The Portland daily press., 1897-06-25

to Skowhegan to help dedicate the new
Masonic hall, and were a part of the
largest Masonic procession that had ever
assembled in Maine, except the centen-
NAL, other bodies came away that night,
but the bows of Portland didn't go home
till morning, - as Sir Knight Bolles gave
an address and we all danced and prone
naded.
. june 10, 1869, we took pleasure in Civ
ing our old friends, the Hugh de Payens,
q taste of the kind of marching they gave
us in Boston. They came to visit us 1870
strong, we baked them with CLANS, we
marched them through every street in
Portland, gave them a rousing good time
at the Preble House and sent them down
the bay, we accompanying on another
steamer. The night was beautiful with q
on each boat. On their return from Ban
gor (few days after) they said 1--WE owe
you one, and paid it in full some years
afterwards. This year occurred the first
and only Field Encampment ever held.
Aug. "a, seven Communicates assembled
n Portland, and after marching throu gh
the principal streets, received another and
proceeded to Cushings Island where a
three days encampment was held under
command of Grand Commander Charles
Mcclellan. 1t was great success, good
weather, good fellowship and good time
generally. June 20, 1870 we attended the
annual review at Bangor, the occasion
being the dedication of the new Masonic
hall. Six Communicates were present The
fratres did everything to make our stay
agreeable and the battalion when CONSOLE
dated was beautiful sight. The Mechanic
Blues, under Lieut. Penne1l, received us
on our return. The same year We joined
St. Alban in reception to st. Paul of
Dover, N. H.
The next year (1s7D we returned the
compliment to St. Alban by inviting
Commandery. Aug I we joined Maine,
Dunlap and Lewiston Communicates to
attend the funeral of P. G.. O. Abner B.
Thompson. The writer had the honor to
assume command of the battalion CON-
sisting of the four Communicates, Grand
Lodge United, Acacia, Polar Star and
Ancient York Lodges. 1897 will be
ion, especially to your historian, who
commanded the famous expedition to
Montreal. No description can do Justice
to the occasion-to be appreciated it must
have been enjoyed personally. From start
to finish it was an uninterrupted pleasure
trip-we were wearing the black under
dispensation from G.. G. Dickey, and
Portland Commandery. Our Canadian
Fratres met us and entertained us as II
we were all Zerubbabels-we had entire
freedom of the city-played with water
works, turned out the fire department
surrounded Mount Royals, and plunged
the Lachine Rapids, and last but not
least, were kindly received into st. Jean
played Wearing of the Green" How
much the lunch at the 'Terrapin" had to
do with this most unnatural fraternizing
let Rooster" Davis and cold Man.
Chandler explain. Suffice it to say that
all were present or accounted for, - when
we took the boat for Quebec that night,
but how some of them got there your
to and would not tell if he knew.
Quebec was quiet and SO were the "boys,"
we visited the quaint old city and its sur
roundings including the Insane asylum,
where few of the Fratres were invited
to stay as companions for the inmates,
perhaps from the wild appearance of their
eye, left over from Montreal. In June
of the next year we again visited the
Queen'a domain and were entertained by
the Fratres of st. John, N. B. in a
manner no less princely than at Montreal
the year before. We did no marching, for
our friends would not let us, but the
courtesies were everywhere in evidence,
we lacked nothing to make us comfOrta-
bic during our stay, and we were sent OF
| rejoicing by boat to Fredericton, where
we found that by flank movement by
rail our ST. John friends were waiting to
receive us. The few hours there gave us
more and stronger proof of their hospital
| ity, by reception at the Lit. Governor S
and supper at the hotel. On leaving we
bounteously increased with the good
cheer of the Province. There are some
incidents connected with this trip that
can never be fully explained, because the
principal actors have gone to their re-
ward. Our old friend and Sir Knight
sToby'' were he back with us, could pos
| slbly tell us about his famous order for
| ten in room 80, where 4S refreshments
! came up. None were sent back however,
because it was ''pity to waste it,
| We would not if we could and could not
if we would forget the quick, generous
Inequalities of our Provincial neighbors.
They may not make as much parade and
show such gorgeous uniforms, but they
are unbounded in resources and lavish in
the distribution of them. In 1874 we had
an opportunity to "get event. with out
ST. John friends, together with ST. John s
Commandery of Bangor for whom we had
kept rod in the pickle" many years,
but could never get their consent before.
Our Commandery numbered 100 in uni
| form, we gave them the best we had from
clam bake to clam water, a fine sail, q
''long march" and a memorable ban
quet7 at Fluent hall-a 'sfeast of reason
and flow Of souP' land some other
things) followed. 1t was Every early
when the Sir Knights went to bed Git
they went at alD. The next day we de-
voted ourselves to them and sent them of
with the creature comforts" to cheer
them on their way. am sure the St.
John and the St. Johns knights felt
| that we owed them nothing.
BLACK COSTUME.
You do not all remember the "black
and white rebellion which ragged for
three years-well, you lost some fun and
I'saved yourselves much disturbance OF
mind and body. We, in common with
others, had always worn the black cos
tune, but Grand Master Fellows issued
order No. 8, which in effect said you shall
not wear it any more. but you must wear
| the white baldric and red belt, etc., = etc.
We said no, in very emphatic terms and
stuck to it-for time we didn't wear any
except by dispensation, when we made
our excursions to Canada, and about
home we did not parade much. We fought
u