Evening journal., 1905-05-23
DOVER's HONORED
OCTOGENAR|ANS
Ex-Congressman John a.
Nicholson a Man of Won
derful Vitality
CAPT, BONSALL AND Mr. M'ENAIT
80 10 ND EvenIng Journal.

OF the Oslcr theory. lhlte oA e"e '
active men of Dover, in their respective
walks Of life. octogenarians are such use
f,l citizens as to be almost indispensable
in the progress OF the towns affairs.
rx-congressman John A. Nicholson,
father Of the Chancellor and senior mem-
ber of the bar Of Delaware, is an octo-
eenarinn. tan and erect and with the
eame dirnined bearing and vigorous deep
voice which were his characteristics when
he rcpresented his State for four years
in the National House Of Representatives.
Mr.. Nicholson on Sunday addressed
pubiic evangeistic meeting under the
auspices Of the Young Mems Christian
Association. His subject was "Church
History"
with the same painstaking enort that
has won him much success, he writes MS
addresses after careful preparation, and
then usually memories the finished paper
pslng It merely as a guide in speaking.
His addresses are so well received that he
Is being constantly urged by the religious
associations TO prepare others.
OF late Chancellor Nicholson has taken
a liking to farming at his country place
and this leaves Mr.. Nicholson Sr, alone
moro with his books at their town house
on Dover Green. Frequently Mr. Nichol-
son. sr.. Chancellor Nicholson and the
iatter's little son. John, the third 80 for
a drive or walk together
MASONRY PAVE DHIs LIFE.
Captain Joseph /. Bonsali, also one Of
Dovers active men in the octogenarian
class is like Mr.. Nicholson, a prominent
Mason and his privilege Of carrying the
Bible at Masonic funerals in Dover and
vicinity is one highly priced by this sem
ior member.
Il can never do too much for the Ma
sons" declared Captain Bonsal today at
his duties as custodianef the county's
public buildings busying himself about
his little Office In the county building. In
1876. a Masonic sign saved my life; since
then Masonry has been priced by me as
more than fiction. idealism or past
time.
How could a lodge sign save my lifei
Well IL did st. in this way. For many
years OF my life as you know, I followed
the water I was master OF some of the
trimmest Of vessels that ever traded
down this Atlantic coast Probably the
neetest Of them an was the Kate and
Lleweila. on one Of our voyages the crew
of six men and myself were ON board, en-
countering hurricanes rsouth or the flors
ida coast My mate. who had come 10 me
hichiy recommended, wrecked our splen-
did vessel one night and we only saved
enough OF her 70 live upon for awhile; all
cur food supply going to Davy Jones
locker
'Vhon morning dawned we found our
selves ~ the coast Of San Domingo. We
had been going on short rations-thats
what we call half meal-for several
days. and now FOR three days and nights
we were without food or drink.
Finally two Of my men got ashore
but 10 their horror. found the island IN
a state Of insurrcotion over its governor.
and every bush contained an armed Span
iard or q haif-hreod Two snanards
emerged from thicket. heavily armed.
and my men were frightened almost into
insanity and fed back 20 our wreck as
fast as their weakened condition would
permit. ] tried TO get some sense out OF
them What did the spaniards say. I
asked
SURROUNDED BY sPANIARDs.
oh Captain we couldn't understand
a word. was their reply. Now the Span
lard can be easily understood by his
gestures. as I had learned IN employing
them. SO had them repeat TO me the mo-
tions the Spaniards had made. and then
knew that meant there were huts fur.
ther up the coast and there we could get
food. AT dawn we rowed up that coast a
distance of nine miles and landed. There
were huts and signs Of life. ] had money
and started 10 purchase provisions at an,
price. when suddenly there was a roar al
my left and approaching me from a dis
tance were a whole tribe of maddenet
spanards who had taken us for spies
Ny men fed with a shrek of despair
and as ! turned and looked at those hid
eous sabres and great revolvers. de
termined 10 stand my ground. KNOWN,
that Il meant starvation TO retreat an,
feeling that IL meant certain death {,
stand My heart stopped beating and thci
jumped into my throat until could no
breath. The tribe OF men seemed 10 multi
ply and their roars became doafeninr a
they approached
Suddenly. the thought flashed througl
my mind that the commandant or one o
the sergeants might be a Mason, and a
quickly as 7 could think Of IL. made IN
Masonic distress sign. Instantly there wa
a cry and halting and chatterine a
my side. The captain approached an
gave me the Masonic greeting. 1 left tha
place with several kegs OF crackers IN,
pigs. some hlrs Of sweet potatoes an
some oranges. That's why I'm n goo
secret society man. That sign saved M
life and an Of my crew..
McKKNATr A REMARKABLE MAN
The most remarkable man In the Dels
ware State capital IS Isaac McKnotf
years old and a carpenter and hunds
who not only estimates on his undertal
ings. but does an the work himself Nr
McKnatt IS now engaged in buiidi,r ,
addition to a house on Delaware avonn
He is tall alert. uses neither eveelass.
nor false teeth, and appreciates a iot
from his fellow women or bvsfanao,
when he does not have opportunity to =,
one himself
Mr. McKnaft was born near ITarrinete
and has resided IN Kent county an b
life. Tie was trained from the very da,-
his birth in lSeo. just after the count,
had recovered from tho effect of tho v-
OF 1872. that idleness was besotiine So
and be worked every day from the fin
he left the little country school. whe
he was taught to read and write and son
invaluable mathematics. lie was LETT