at the head
of the various finance boards, relief
boards and emergency boards, which
that emergent season demanded. This
position necessarily made him the me-
dunn of payment for the various
Masonic charities of the district. 1t
must be confessed, howeyer-aDd the
circumstance is related not to disparage
the brethren, but to show the general
a 4
that the drafts drawn upon the lodge
treasurer, for the aid of the poor at
home, and the prisoners in the prison
ship at New York, were usually cashed
from the pocket of Mr.. Israel himself. l
Quarterly dues could not be collected
to keep pace with the demand; there l
was too much pressure from without to
Justify resort to harsh measures for
collection: so Mr.. Israel trusted to the
future consideration of his brethren,
and favored the orders from his private |
funds. At the close of the war, when |
a general statement of the finances of
the lodge was made, there was found |
10 be due this noble hearted Mason |
more than two thousand dollars, in gold |
and silver. When the suffering patriots |
passed near his door, Oh their disastrous |
retreat from Long Island, an opportu- |
llllN WIS blltltt ltl Il libtldi VI
his disinterestedness for though pro- |
visions were scarce, and commanded a |
high price In the markets of the country, |
Yet on the personal application of Gen
cral Washington, Mr.. Israel supplied |
the American forces with fifty large |
beeVes, contenting himself with plain |
commissaTy's receipt, instead of the |
hard money. The war drew further |
and further south. Philadelphia was |
occupied by the British. The surround |
ing country was daily ravaged for their /
SuStenance. Although the English /
officers were noted for their prompt I
payments, and even generosity where |
their own friends were concerned, vet |
where the slightest suspicion of a dis |
position favorable 10 the patriots eX- |
Isted, woe To that farmers possessions
lie was well escaped If the fOragIng
parties cOntcnted themselves 10y strip |
ping him of his grain and beeves. An /
empty rooSt, vacant stock-yard, un- |
teuanted stalls, were but a light inillc- /
ton. Ii was oftener the case that the |
stalls were fired, the dwellingconsumed,
and the poor farmer, whose Only CRIME |
was Ia love his country better than his |
country's foes, was lett faT-oti Ia COM 1
mence the world anew. While the 1
dark cloud vet rested over the patriots /
prospects, the Roebuck, trIgate, an |
chored IN the Delaware, not Tar from 4
Mr.. lSraelS house, and a detachment /
was sent ashore To secure that gentle |
man, and appropriate his cattle. Mr.. /
Israel WAS easily taken, for he rather /
put himself in the way of the party, |
thinking no further evil than that of 1
his property would Ice subject Ia a /
heavy draft. Much Ia his surprise, the |
soldiers seized him, bound his hands, |
and send him on board the frigate to |
be tried 10y court martial that very day /
All this happened in plain sight of his 1
wife, who stood in the doorway; and I
no sooner did IL pass. than shelnstantly 1
OWNED that mischief was brewing. /
To prevent the capture of the stock, /
she hurried Ia the ward, turned all the /
cattle out, and set the dog after them. /
lie soon ran them out deep into the |
woods. The horses in the stable were |
liberated in the same manner. By this /
time the detachment came up, and |
seeing her purpose, they fired their /
muskets at her, but without effect.
Some harsh language was used, but |
the English officer soon came up and /
ordered his men away, having received 1
no instructions To damage the property, 1
and the strong minded woman was left |
TO rock her babies ana ponder upon the /
fate of her husband, then in SO dan
gerous a condition. Mr.. Israel was
taken on board the frigate, and while |
the officers busted about the final dlspo- |
sition to be made of him, one of the |
sailors approached him, and in low ]
note inquired, ''Harkee, friend, amt We |
a Free Masonf' What prompted the |
question in the mans mouth, cannot be
known; but the reader will presently /
perceive that Mr.. Israel's life was in
volved in the answer. Startled by the
induily, but feeling new heart at the
very word Mason, Mr.. Israel whispered |
in reply that he was. "Then," pur-
sued the sailor, hastily, for an officer
was approaching, TO order the prisoner
below, .'you had better tell it, for the /
officers will hold lodge In the cabin
tonight
A ,-a,,- fa,v hours SutfieaI IN nrenara i