New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-10
A "WTDOV" OF THE CHAPTER.
SWEET CREATURE WITH A PLAUSIBLE
STORY.

piled TO his lodge. the brethren had helped her
| TO some extent and requested my aid In the
womans behalf. not only as far as the chapter
was concerned but also and mainly TO inform him
to what lodge this companion had belonged. 10
enable the widow in question to apply to II as the
proper channel for Masonic relief and charity
In vain I searched my chapter register for the
name OF Companion Frank Huntington-no such
name appeared the roll ] so Informed the
Worshipful Brother on Long Island. and also re-
/ qucsted him to question Mrs. Huntington closely
and # possible ascertain whether she had any
certificate secretary's receipt or any document or
| paper OF any kind by which she could prove her
late husbands claim upon the fraternity In gen
| eral and my chapter in particular. and added my
personal opinion in the matter. which was TO the
effect that strongly suspected fraud I'm the case;
but to my great surprise received n reply from
my Long Island correspondent In which he In
/ formed that he had questioned the woman
| closely and elected enough Information from her
to satisfy himself that her husband had been n
Mason well up in the esteem Of some Of the mem
bers Of the fraternity well as In degrees. and
/ that he had died in Rio Janeiro Just before MS
| intended return to this country: and. TO cap the
| whole thng-or. so TO speak. "clinch the natter
he assured me that Mrs. Huntington had shown
him certificate OF the chapter OF undoubed genu-
I incness. naming the first officers and myself at
testing 1t as secretary, and that he had compared
the signature my letters TO him with that on
the diploma. and he had not the slightest doubt
! That IL was genuine, rs wei hs inc r''h VI vi"
chapter properly attached TO II.
J Here then was a dilemma. The names OF the
| High Priest. King and Scribe were correct ac-
cordng 10 the date given. and yet was positive
we had not and had such name on OUR
! books To make douby sure. wrote 10 the then
Grand Secretary TO Inquire OF him about II. stating
the whole matter. and received answer con-
frming my previous search. and stating that 10
such name was the books was ever rega-
! tered and also warning me TO beware Of pos
sibe forgery
| again wrote the worshipfu Brother on Long
| Island saving that. under the circumstances. our
| chapter could DO nothing for his proteGe, and OF
! course | could not inform him TO what lodge 10
apply for aid. and also stated that, should the
LADY ever come to New-York | would like 10 see
her, bu. more especially would like to inspect this
| certificate OF membership omanating from my chap
ter and supposed to have been issued to a man who
was not a member. This ended my correspond
ence with the Worshpful Master on Long Island.
and had almost forgotten the entire affair, when.
nearly year afterward. received letter written
I'm small and elegant '1ady's hand informing
me that the fair correspondent was Mrs Hunting
ton. and that she then sick In small town In
! Connecticut and begging me TO forward to her at
once some money. ever so small a donation
even $50 $50 or $40 would be thankfully and srate-
! fully accepted but It was needed at once I'M
medately informed my lady that We did not recog-
nze her claims AT all. and all could do In the
| matter was TO request her to forward 10 me the
correct and straight We would take her case In
| hand and aid her all could.
Again the matter dropped out OF sight, and partly
out OF my mind. This time about three months had
! elsnsed. when night at the chapter woTd was
sent TO my desk that the secretary was wanted In
the anteroom. Degree was being conferred. 50 !
| could easily leave my place. and fastening out
! found awaiting a sweet little woman dressed In
heavy widows weeds. with SAD ana mGnrn aiI
row. and with grief underlined ~ every Hnfiin@nl
H Hu met W. g.s 10 me to AK whether was Mr. L.
! was carried by storm. and thought nature surely
| in this case This sweet. gmlclcss child will tcll
the truth. She must be IN sore ahil.'ion pro1a3y
| in want, and certainly she VIII not ask IN VAN.
| But my delusion Of short DURATION ioT ,,he
Huntinrton and at the sound OF that name an tho
suspicion IN my nature was aroused ana !.t W.
he mysfery Of that ccr,ihcate Almost the first
question asked her was to show ire 'i' i,h her
She had instead several letters written TO her iaie
! husband by prominent Masons.at least she sA'
! they were prominent-n South America. ,h
She told me how her husband had been ,lot me
VERY prominfns pr'i o a1 ther@ some Of the
ln,srs We're Written in spanish English German
d dogbt addressed to the r. " ana r. + and Illus
,ro1s ETC. Bro Huntington But al ,hi5 ola mot not
the case at least 80 far aS o'I h her
TO cali AT my house the morrow. ana he sur r, 70
bring the certificate with her as M. So,'
thing depended upon the genuineness OF 'hat oooN-
During the conversation with the angelic cree crea-
tre she Frequently burst forth IN scbs ana m22d
cf tears especially when speakns OF Rio ianciro
b tm.r nnG how che had 10 let the ship sail md
nom 70 'r Nurse him and watch him and how
he had died in her loving arms MS 0Hy r Cr,
t,,ded for in this cold and unchartable world ana
how she reminded him Of his Masonic brethren; Smi
! and he felt relieved. and with hs asI breath ne
gaPed, Y yeS y yssv MY WIN ' care for you
The poor thing was often overcome ",,u ,, ,
her Strength. but while this all very well very
pathetic and sad. what wamtc o 10 Tn as made
Mason; where did he come from and how on
earth did he get thf chapter fnnnI on, during the
convcrsation that he came from Harrisburg, Penn;
Wnere Mere s vns and when asked her wiz
did not apply 10 then for neip ana ny,
She whispered: "Oh. sir, they do not recocn'ze en-, me
her brohG ,hsy wif not N 2sco lha o0
This was ali the Information could then obtain:
| next day and bring the diploma and Other docu-
| ments whereby could trace her husbands odgc;
very very edo ap on S4nH hs we had ncbsr whose
syn traveller If my letter would only reach him
! 81 once ! could probably get all the Information
Next day my melancholy and broken hearted
widow came and brought the long -covelen , 'ocu Wv
animation I compelled 20 pronounce genuinf;
each signature was correct me sea- OF q n "a m
as II 10 say well don't YOU know me-? ! was
| completely nOnplNSsPn 10 tdIH Univ b"f.
| woman a small donation from tho funds or me
| chapter and Immediately wrote to the companion
in Harrisburg. begging MIN 70 answer at on once
| Fortunately. my letter found him AZ home. ana
| received an immediate reply. know Frank Hunt
| ington? WHY. boy. know him Ike book.
went to school with him brighter hoy or smarter
man never lived: but crooked crooked az the devil
| Never knew he was a Mason and don't think he H.
| IF he bulldozcd those men In South America into
| believing him. he did II with forged papers ana
| penuino unblushng cheek" The letter went on 10
| state that he from nice and respectable
| family; his brother then very reputable ana
| highly esteemed physician IN Harrisburg. and his
| mother and sisters all highly respected thcr".
He (Trank) was the black sheep Of the family lie
| worked some time I'm a manufacturing drug estab-
| ljshmcnt, and had become an experi chemist lie
| married a Young and well-cOnncctcd girl or liar