Consecration Of The Lodge Of Fraternity At Stocktonon-Tees.

the Earl of Zetland , P . G . M ., " " The Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , D . G . M ., and the officers of the Grand Lodge . " The next toast on the list was given by Bro . John Hnnton , P . AL , and was , " The Rig ht AVorshipful P . G . Master , J ohn Fawcett , Esq ., as Installing and Consecrating

Master , and The Right Worshipful D . G . P . A 1 . and Officers ofthe Provincial Grand Lodge , " to which Bro . J . Monks responded , and proposed " The W . M . of the Lodge of Fraternity . " In doing so , Bro . Alonks spoke in very warm terms of the W . AL ( Bro . J . H . Jackson ) , and congratulated

the lodge upon the choice they had made m selecting him as their first Master , and he expressed his gratification with the thoroughly efficient manner in which the proceedings of the day had been carried out . The AV . AL , replied , and proposed the health of the "Visiting Brethren , "

coupled with the names of Bros . Alonks and Brunton . Bro . G . Ellis then gave the health of " The Officers of the Lodge of Fraternity , " and in doing so expressed a hope that a strong fraternal feeling would exist between that lodge and the other two in the town . Bro . AA . J . AVatson ,

acknowledged the compliment , Bro . 11 . S . Hooper gave " The AV . AL , Officers , and Brethren of the Tees Lodge , No . , 50 6 , " coupled with the name of Bro . G . Ellis . Bro . Al . B . Dodds followed with the toast of "The AV . AL

the Officers , and Brethren of the Lodge of Philanthrophy , No . 840 , " coupled with the name of Bro . T . AValton , AV . AI . Several other toasts followed , and the whole was agreeably interspersed with songs . The evening ' s proceedings passed off in a most enjoyable manner .

The Perilous Moment.

THE PERILOUS MOMENT .

BY ROBERT AIORRIS , LL . D . Place , a large and fashionable hotel in St . Louis . Time , evening , Hero , a well known and distinguished member of the AI isonic fraternity , just arrived from a long journey by rail , and in

that nervous state of irritation easily aroused to anger , which every one has experienced under the same circumstances . To look at him as he emerged from his room on his way to the dinner table , you would have seen a bluff ' , solid man , rotund , but not to grossness , with a red beef-fed

face , dressed like a gentleman , and bearing himself with the port of one who knows his rights , and "knowing , dares maintain them . " Such was the man whom , for the sake of precision , we will denominate Brother Larkin , George Alexander Larkin .

Such was the man as he appeared to a group of three , who looked after him with eyes singularly inejuisitive , and when he disappeared in the supper-room exchanged glances with each other that said , " thc very man . " One of them , a

burly ruffianly fellow , at the same moment rattled something in his pocket , that might have been specie , or might have been something else . This group of three , by the way , were standing in the office of the hotel when our friend first

entered the house . They divided him amongst them , one glancing over his shoulder as he wrote his name in the Travellers' Register ; one looking sharply after his valise anel feillovving it tt > the baggage room ; one ejuietly slipping after

him as he went up stairs , and preceding him on his way down . The contrast between a man just in from a long journey by rail , before dinner and after , is evident to the dullest intellect . As Brother

Larkin came out from his feed , his rosy cheeks rosier , his rotund figure more rotund , and in every respect he looked more kindly upon all around him . This made it easy to fall into conversation with the elder of the group of three to

whom we have already introduced our readers , and who was standing in readiness to address him as he came out . A sort of recognition followed , that is Brother Larkin admitted having before met the gentleman , who called himself Colonel AVestcott , although it would

have puzzled his brain considerably tti specif y when and where . A mutual cigar , a chat over the political situation in which , by a pleasant coincidence , they found themselves in accord , and the new made friends made an appointment to visit the theatre in ' company . And all tin ' s

The Perilous Moment.

time the group of three were " reckoning up our Brother Larkin , whispering to each other , covctly comparing notes , preparing for some grand coitp-de-maiu to come off in due season . The click of the telegraphic instrument in the corner—had Brother Larkin recognised it

?was sjieakiiig his name to fellow-operators at St . Joseph , Missouri , and elsewhere , some hundreds of miles away , and cords were tig htening around him of which he was altogether unconscious . As he puffed his cigar and chatted benignantly of the pending election , and digested his good

dinner with a beaming countenance , as little was he aware of the interest manifested in him sometimes by the chief clerk of the house , sometimes by the landlord himself , but most of all by that quiet group of three whose leader was engaging him all the time in a conversation seemingly unimportant , but which had issues of life and death in it .

The day before , a bank had been robbed in AVestern Missouri by a singularly bold device , ffasrffinsr and chlorforming being a part of the means employed—means so energetic in fact , that when the unfortunate cashier was found and

released the next day , the drug and the gag had been too much for him . This addition of murder to the enormous theft , and the extraordinary heavy reward offered , had naturally set the detectives on the ijui v ' we ; and at that very hour groups of men like these were inspecting hotel

registers and baggage , and new arrivals in all cities three hundred miles around . The despatch that came over the wires to St . Louis said : " Principal man short , thick-set , English in appearance , with sharp voice , well dressed , fond of talking politics , slippery as an eel . " And that was the flattering appearance attached to our Brother

Larkins , who had come that very day from AVestern Alissotiri , and was as loquacious on the subject of the robbery as every man is in such a case who has a good listener . So he talked in a gay , unrestrained manner , while the man who sat by his siele rattled something in his pocket that might have been specie , and might be something else .

