The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-02-21

OF December IA. 1893, that DR.. Elisha Cullen Dick
Washlngton's lifelong friend, physician, and master
" alexandria Lodge, cut the pendulum of the old
CLOCK that stood in Washington's bedchamber. Its
hands still point to the minute and hour, 10 20 p. m
POSSIBLY the most-prized of the relics is the Ma
sonic apron worn by Washington, then president,
When ne laid the corner stone of the capitol. 1t Is
said TO be OF cream-cO1ored satin, with the Ameri-
can and French flags lntertwined, heavily fringed
and embroidered with gold. A beehive and fairies
acorn the center. This apron was presented to
the Lodge in 1872 by Lawrence Lewis, nephew Of
George Washington and husband Of his adopted
daughter Nellie Custis. Lafayette was allowed to
wear it in 1926.
Doubtless Alexandra Lodge knows how this
apron came into the possession Of Washington.
None the less, this writer, who is not a Mason, Is
nightly interested in a passage he has run across
in the Memoirs of Elkanah Watson 1850. Wat
son was a New Englander who Travelled abroad
during the Revolution in connection with the pre-
liminary negotiations for peace. Here is the pas
sage:
The following winter l7slz2}, wishing to pay
employed, in conjunction with my friend, NJ
prepare some elegant Masonic ornaments and gave
F them a ep plan Of for the eom nnqon ses the = american fT r ps a and
They were executed in a superior and expensive
panied by an address and received from him a
following are copies of our letter and the reply.
ID Ills lHc uplOh nlSliy ny
Lodge? Evidently it was expensive and certain
ly ii bore the flags Of America and France. In
any event, the letters are interesting. The first is
addressed, Most Illustrious and Respected Broth
err" and reads. in part:
Your GLORIOUS career career will Iiba not be sn confined I'm at to the
Erect VIII e et ah to the w iieie'G human oa1 family 1aH Hl.' ainee
ment in His hands to fulfill His eternal DEGREES.
lea, we y : presume s to offer Masonic Ornament. as an
emblem 9ba , Of g1ST ba tbe e1 may the o gr aodr A pfaoioSs
days, for the glory of the Western Hemisphere
a those 'n Who en have the favor to suf be BY ali the sGkM known
numbers. Your afrectionate br9thers, so
General Washington's reply is dated, Estate OF
New-York, August 10, 1882" and says, In part.
after stating the ornaments to be Elegant:
the country was threatened, by a deliberate plan
Of tyranny mysb sdou The De era erow9 IS DUE Witf to tf fe s9GS rand
Architect of the universe, who did not see fit to
to the ambition of the Princes of this world, or to
the rod of oppression in the hands of any power
For Your afectionate vows permit me to be
parts of the world. and to assure you Of the sin !
' VIZ GEO. WASHINGTON.
Alexandra is especially fitting as the site for
this memorial. Washington surveyed some of it's
present streets. 1t was from Cadsby's tavern in |
from there to the Battle of Great |
A year later he received his commits |
as major under the ill-starred Braddock In |
the same place. On leaving for his first Inaugural |
ton in New York he delivered a farewell address |
to his friends and neighbors from the tavern steps
He founded and endowed its first free school |
the Alexandria academy. Soon after Christ
church was completed, in 1773. Washington bought l
pew there and became a regular attendant. :