The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 3, 1902, Page 2

4 : THE SUNDAY TR FRELE Justus Rathbone, | the Founder . J | } + ] | | T—— of the Order of K. of P. (Photograph of Justus Rathbone on e One.) B ——— — \ 47 7 HILE teaching school at \:,x\\/ Eagle Harbor, Mich., in 1857 Y we organized the Stevens Dramatic Association and I was electi- ed stage manager with authority to select the plays. In writing to the New York publishers I requested them to select such works as com- bined the fewest possible female characters, as there were no ladies in the vicinity whom we could call to our assistance, and we were obliged to utilize a few beardless boys for the female parts. Among the plays sent us was the well-known and popular drama by John Banim, “Damon and Pythias.” I had previously seen this play rendered on several occasions by such actors as the late John R. Scott, Edwin Forrest and others, and was that i where withou made of flax and Rebecq-Rogn Is spun in dark break. So f the. sight. guide. The t ines every 1 and when wheel to r Every artific h is given to the eye. A background of dark paper is placed to throw out the thread, and the room 8o arranged as to admit one single ray of light upon the work. The life of a Flemish spinner is unhealthy, and her work requires the greatest skill; her wages are therefore proportionately high. It Is the fineness of this thread which makes the real Brussels ground so cost- ly. ' Mechlin is pretty, fine, transparent and effective, and was much the fashion in 1699, when the English prohibition was removed. Mrs. Palliser devoted a goodly portion of her book to stories of lace-making in France and England, laying stress upon many of the absurdities of fashion growing out of the vanity and love for adornment. France she describes as “‘a lace-making, as well as lace-wearing, country.” Nearly 250,000 of the 500,000 lace makers in Europe belonged to France, Point d’Alencon and the black lace of Bayeux and Chantilly were and are her special pride. Alencon is the only French lace not occurs stops her hief. especially delighted at receiving it, as it was a great favorite with me It was this play that suggested to me the order of the XKnights of Pythias. The idea presented itself to me while reading over the play at the schoolhouse. It occurred to me that there was an excellent founda- in the story of Damon and as for a fraternal ret society. menced the preparation of a of the prospective order “The s of Py - made on a pillow. It is made entirely g:f\[u;; I;; 8358 mT-J:;r;;flgs of by hand with a fine needls, upon a nd I worked on it until the parchme: in small pleces, a terward u invisible seam: there are t was completed.—Justus Rath- n interview in 1888. design, eack c special workman, and -tk be subdivided the to two, 1t will be easily seen why the &’ Alencon has been justly called of laces. It 1 borse halr is ¢ sive firn donnet. Th ever, as It the flower up f There appears in England & entee: from follles of vices are related in this most interesting volume. Devonshire, Honiton and North- mple an atmos- of village life, Order of the ally ess D st i S BTN IR 2 \ 1 : Davio & ,g < o Wooomusm, Ricme, | i il Mucon Com, ~rmm, Owra, PAST Swoemara CHAnCELL o, £ /4 PAasy svrxera 2 Sarmia . AL LG ke WY, GNP PRST Surmara TAST SummrEre CHNAancaLLOR wes first read and the primary steps taken Take Superfor country and which he was of the gentlemen above named was obll- Justus H. Rathbone, the founder of the In 1820 and was burfed at F\ to establish the order was held in Robert desirous of now ushering into existence. gated on thig Bible not to reveal that order, was born at Deerfleld, Oneida f‘fl:‘-"lvr.\_ Utlea, N. Y., whe TS the A. Champion’s room, 369 (old number) F Mr. Champlon, to whom Mr. Rathbone which was about to be imparted to them County, N. Y., October 29, 1839, After re- 0dge of the Knights of Pythi street, near the corner of Ninth, in the had read his ritual while both of them and Immediately afterward Mr. Rathbone ceiving an excellent education he engaged °Tected an lmposing monument 4 memory. city of Washington, D. C., on the evening were engaged at the United States Army began the reading of his work. Upon con- in school teaching until the outbreak of o Justus Rathbone was a member of /the of February 15 1864. Therc were present General Hospital, Germantown, Pa., in clusion of the reading of the ritual it was the Rebellion, when with others he formed \ramous Rathbone family of New England, on this occasion J. H. Rathbone, Robert 1863, strongly urged the formation of a resolved that each gentleman present a company of volunteers to join the First being a direct descendant of Richard e i A mpion, D. L. Burnett, E. S. Kim- soclety to be known as a mutual protec- should consider himself a committee of Michigan Regiment, then organizing at Rathbone, the first of the name in Ame ball, W. H. Burnett, Charles H. Roberts tive association among the clerks of the one for the purpose of Inviting such of Detroit. On account of some informality, lca. Two daushters survive him—Lu- and Mr. Driver, members (with the ex- several departments of the city of Wash- his fellow clerks as he deemed would be howeyer, the company was not accepted °retia Stuart and Sarah Dwight. s | 18 be i e o6 Champion) of a Vocal so- ‘ington, its members'to consist only of acceptable to join with the club in form- by the Governor, but many of its mem- Major J. L. Rathbone of this city, who ciety ¢ pr bone had st he had in I the Arion G has achieved honors in military and dip- life, is a member of the same d proud to acknowledge the ti of kinship that' bound him to the man e Club. At a those In clerical employment. ‘After dis- ing the order.” bers subsequently enlisted In other parts of the club Mr. Rath- cussion it was concluded to defer further ~ So Washington Lodge No. 1 was formed of the State. Mr. Rathbone entered the ed to these gentlemen that action until the next meeting of the club, and the good work progressed so rapidly army in 1863 and was ordered to the medi- possession the of a February 15; at which time, after the thatat the Grand Lodge session two years cal ‘department in = Washington, D. C. wh mind was responsible for the ociety which he had written some usual vocal h rsal, Mr. Rathbone pro- ago the ce f 6740 lodges, with a After the war he occupied several Govern- mighty gathering that will be in San time before while teach: school in the duced his ritual and a small Bible. Kach membership of 492,506, was reported. ment positions. He died at Lima, Ohio, Francisco next week. is scarcely a ts own way vious m t which the ts of Pythias