The theatre that evening presented unusual attractions , and together the two newly-made friends wended their way , purchasing reserved seats eif the hotel clerk , and sitting together in the beix . At every interval in the play tho conversation was renewed , designed on the one part

to draw out Brother Larkin from his apparent reserve , on the other , merely to wile away the dull evening . It is a serious matter in St . Louis "to arrest the wrong man . " Colonel AVescott therefore plied all the arts of social life upon his victim , and when at the close of the play he

found himself making no headway in the direction he was pursuing , an iilvitation to wine and oysters followed as the next move . As the two entered the brilliant saloon , the favourite resort of the bon-vieanl of St . Louis , the other two members of the group were close behind them , and the toils were compassing our friend ,

although totally tinware of his danger . Every means was now attempted by Coleinel AVescott to throw him tiff' his guard and elict something that would connect him with the great bank robbery , but in vain . The loquacious fellow , warm with wine and good fellowship , was not to be entrapped into a wortl implicating him in an affair of which indeed he knew nothing

except the extravagant rumours current among the passengers . And still the Colonel rattled something in his pocket that might have been specie and might have been something else . It was quite midnight when they returned to the hotel , the other members of the group being already there reinforced by several of their own class .

And now came the consummation . A hurried conference among the detectives while Brother Larkin was asking the usual question of the clerk relative to hotel trains , & c , and Col . AVescott walked straight to his victim , laid his hand decidely upon his shoulder and said , " Tom Brailey , you are my prisoner . "

It the reader has ever had the heavy grip ot a sheriff ' s officer laid upon him he will bear witness to its ponderosity ami the utter feeling of helplessness that momentarily folleiws . Brother Larkin was a man constitutionally brave , himself

The Perilous Moment.

a major in the late war , who had seen service in well-fought fields , but he may be pardoned for blenching a moment and even cowering under thc unexpected blow . " Is this a jest , Col . AVescott r " " No jest , Tom Brailey , my name is Carroll ,

and I am a detective , these gentlemen are also detectives and we are bound to have you . " " AVhat is the charge ? " ' " AVill you go with us peaceably ?" " What is the charge ? Don ' t you dare to lay your hand on me again until you explain the

charge and show your authority . " Our hero had by this time backed into a corner out of which opened the door to the baggage room . On one side of him was the high desk of the book-keeper , and the passage way was so blocked up with large trunks on the other hand ,

that his own portly form occupied the whole entrance . As he stood facing the chief detective , his eye now kindled up with a sense of the deceit that had been practiced on him all the evening , he was undoubtedly a dangerous subject . Evidently the detectives so viewed it for the

spokesman dropped his tone . " Now Tom Brailey . " " Aly name is not Tom Brailey . You will see my name in the register George Alexander Larkin ; I have ample paners about me to prove my

identity . Had you asked it instead of playing the tlirty sneak all the evening as you have , I should have satisfied you in five minutes . But now explain the charge and show your authority , or the first man who lays hands on me dies the death . "

And the display of a pocket six-shooter , and the sharp click of its lock , and the steady aim from an arm , brawny and uiitrembling that bore directly upon the officer ' s head , served to clench these bold words . A dead silence of a minute ensued , A brief conference with the landlord

who was watching the proceedings , and the officer y ielded ; he exhibited the telegrams he had received , showed the marked resemblance between the bank-robber and our excited friend , proved his own identify by the testimony of the landlord , and in a conciliatory teme requested that no further defence be made .

So Brother Larkin consented to accompany the party to the house of detention . Placing his pocket-book in the hands of the clerk and restoring his pistol to his pocket , he had moved a few steps towards the door , when a new and more startlinsr incident was added tei the drama .

The chief detective drew from his own pocket the rattling objects which might have been specie but proved to be handcuff ' s , and began to arrange them for use upon our Brother ' s hands . All the soul of the outraged man now rose in arms . He sprang back to his corner at a bound , prostrating erne of the officers in the act . He

again drew his pistol , cocked it at a motion and fired upon the officious detective with so good an aim as to knock the hat from of his head ; an inch lower would have made a vacancy in that department forever . Cocking the dangerous little machine again , he held it forward and " Now which of you are ready for your coffins ? " he boldly said .

'Ihe report of the pistol called down from their rooms in an incredibly short space of time a score of travellers . The police from the streets gathered in like eagles to their prey . Before the smoke of that first discharge had dispersed , the office was crowded with persons , crowded all but

that handy nook in which was ensconced our friend Larkin , who still gaily and invitingly said : " Who will be the next •my hand is in now and 1 never miss my shot twice . " A venerable man , grey haired and mild ,

evidently a preacher , proposed a compromise . " 1 consented to the arrest . 1 started peaceably to gei with that man . He had a number of men to help him , yet he was about to hand-cuff me , that is an indignity that can only be inflicted em my corpse . One step nearear and you die . "

This last remark tei the ei-d ' wanl Col . AVestcott , who was quietly slipping upon his pre ) . The detective hastily slipped back . " Tell us who you are , " said the grey-haired man of peace . " Commit no murder if you are innocent , I for one , will stand by you . " ( To le continued . )