Postmaster E.J. Byerts of this city has in his possession at present a sword, once the property of Dr. M. Crank of Millbrook township, but later the property of Millbrook Lodge No 281, A.F.&A.M. of Hill City that has a history and has also seen some mighty hard times during years gone by, to say the least.

This sword was purchased by Dr Crank in September, 1863 from a lieutenant down in Missouri while the doctor was a member of the militia. Later on the doctor joined the army and carried this sword throughout the war, never allowing it out of his sight, and at the close of the hostilities returned to his home and laid it carefully away as a memento of bygone days.

In 1878 the doctor got the western fever and came to Kansas and settled down in Millbrook, Graham County, bringing the ever faithful sword with him.

When Lodge No 281 was organized in Millbrook, Dr Crank joined as a charter member and presented the sword to that noble order.

In September 1887,  the building in which the lodge has rooms in Millbrook was swept away by a cyclone and the sword along with other paraphernalia belonging to the Masons was lost. The Doctor was much grieved over the disappearance of his old time friend until one day it was picked up by a gentleman and returned to its owners, none the worse from its experience with the cyclone.

  When Millbrook Lodge moved to Hill City this sword was again put to work in the lodge room, where it remained until November 1903, when it was lost in the burning of the Masonic Hall. Once more did the good doctor grieve over its loss, declaring to his friends he would never see it more, when last week in cleaning out the cellar of the burned building, lo and behold Mr. Sword was found among the debris and turned over to Postmaster Byerts in a badly dilapidated condition, being bent out of shape from the fire and the heat, but intact. Despite this, Mr. Byerts prizes it very highly and takes much pleasure in showing it to his friends and others and relating its history.

Dr Crank is overjoyed at its recovery and Saturday in relating its history to The Republican, said, to look upon it put him in mind of meetings with and old time friends and that he would not part with if for fifty times its weight in gold. He says he will loose no time in sending it east to some responsible firm, have it straighten, remounted and other wise put in first class shape and again returned to Millbrook Lodge, in whose charge it will remain for all time.