The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-01-28
Written for the "Mystic Jewell"
WHAT MADE ME AN ODD FELLOW.
BY A. J. ALTERNATELY.

J O0liEO III ~ CboAnS A1C laNOIaOil
towards this benevolent order. TIL
regular attendance of the member
at the meetings of the lodge, tn
prompt and cheerful relief of broth
ers, who were sick or in distress
the burial OF the dead and the aiC
extended to the wives and children
of deceased brothers co uld not es
cape public observa ton or fail tt
make favorable impression on the
public mind.
But the kindness and generosity
extended by Pulaski Lodge, No. /:
of Pulaski, and by the brotherhood
at Kansas City, Mo-, to a very deal
friend and relative, made the most
| profound impression upon me and
ixed my resolution to send in my
petition for membership
At the commencement of the
great civil war in this country, ]
was living neighbor to a widowed
COUSIN who had one son. She was
a pc ,r woman and depended upon
the labor or this son for her daily
bread. A year or so after the com
mencement of hostilities, military
enthusiasm, family pride, patriotic
sentiment and public opinion caus-
ed this son and myself to volunteer
as soldiers in the war. His mother
and my wife came together and CON
stituted one household during the
remainder of that terrible conflict.
Their trials through which they
were subjected brought them very
close to each other and welded their
friendship as with bar of steel.
At the battle of Missionary
Ridge, the widows son received
wound which deprived him of one
of his arms, but after the war was
over, he returned to his mother and
together they again commenced the
battle of life. Fortune seemed to
smile upon them for a while and
they lived happily. Being a young
man of good moral character, he
knocked at the door and was re-
ceived into the lodge of Odd Eel
lows at this place. Not many years
passed, until he began to lose flesh.
A hectic flush was visible upon his
cheek and his stopped shoulders,
and a hollow cough soon indicated
that consumption had seized upon
his vitals. Daysby day his strength
diminished until he was no longer
able to work and his small means
we're exh austed. His brother Odd
Fellows attended him during his
illness, ministered to the wants of
himself and his mother, supplying
them with medicine and the neces-
stiles of life. When it became APP
parent that he must soon die, the
fiattering nature of the dreadful dis
ease inspired him hope that the
pure, dry atmosphere of the western
plains might be the means of restor-
ing his wasting energies and of pro
longing his lie. But he had no
money and could not go. Upon
his desire being communicated to
his Lodge, money was procured by
subscription to liquidate his debt
send him to Denver and start him
IN a small business. His mother,
now an old woman, returns to my
house to live, while her darling goes
in quest of health. She had buried
her husband, her three daughters,
and this poor, crippled invalid son
was the only surviving member of
once happy household.
With what eagerness and solicit
tude did the poor old mother watch
the mails after her sons departure,
and read the letters freighted with |
expressions of returning hope. Her
sons condition was certainly i'm
proved for a short time; but, ere
long, it became apparent that the
monster disease only relaxed its
hold to take more deadly grasp
upon. him. The unfortunate son, de-
spairing of all hope and desiring to
take his dear old mother within his
embrace before he died, started on
his return to her.
Arriving at Kansas City, his
strength is exhausted and he is
compelled to stop. A Geographic
dispatch is sent to inform the moth
er of bis distressed circumstances.
Language is inadequate to describe
the anguish Of the lonely and dis
tressed mother. In the extremity |
of her grief she appeals to me for
comfort and advice. I ana at a loss
what to do or what to say. The
distance is too great and the time
too short to administer to the com
fort of her dying son. 1t was sug
gested to her that probably the Odd
Fellows OF Kansas City would do
something for her relief, when
quick as thought the mothers heart |
turned to the Odd Fellows, and she
sent me as a messenger to impart
the distressing intelligence to the
brethren of Pulaski, and to invoke
their kind offices in her behalf In
less than fifteen minutes the news |
was dispatched to tue Noble Grand |
at Kansas City and asking their
help, and in less than half an hour
an answer was received saying, "eur
brother is dying, but we are giving |
him every attention" What tears
of joy and consolation flowed from
the poor mothers eyes on the re-
ceipt of this dear message. She
was so overpowered by her emo
tions that she could not write, and |
she appealed to me to write to her
son for her and in her name. She |
asked me to tell Dick how she
grieved that she could not be with |
him in the last, hour of his earthly |
pilgrimage-how she was rejoiced |
to know that his dear brother Odd
Fellows were with him and doing |
what they could for him, and to
tell him to look to Jesus, Saviour
of the world. and trust Him for sal
yaGion in the world Of eternal bless
edness. I wrote as requested and |
learned afterwards that he received |
the letter and read it just before he
died, and he sent word to his
mother and me "to meet him in
heaven"
The Odd Fellows of Kansas City |
-t&olo5 bio, ~ tho Last pi0aad bia |