KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS . By N. A. Oakpbbll . The society known as the Knights of Pythias has its origin in the beautiful story of Damon and Pythias , the facts of which are briefly as follows: In the reign of Di- onysius, the elder King and tyrant of Syra¬ cuse, Damon, a senator, fell under his dis¬ pleasure and was condemned to death. As the time for his execution was drawing near he begged the tyrant to allow him to see his wife and child once more before he died, but his petition was refused. As a last resort, his friend, Pythias , pleaded with Di- onysius to release Damon but for four hours and he ( Pythias ) would go in prison as a hostage for his return, which request was finally granted. When the hour of execu¬ tion had arrived Damon had not returned and Pythias was taken to the block to be ex¬ ecuted in his stead, but as the headsman's axe was raised Danmn was seen coming to redeem his friend. Dionysius was so affected by such a display of true friend¬ ship that he immediately pardoned Damon. The order of Knights of Pythias was founded on the evening of the 19th day of January , A. D. 1864, in the city of ¬ ington, District of Columbia , by Justus H. Rathbone and some friends, with the object of emulating the friendship of Damon and Pythias . The principles of the order are friendship charity and benevolence, which all the members are bound to exercise to¬ wards one another. At the end of the year 1904 there were in existence seven thousand three hundred and fifty-four lodges of the order, with a total membership of six hun¬ dred twenty-two thousand four hundred and sixty-six Knights. The order was first es¬ tablished in Prince Edward Island on the evening of the 7th of December. 1899, wnen a delegation of Knights from St. John, New Brunswick , came to Charlottetown and or¬ ganized Empire Lodge, No. 19, of the Mari¬ time Provinces, which had a charter mem¬ bership of forty-one Knights, the first chan¬ cellor commander being Dr. Harry D . John¬ son.. The first two meetings of Empire Lodge were held in the Odd Fellows Hall, on . (They afterwards met in Wright's hall until the 5th of Janu¬ ary, 1900, when they first met in what was then known as the Mechanics' Hall, but is now called the Hall, in the Prouse block, on Sunnyside. Since its in¬ stitution Empire Lodge has had a continued period of progress and the order of Knights of Pythias bids fair to be ere long one of the strongest fraternal societies in the province. Crescent Lodge, No. 24, was organized in Summerside by a,deputation from Empire Lodge on the 8th day of October, 1900. The founder of the order, Justus H. Rath- bone, died December 9, 1889. "He builded wiser than he knew." * ' i