Upon arrival at Philadelphia we were met by Sister Sargent's brother-in-law, Mr. B. I. Wagner, whose wife is the sister of our late Grand Counsellor, Frank P. Sargent, also Sisters Schoenell, Smith, Youngs and Truax of the Grand Lodge, Sister O'Malley and many members of the Philadelphia lodges of the Brotherhood and the Ladies Society.

The funeral took place on Thursday, October 10th, the services being held at the Church of the Holy Trinity (Episcopal) at Nineteenth and Walnut streets, the Rt. Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins officiating. The funeral procession proceeded along Broad street to Pine street then to Rittenhouse Square, which is a playground for children. As it rounded this beautiful park, the solemn chimes of old Trinity could be heard, the children removed their skates, rolled their hoops into the grass, doffed their hats and stood with little curly heads bowed until the procession had passed them and entered the church. At the entrance of the handsome edifice the Right Reverend Floyd W. Tomkins met the funeral cortege and proceeded to the altar, the choir singing "Lead Kindly Light." The chimes began playing an hour before we entered the church. The organ and choir services were excellent, and the minister delivered a most beautiful and impressive sermon. In the course of his remarks he paid a touching tribute to the manifold virtues of our beloved sister, in which he took occasion to draw a lesson from her life of energy, talent and devotion to the great cause of fraternity for which she had labored so long. The floral offerings were beyond description. There was a huge arm chair of most beautiful roses from the B. of L. F. and E., a great broken wheel from the Grand Lodge of the Ladies Society, and large pillows, beautiful crosses, wonderful sprays, bleeding hearts of red carnations, and flowers of every description from the different lodges and friends, all of which were silent testimonials of the high regard in which our sister was held. After the services at the church were concluded the procession proceeded to West Laurel Hill, located on the outskirts of old historic Fairmount Park, passing Empire Hall where but a few weeks before Sister Sargent was the guest of Eureka Lodge No. 112. Little did the good sisters who arranged for her coming think at that time they would so soon arrange for her funeral. The Historic Pageant was then rehearsing some

of the historic scenes that transpired in Philadelphia, but this had no attraction for those in the funeral procession so deep was their sorrow. Like the children at old Trinity, two full blooded Indians from Carlisle Indian School in accordance with the custom of their tribe, upon seeing the funeral procession, doffed their caps and stood facing it until it had passed them. The chimes at the cemetery played softly as the funeral train entered. and contiued during the services, making them very impressive. At the grave in beautiful West Laurel Hill Cemetery the Grand Lodge officers, surrounded by an immense concourse of sorrowing friends and sisters, took charge and conducted the impressive ceremonies of the Society. Beside her illustrious husband Sister Sargent was laid to rest, embowered in beautiful, fragrant flowers, the last token of affection from her sisters, brothers and friends. It seems fitting that these two, whose work on earth was for the uplifting of the oppressed, should at the close of their useful lives rest until the final judgment day in the peaceful city-where liberty was born.

How are we to estimate such a life as that of our dear sister? Who knows how many have been helped by her toward the better life? Our hearts are heavy, indeed, as we think of the past of which she was so much a part, knowing that she is never to be with us again.

To every organization such as ours its first efforts are momentous ones, and upon them much of its future success depends. Full well do we know that close around Sister Sargents' name and memory cluster the first days of the Ladies Society. Much of its early history she helped to make, for it was in her own home in Tucson, Arizona, that it first saw the light of day.

In the month of April, 1884, ten women, wives of locomotive firemen, met at the home of Brother and Sister Sargent, and formed the first Society. At that time Brother Sargent was a locomotive fireman in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railway Company. These sisters little thought on that occasion that the work begun by them would culminate in the present Ladies Society. They then looked upon it as a local institution, and never dreamed of it becoming the international organization it is today. The death of Sister Sargent has taken from us the last of the pioneers of the original organization. A brief review of the history

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of the Ladies Society from its inception to the present time may not here be amiss.

The second lodge was organized in Stratford, Ontario. On account of the members at Tucson moving to other places, and for other causes, the lodge at that city was disbanded and Sister Sargent became a member of the lodge at Stratford, known as Good Endeavor Lodge 1. Upon the institution of Hazel Lodge 3, at Peoria, Illinois, Sister Sargent withdrew from Lodge 1 and became a member of Lodge 3. Very little en

that time was Grand Master of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. At that convention Brother Sargent ably supported the claims of the Society as an auxiliary to the Brotherhood, and from that time on the Society has received support and encouragement from the brothers of the Order. The charter was ordered, prepared and presented to the Ladies Society, which at that time was composed of fourteen lodges with a membership of 111. Grand Master Sargent appointed Sister E. A. Ball, of Stratford, Ontario, to the office of Grand President, and Sister M.

couragement was offered in those days by the wives and families of locomotive firemen to the faithful women who labored to continue the organization, and the institution of the second lodge was not accomplished without many drawbacks. Earnest efforts were made by the members in 1886 to have a Grand Lodge established, but without success, and from 1884 to 1890 the outlook for the Society was not very encouraging. Not until its convention held at San Francisco, Cal., in September, 1890, did the Brotherhood officially recognize the Ladies Society, and this recognition was accorded through the untiring efforts of our late Grand Counsellor, Frank P. Sargent, who at

E. Moore, of the same place, to that of Grand Secretary and Treasurer, and these sisters went at once to work on the plan which had been mapped out for them. However, but six lodges came in under the charter, and none but those appointed to carry on the work can ever realize how slow and discouraging was the outlook at that time.

