MANY YEARS BEFORE THE WAR MY MOTHER HAD BEEN INITIATED INTO THE SIDE DEGREES OF MASONRY LITTLE THINKING OF THE HELP IT MIGHT BE TO HER IN LATER LIFE.
WE HAD QUITE A QUANITY OF SILVER AND THREE THOUSAND
DOLLARS IN GOLD. WHICH SHE PACKED IN A BOX AND BURIED
UNDER A BEAUTIFUL WATER OAK TREE AT A LATE HOUR IN THE
NIGHT. ALL THE VALUABLES OF OUR HOME HAD BEEN ALSO SECRETED, MY POOR MOTHER, AS A SOLITARY SENTINEL, GUARDED THESE FAMILY TREASURES WHILE MY TWO LITTLE SISTERS SLEPT IN PEACE, NO DOUBT DREAMING OF DADDY AND MY BROTHERS FAR AWAY IN GEORGIA.
SHORTLY AFTER THE SUN WAS UP, THE ENEMY ENTERED OUR TOWN WITH A REGIMENT OF WISCONSIN TROOPS IN THE LEAD, AND A TROOP OF CAVALRY. WITHOUT INVITATION THEY HITCHED THEIR HORSES TO THE HUGE SWINGING BRANCHES OF OUR OAK TREE. JUST AT THIS TIME MY MOTHER, MRS. MARGARET REA, MADE HER APPEARANCE WITH MY TWO LITTLE SISTERS. SHE WAS READY FOR THE EARLY CALLERS, AND VERY SOON THE SKIRMISHING BEGAN. HOWEVER, A VICIOUS HORSE, HITCHED DIRECTLY OVER OUR TREASURE BOX, UNCOVERED IT AND THE SILVER AND GOLD FLEW IN EVERY DIRECTION. WITH GREAT BRAVERY, THE YANKEES CHARGED OUR SOLE FORTUNE, AND WERE MAKING FINE PROGREES IN THEIR HEROIC ATTACK. AT THIS CRITICAL MOMENT, MY MOTHER MADE THE MASONIC SIGN OF DISTRESS, AND AT ONCE THE WISCONSIN CAPTAIN AND OTHERS DREW THEIR SWORDS AND PISTOLS AND SURROUNDED THE ROBBERS.
THIS BRAVE OFFICER SUCCEEDED IN GETTING EVERY PIECE OF SILVER AND GOLD, AND RETURNED OUR TREASURE BOX INTACT TO MY MOTHER. HE THEN PLACED A GUARD AROUND OUR HOME, AND SLEPT UPON THE GALLERY HIMSELF AS LONG AS THE FEDERAL ARMY OCCUPIED OUR ONCE PRETTY VILLAGE, WHICH WAS THE COUNTY SEAT OF LAUDERDALE COUNTY. MY MOTHER TOLD THIS WISCONSIN CAPTAIN SHE WOULD PRAY FOR HIS RETURN TO HIS HOME IN SAFTY, AND THAT SHE WOULD NEVER FORGET HIS KINDNESS. IN THREE OR FOUR DAYS, THE FEDERAL TROOPS FOLDED THEIR TENTS AND RETREATED TO VICKSBURG.
AS TO WHETHER MASONRY IS A PROTECTION IN THE HOUR OF DANGER, I KNOW IT IS FROM ACTUAL EXPERIENCE. |
