The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-07-26

The following Masonic bodies meet upon
the evenings of the ensuing week.
Subordinate Lodges. - Masonic Temple -
Dawson No. 16, Monday, 27th; Federal No. l,
Tuesday, 14tb.
A. A. S r. Sanctuary, 1907 G street-Blue
Room-Arminius No. 25, Monday, 9th;
Acacia No. Is, tuesday, 2Sth.
Masonic Hall, MISUNDERSTANDING No.
"a, Monday, eth.
Royal Arch ChdpterS-Masonie Hal, George
town-Potomac No. s, Tuesday, '2Sth.
Con,mdnderies Knights Templar.- Masonic
Temple-De Molay No. 4, Tuesday, 2Sth.
Ancient and accepted Scottish Rite-Sanctu-
,ary, 1907 street-Robert de Bruce Council
of Kadosh, Tuesday, 2sth.
The calendar has again sadly ''mixed things
up" and given only Masonic dates for Mon
day and Tuesday Of this week, Wednesday,
Thursday aud Friday scoring five times, and
in consequence the following bodies are shut
out from holding stated meetings: Columbia
Lodge No. 3, Columbia Chapter No l, Poto-
mac Commandery No. 3, Washington Centen-
NAL Lodge No. IA, Osiris Lodge No. 26, La
Fayette Lodge No. 10, Mount Horeb Chapter
No. Z, Lebanon Lodge No. Z, Hiram Lodge
No. 10, and Columbia Commandery No. 2.
Special meetings in several instances will be
arranged for, as the state of the work in some
of the bodies will render it necessary.
On the apex of a beetling crag that rose
abruptly from the plain, as if stationed by the
goddess Of the fertile fields which touched its
base a sentinel to ward off and prevent the
encroachments of the ever-shifting sands of
the desert which stretched away to the West,
stood solitary figure, solemn majestic,
clothed with an awful influence of reserved
power, sad and solitary, but, withal dignified
andimposing. The last long drawn shadows
of the setting sun were just lengthening into
the sudden coming of night, and the crimson
track of the day god was changing into the
neutral tints of evening, when the brooding
Figure, with an impatient gesture, sprang to
his feet, and in another moment shrill call
awoke the echoes of the desert which shortly
before slept in the calmness Of undisturbed re-
pose. Another moment and as If by magic
the plain swarmed with horsemen clad in the
habit of the desert, their white hondahs and
glittering arms forming striking contrast to
their black and swarthy faces. In deep silence
and with rapidity almost beyond compre-
hension, they gathered at the base of the
precipice, neither needing his companions,
all with raised countenances regarding the
silent Figure, who, standing out against the
darkening sky, seems radiant and glorified
with q supernatural brilliaucy An instant
thus they stand, and the figures gaze in
wrapt attention is fastened on the Western
horizon Of the desert. And then as if satisfied
with the scrutiny, he for the first time re-
moves the clinging fabric of his turban and
from the mass of shining golden curls which
surround the beautiful, but sadly pathetic
lineaments of his face, he regards the silent
and statue-hke army of horsemen his signal
has summoned; with conscious pride he scans
their fierce array, the shining steel of their
lances and the waving mass of pumes that
deck their gaily caparisoned and impatient
steeds, each, with its owner, equally docile and
silent in the awful majesty of his presence.
And then his voice breaks upon the stiffness
OF the desert, sweet as the lutes softest strains,
powerful as the deep and resonant roar of the
hon, horsemen and steeds thrill with the
magic OF its influence, and even the song birds
cease their notes and listen in envious silence
to the music of its tones. Again all is silent
he ceases speaking, and the cllnging turban
once more hides the mass OF shining gold and
shades the awful beauty of his face. AS the
night deepens the silvery call sounds again,
and with the same rapidity with which they
assembled the desert horsemen disperse, leav-
ing only three platoons of three, six, and
nine, which forming in triangle, with the
apex toward the West, raise the blood red
banner with the tiger claws and scimitar en-
olazoned thereon, and as the Figure again
sounds the call, gallop away over the desert
on their mystic errand moment more and
the pale beams Of the moon illuminate the
solitary stiffness of the desert night while
'crag and sand hill echo back the hooting of
night birds and the snarling call of the prowl-
ing jackall.. But what of the Figure and the
three six and nine horsemen? Is their er-
rand one OF mercy, love, war, or hate? Let
us temper our inquiries with the wisdom of
prudence and cloak our impatience with the
pleasure of anticipation, for on Wednesday
evening, the 29th in the Cathedral of the A
a. s. r. at the meeting of Almas Temple,
Ancient Arabic Order Mobiles of the Mystic
Shrine, all will be revealed and will be ex-
plained, and may the son-of-my -mother-in-
same unto you prematurey for 10 f! am / not
of the tribe of Alexander and though Ihave
not climbed the Standing Rock, yet of caution
have my fill, aud of circumspection much
have l learned.
The excursion of Columbia Commandery
Drill Corps TO Marshall Hall Tuesday evening
was pronounced success and closed the ex-
,cursion season of the corps with great eclat
About one thousand of the Templars and
friends were aboard the Macalester when she
left the wharf and they thoroughly enjoyed
the entertainment 1t was one of the best
managed excursions of the season. On arriy-
ing at Marshall Hall the mansion and vicinity
were brilliantly illuminated, and on the beau
stiful lawn the excursionists assembled and
listened TO the following programme: Over
ture Marine Band Orchestra; selection, Sir Z.
B. Hay cornet solo, Mr.. w. +. Smith, of the
Marine Band; sold Ark" Harmonic Quar-
tette; drum solo, Mr.. A. I. SpnDgsteen song,
Mr. g. d. Scott; song, Mr.. +. A, Middleton,
and song, Mr. G. M. Skerritt. After the pro-
gramme was finished dancing in the new pa
yilion concluded the evening, and as the Ma
'calester's whistle sounded the warning signal
had