Presentation To Bro. E. J. Acworth.

PRESENTATION TO BRO . E . J . ACWORTH .

ON the occasion of the annual dinner of the staff of the Middlesex County Times , at the Ray Mead Hotel , Maidenhead , on Saturday last , the opportunity was taken of presenting Bro . E . J . Acworth P . M . 133 , W . M . elect 1612 , & o ., proprietor of the above old . established county journal , with a travelling and dressing-case , as a

token of esteem , from his employes and a few friends who had joined them for that purpose . The case , which was made specially to order , is of Russian leather , replete with the necessary travelling and toilet fittings in ivory and silver , each article bearing the engraved monogram of the recipient , the whole costing about £ 40 . A silver plate

on the front of the case bears the following inscription : — " Presented to E . J . Acworth , Esq ., by his employes and a few friends , 8 th August 1885 . " Mr . J . F . Cusworth ( overseer of the news depart , ment ) in making the presentation , said tho staff , with the help of a few friends , had been enabled to offer for Mr . Acworfh ' s acceptance

a substantial present , as a slight recognition of the kind , just , and upright manner in which he had dealt with them as employes , and ako as a mark of appreciation for the energy and enterprise evinced in the cnndnct of his journal . Personally he had to acknowledge the greatest kindness at Mr . Acworth's hands , and be hoped the present

would be accepted in the same free spirit in which it was offered , and that their respected employer might long be spared to utilize the gift which it was now his pleasure and privilege to offer for his acceptance . Mr . Acworth , in acknowledging the prpspntation , said he scarcely knew how to thank them for their very handsome gift .

He felt himself to be undeserving of it , as he had only done what he considered to be his duty , and in so doing he could truly say that he had experienced great pleasure . They might be sure this event would linger long and pleasantly in his memory ; he again cordially thanked all concerned for their kind and unexpected present .

The Automatic Shop.

THE AUTOMATIC SHOP .

EVERY one knows the difficulty of obtaining stamps and writins materials just when they want them , for instance at night and on Sundays . To meet this want it is proposed shortly to form the Post-Card and Stamped Envelope Public Supply Company , Limited .

This Company is to purchase the patents for the sale of prepaid goods , which havo recently been most favourably reported on by Sir Frederick Bramwell , President of the Institute of Civil Engineers , and also of the Executive Council of the Inventions Exhibition .

These " free delivery boxes have been at work for some time in London , at the principal railway stations , and at the Inventions Exhibition . The apparatus consists of a box in which a number of post-cards and stamped envelopes are placed . On a penny being dropped into one of the slits at tho top of the box , tho look is released ,

and allows the operator to pull out a drawer which brings with it one post-card ; or , on two pennies being dropped into two other slits in the box , a stamped envelope and sheet of paper is delivered . The top of tho box forms a desk on which to write . When the box is empty , notice thereof is given by a plate rising with the word

" empty" engraved on it , and at the same time the apertures for coin close . It is , therefore , impossible to cheat the pnblic . This " shop " costs less than £ 5 to make , and , according to an estimate we have seen , will , if it sells only two stamped envelopes and five postcards each day ( thus receiving 9 d in all ) , earn sufficient money to

pay all expenses of the proposed Company and a dividend to the shareholders of 14-J per cent , per annum on their investments . Messrs . Quilter , Ball , Crosbie , Glegg , and Welton , the eminent accountants , in their report of the accounts of the six months ending 30 th June , state that the takings of the boxes then in nse in London

( 40 in number ) averaged 2 s l ^ d per day , nearly three times as much , it will be seen , as the 9 d on which the estimate is based . The late Professor Fawcett , when in office as Postma « ter-General , promised the owners of the patents that in any case in which there was not a Post-Office letter box within easy reach of these boxes , one shonld be

placed whenever the correspondence proved sufficient to justify it . Tho day is probably not far distant when these boxes for the sale of envelopes and post-cards will be placed in conjunction with every pillar box in the kingdom . Many times the writer of this notice has , by the timely investment of a penny in a post-card , been saved a shilling for a telegram .

Justice Lodge of Instruction , No . 147 . —A meeting was held on Thursday , 13 th inst ., at the Brown Bear , High-street , Deptford . Bros . Thomas W . M ., Dale S . W ., J . J . Pitt J . W ., S . R . Speight P . M . Secretary , Penrose S . D ., Howes J . D ., O'Donnell I . G . ; P . M . ' s Bros . Hutchins ( Preceptor ) , Waterman , G . Bolton , H . Bartlett , E . Good , and Banks ; also Bros . Mansfield , Dodd , Millington , Fisher ,

Greenor , and Emblin . The Lodge was opened , and after the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed , the ceremony of initiation was rehearsed , Bro . Dodd personating the candidate . The Lodge was called off , and on resuming the usual questions lead-1 Q g to the degree of F . C . were satisfactorily answered by Bro .

