Being an active stamp collector, really more passive in recent
years for Freemasonry has become my hobby, literally an all
consuming one, this item from the November 1990 "Further Light,"
the official puhlication of the Florida Lodge of Research, caught
my eye and, because of its nature, believe you will appreciate it
as much as I have. And the author is no stranger for I have seen
his ads in stamp publications for many years and have possibly
purchased items from him. Might also be of interest to someone in
Indiana. Incidentally, a cover is an envelope. RAH

A MASONIC SIGN AVOIDs A NEARR TRAJEDY
By Herman Herst, Jr.

Interesting as the outside of a cover may be, more and more
collectors are turning to the inside of covers that come their way
in order to ascertain the contents. And many times, what is to all
appearances a routine cover can turn out to be an exciting account
of some otherwise long-forgotten event, brought to light decades
later, when all of the original participants have long since died,
only through the curiosity of a philatelist of today.

So it is with a nice Nebraska territorial cover which came our way
some years ago. But interesting as the markings were (the cover
was from Fl Dorado, N.T. and dated 1858), the contents proved of
far greater interest. The writer was a member of the Masonic order,
and as can be seen from the contents, he literally owed his life to
one of the ritual signs known only to Masons.

The contents of the letter follows:

My beloved wife and daughter,

January 8, 1858

I am in El Dorado Nebraska Territory and anxiously awaiting a
chance to leave a town where I hope the Lord will never let me
enter again. I have had a horrifying experience but I want you both
to know that I am well and none the worse for it and I am glad that
I can tell you the whole story just as It happened.

I arrived in El Dorado yesterday about noon. I called on several
stables but was able to sell very little. I was back at the hotel
almost decided to leave when I got to talking with a farmer from a
town not far distant called Franklin. He told me of a new stable
there and thought the owner might need harnesses.

Since it wasn't far, I decided I could run over in a few hours and
tried to make a deal with one of the stables here for a rig. They
wanted five dollars which I said was too much. Finally the lad said
I could have it for four dollars, and I paid him and went to
Franklin where I did some good business.

But when I came back the stable owner told me the lad had no right
to drop the price and he insisted that I pay him the other dollar.
I stood my ground insisting that even four dollars was too much.
The man got pretty noisy and when he started threatening, I figured
it was better to pay the dollar and get out of there which is what
I did.

I went back to the hotel and had a right good dinner. Met a doctor
chap from St. Louis who said he was looking the country over for a
place to set up his office and bring his family, and he seemed to
take a liking to El Dorado. We were enjoying cigars when we heard
the fire alarm. We ran out and I was treated to a terrible scene.
The stable where I had had the altercation was in flames. They got
all of the horses out, but the stable was gone in a few minutes. I
felt sorry for the owner, and told the doctor of my experience of a
few hours earlier.

About two hours later I was in my room and I heard a great com
motion. I went to the window and saw about fifty men marching to
the hotel. They stopped at the front door and demanded that the
proprietor turn me over to them. I could clearly hear that they
were accusing me of burning down the stable. I didn't know what to
do. They sure seemed to mean business. I found the doctor's room
and asked if he could hide me. Of course it did no good for they
knew I was in the hotel. The proprietor when he found I wasn't in
my room came to the doctor's room.

Pretty soon four or five husky men came up and tried to take me
down. The doctor told them that I had been with him all evening,
had not left the hotel, and could not have done the foul deed. They
seemed to helieve him and they went down to report and I thought
that I was out of danger. But soon ahout ten more came up, and
they grabbed me and carried me kicking down the stairs. The doctor,
and I will be eternally grateful to him, went with me, trying to
reason with the leaders. I did not know what they were going to do
with me, but I actually felt sorry for the doctor at that time too
since I was afraid they might rough him up too. But when I got
outside and saw several men playing some rope and saw horse and
wagon I know what they were going to do.

I think you know there is a sign that a Mason can give when he is
in serious trouble. It was the only thing that I could think of,
but when they threw me on the wagon and told me to get on my feet,
I decided to use it. The sign did not go unnoticed by many in the
crowd. Suddenly it grew almost quiet, and the leader came over and
said something to me. Apparently I must have said the rlght thing.
He climbed on the wagon with me and held his hands up and said to
the crowd then must have numbered over a hundred, "Well, I reckon
we got the wrong guy."

A few men brushed me off, for I was pretty dusty from the "ride"
down the stairs and out of the hotel. Many of the crowd came over
to tell me that I had had a lucky escape which was something I did
not need them to tell me. The doctor did not know what had
happened to change the crowd do suddenly, and I guess he is still
wondering. Maybe I should have told him for he tried to save my
life, but it was not proper for me to do it.

I almost forgot, the next day I heard that the stahle was burned
down, but by the lad who gave me the rig. The owner had given the
boy a had lacing, and boy chose this way to get even. I don't know
what they are going to do with lad, but I am not going to stay in
El Dorado to see.

I go from here to Plattsmouth which is one of the largest cities in
the Territory, and I expect to do some good business there. Give
my love to all ask, and I miss you both greatly. Lovingly, George

For those who would like the full philatelic picture completed, the
cover was addressed to Mrs. George Lucas, Indianapolis, Indiana.