There had been little or no printing done, and all rituals and by-laws were copied with pen and ink. At the time the first convention of the Society was held at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1892, two new lodges had been added and the membership was then 300. The Grand Officers paid their own expenses to the con

himself almost indispensable to the Grand Officers and the members at large.

The blessings that have come with the Ladies Society and the help and encouragement that have been given to the brothers and their families are well known to all. When we look back and note the progress that has been made since that April day in the little adobe home of the Sargents, when those ten women laid the foundation of our Society, we have every reason to feel proud of its growth, for today we have 330 lodges and a membership of nearly 9,000.

never be filled, to those who knew her best in life, it would seem that could she but express her wish it would be that our tears be dried and that we continue the great work in humanity's cause to which the better part of her life was devoted, that of bringing comfort and cheer to those in distress. Very often there is an inclination on the part of the living to magnify the virtues of the dead. In this instance, however, we make no extravagant assertion in saying that we, a society, can not pay too much homage to the memory of Sister Sargent.

as

In the very beginning of the Society she it was who was its patron saint, as it were, and she continued throughout her life to be its practical benefactress. To her, indeed, it very largely owes its actual existence. However great may be its present or future usefulness, the first seeds that made possible such continuous, triumphant harvests were sown under her careful guidance. Even as we, as a society, are her debtors, so, in great measure, perhaps, are we individually. Το few is given the helpful, forceful personality that belonged peculiarly to Sister Sargent. In her magnetic presence one could not but be impressed and unconsciously strengthened by her untiring energy and her worthy ideals. In many ways, doubtless, each one of us has become a better and more capable woman, and certainly a more loyal member of the Ladies Society, through companionship with her. The early ending of her very useful life is a fact we must accept, but one to which it is difficult to be reconciled. Of their own accord our innermost thoughts seem to fit themselves into the poet's plaint:

"A harp whose strings are broken all too

soon,

"A day whose radiant sun goes down at noon,

"A song which while it thrills you dies

away,

"A form with life replete quick turned to clay,

"A heart so warm and true forgets to beat,

"A friend, whose presence cheered you, fails to greet;

"Tis these we see, we feel, for these we weep

"That she we loved and honored lies asleep."

Bitter tears are inevitable and have their mission as grief's outlet, but after all they are not the only nor the highest tribute within our power. Inspired by our beautiful initiatory ceremony, and in true Ladies Society spirit, our own lives should demonstrate the value of our association with our dear departed sister. Then let us be influenced and uplifted by remembrance of her sterling worth, not forgetting that our own eternity . . lies around us like a cloud. A world we do not see, and the mere closing of an eye may bring us there to be." From the very vivid mind picture we all have of Sister Sargent we are re

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"She has wandered into an unknown land,

"And left us dreaming how very fair "It needs must be since she lingers there."

We desire to thank the Brotherhood for its every care and assistance at this time, and especially Brother Albert Phillips, Third Vice President, who laid aside his official duties, left his Sacramento home, and came to Seattle. He assisted the daughter in all arrangements, and accompanied the funeral party across the continent, thereby relieving the Grand Lodge officers and members of the Ladies Society of many anxieties and worries. We feel that "the tie that binds" has been strengthened by the help and encouragement that the Brotherhood has extended to us at this time. We would not forget to mention Brother Casey, who so splendidly arranged every detail and saw them faultlessly carried out, being ably assisted by Sisters O'Malley and Frye of Philadelphia. As we feel the cords of sorrow draw us nearer to each other with a heartfelt sympathy, remembering her smiling face, we must needs smile also, for thus are we doing what she would have us do.

"Weep not that her toils are over,
Weep not that her race is run;
"God grant we may rest as calmly

When our work, like hers, is done."

To the lonely daughter we extend our deepest sympathy, and our tears mingle with hers in her sadness. We commend her to the tender love and watchfulness of an all-wise Father in heaven.

Our charters and badges of the Society will be draped in mourning for a period of sixty days as a token of esteem for our departed Grand President.

In Memoriam.

When the message was received in Oneonta, N. Y., that our beloved Grand President, Sister Georgie M. Sargent, had