Greener . Lodge was opened in the second , and the ceremony of passing rehearsed . The Lodge was resumed , and Bro . Howes of the West Smithfield Lodge , No . 1623 , was elected a member . Bro . Dale S . W . was appointed W . M . for the ensuing Thursday , after which Lodge was closed .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be held at Newport , Isle of Wight , on ^ Iouday , the 17 th instant .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES.

The Grand . —Whosoever donbteth the fact that the good borough of Islington merits its ancient title of "Merry "let him go to the Grand and see Mr . Frank Harvey ' s " Ring of Iron . " Such shouts , such cyclones of laughter re-eoho through the house , he might think himself back at the Adelphi , with Wright and Paul

Bedford . A gallery which holds a thousand , and a crowded pit , without counting the politer " succles , " given the right provocation , can produce a fine orchestral effect . The drama is primarilv pathetic , and of course domestic , but Mr . Harvey has understood his business , and after due intervals of harrowing excitement gives the

necessary " comio relief . " The play op-ns at the Gold " Piggins " in Australia where the heroine , Mary , a young person of humble origin , is living with her scrapegraco hnsband , Gentleman Jack . A capital scene is given ns when her friend Nanoy , the only spinster at the creek , finds herself forcibly interviewed by

all tbe local bachelors , who , to settle the deadly jealousies occasioned by her charms , insist on her choosing one of them for a husband . She objects , bnt yields to force majeure , and names Sam Thorpe , an ex-carpenter , as the happy man . Then Sam has misgivings , and tries to bark out . She will take no one else , and by way of settling

the difficulty it is propospd to " settle" Sam and start afresh . However , he thinks a wife a lesser evil than three inchps of steel , and then follows a capital b t of courting , the Modus and Helen sitting on the kitchen table . How Gentleman Jack learns , by an advertise , ment , he has come into a title and an estate ; how he abandons his

wife ; how he turns up in England , in two-button lavender gloves and a cadaverous oomplexion ; how his injured wife follows him ; how she is got into a private lunatic asylum ; how she escapes thence , by aid of the faithful Nancy ; how the wicked husband would have married a lovel y heiress , but is oiroumvented by a

noblehearted doctor ; and how virtue is duly rewarded—all is capitally told in the five acts that fill the evening . The scenes with Nanoy and Sam , at home with the baby , and the love making of Sam ' s sister Splina and his young friend Clinker , are the great comic " motifs . " Mr . Harvey plays well as the benevolent

Doctor . Mr . Carter-Edwards was especially good in the Australian Bcene , bnt he' has adopted a foreign accent that is very trying to one ' s nerves . Mr . T . W . Benson plays splendidly as Sam , with thorough individuality and freedom from exaggeration . He is capitally seconded by Mr . Shirra as Clinker . Miss Eyre Robson has

excellent opportunities as Nancy , and she misses none of them . Miss Jane Coveney played the small part of a cringing , wicked old nurse at the madhonse with fine dramatic instinct ; hers was a distinct dramatic creation . Miss Baldwin , as the heroine , has the great charm of beauty , with a fine stage presence , but though at timps she

achieved a fine effect , her acting is marred by a monotonous and too emphatic delivery . We scarcely wonder Gentleman Jack should run away from so oppressively tragic a young lady . However , Miss Baldwin has such natural gifts that it only needs study and time to make her an excellent actress .

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FIREATFREEMASONS'HALL! LARGE photographs of the Temple , taken immediately after the fire , on 4 th May ( suitable for framing ) , 5 s each ; or framed in oak , securely packed , sent to any address in the United Kingdom , carriage paid , on receipt of cheque for 15 s . Masters of Lodges should secure this memorial of the old Temple for their Lodgo rooms . W . G-. PAEKEE , Photographer , 40 High Holborn , W . C . J 3 . « t ; tbl ] ftIie < I 25 years

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FUNERALS . —Bros . W . K . L . & G . A . HUTTON , Coffin Makers and Undertakers , 17 Newcastle Street , Strand . W . C , and 7 Heme Villas , Forest Hill . Road Peckham Rye , S . E .

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MASONIC LECTURE ! . "KNOBS AND EXCEE CENSES . " BRO . JAMES STEVENS P . M . P . Z . is open to accept invitations for the delivery of his LKCTUKEin MEIKOPOHTAIT or PBOVIICCIAL LODGES , 01-LODOES OP IlfSTBUCTIOlf . No Lecture fee ; travelling expenses only accepted . Address—Clapham S . W'

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FreebyPost,PriceOneShilling. THE REVISEDBOOKOFCONSTITUTIONS; CRITICALLY CONSIDERED , AND COMPAKED WITH THE OLD EDITION . A SERIES OP ARTICLES , REPRINTED FROM THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . : 0 : LONDON : W . W . MORGAN , BELVIDERE "WORKS , PENTONVILLE ; SJMPKIN , MARSHALL & Co ., 4 STATIONERS' HALL COURT * AND OF ALL BOOKSELLEES . " All Freemasons interested in the Revision of the above , should read this work . "