Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-02-14

OF December IA $780, that DIR. Elisha Cullen Dick,
WashlngtOn's lifelong friend, physician, and master
OF 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 NJ.
Possibly the most-prized of the relies is the Ma
sonic apron worn by Washington, then president,
Wnen he laid the corner stone of the capitol 1t Is
said to be of cream-coored satin, with the Ameri-
can and French flags intertwined. heavily fringed
and embroidered with gold. A beehive and fairies
adorn the center. This apron was presented to
the Lodge in 1912 by Lawrence Lewis, nephew of
George Washington and husband Of his adopted
daughter Nellie Custis. Lafayette was allowed to
wear it in 1926.
Doubtless Alexandria Lodge knows how this
apron came into the possession Of Washington.
None the less, this writer, who is not Mason. is
nightly interested in passage he has run across
in the Memoirs of Elkanah Watson 1855. Wat
son was a New Highlander who travelled abroad
during the Revolution in connection with the pre-
liminary negotiations for peace Here is the pas
sage:
The following ynteE 7s1s wsRRg to
I employed in conjunction with my friend NJ
Cossoul. nuns il one Of the converts at Nantes e
them a plan for combining the American and
Theg were exeouted IN superior and expensive
paned by an address and received from him
beautiful and appropriate Acknowledgements The
Is this the apron so highly priced Fy Alexandria
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 nlustrious and Respected Broth
err" and reads, in part:
Your glorious career will not be confined to the
protection of American liberty but it's ultimate
effect will extend to the whole human family since
ment in His hands to fulfill His eternal DEGREES
+ is o oa e r Ma e
emblem of your virtues May the grand Architect
days S., for the glory Of the Western Hemisphere
n Who nye the suf 6e G ali the
numbers Your afectionate brothers, o.eo,,r
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 connfg Was BY deberate plan
Of tyranny, should be crowned with the success
arehifect Of the unverse who did not see 1T 70
to the ambtion Of the Princes Of this World or to
the rod Of depression in the hands OF any power
For your affectionate vows permit to be
III and dr a foF Eo Of the s IN
oeii's WIZ GEO WASHINGTON
Alexandria is especially fitting as the site for
this memorial. Washington surveyed some of its
present streets. 1t was from Gadsby's tavern in
1854 that he recruited his first command and
marched from there to the Battle of Great
Meadows. A year later he received his commits
sion as major under the ill-starred Braddock in
the same place. On leaving for his frst Inaugural
ton in New York he delivered 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 completed in 1773, Washington bought
a pew there and became regular attendant.