A Seasonable Request.

G . Master , which in no circumstances could have been allowed . That , bv his acts of omission and commission he , in the lirst instance , brought upon himself the just censure ol Dermott cannot for onc ' inoment be doubled—the answers recorded in the . minulrs us having been returned to the Deputy ' s queries , though

expressed in temperate language , bearout this view ; but one cannot hel , ) sympathising with the retired G . S . on finding himself pressed with such virulence in a manner which , to use Leslie ' s own words , was " as un-Masonical as il was un-Manly . " However , Bro . Leslie occasionally attended Grand Lodge , and in December ,

17 . . 0 , when there was no longer a Dermott to vex him , he was again chosen Grand Seeretary , and remained in office till the Union , having the honour to serve under three successive Deputy Grand Masters , namely , Bros . James Agar ( 179010 1794 ) , William Dickev ( 1794 to 1800 ) , and Thomas Harper from ; 8 oo till 1813 ,

the last-named having been appointed b y Grand Secretary Leslie as his Deputy in 1791 , and continuing to act in that capacity until , on Bro . Dickey ' s death , he was recommended for and appointed to the oflice of Dep . G . Master , when Bro . Edwards Harper was chosen and appointed as Deputy or Asst . Grand

Secretary . Owing , it may be to his appointing a Deputy , ancl also , no doubt , to his having less over-bearing brethren in the important position of Deputy G . Master , Bro . Leslie may be said to have acquitted himself well during his second term of 23 ' years as Grand Secretary . But he does not impress one as

having been an ideal officer . Mentally he appears to have been , as we have said , a small man , with narrow views and not a little conceit , while in the discharge of his duties he must have required a good deal of prompting . Moreover , there are numerous gaps

in his record of the minutes—gaps that were left for the insertion of important letters and memoranda generally , which , as they were never filled , do not appear to have concerned him greatly , though from what we : learn- of them from lhe minutes , they must have been well worth enlerinsr .

But though we cannot regard Bro . Leslie as a model Grand Secretary , English Masonry must for all time be deepl y indebted to him for the services he rendered the " Ancient" Craft b y preserving its Institution for clothing and educating the sons of Masons " according to the Old Institutions " from the perilous

position in which it was placed on the bankruptcy of William Burwood , its "institutor , " in 1804 . He ( Leslie ) had acted as Secretary of the School almost from its establishment , and knew well , therefore , the need there was for such an organisation . Hence , when Burwood was in monetary dilliculties , which mi g ht have caused

the breakdown of the School , Bro . Leslie , from his place in ( irand Lodge -, boldly came lo ils rescue , and we read in the minutes of the communication held under the presidency of Bro . Thomas Harper on the 3 rd January , 1805 , that " Pursuant lo notice , it was recommended b y the Grand Secretary to the

consideration of the meeting the establishing a Charity for Cloathing and educating the Children of Indigent Free Masons —the * revenues of whicli Charity lo be collected and disbursed without any charge being made on account thereof ; the business to be conducted al the Stewards' Lodge and under the Orders

thereof , on their usual nights of meeting , and under tlu : immediate direction of the Grand Lodge—the Funds of this Charity , however , to he kept separate and distinct from the General Fund of Charily of and belonging to the- Grand Lodge . "After some time spent in consideration ol the' subject upon hearing sev of the

R . W . and W . Brethren present the further consideration thereof was adjourned . " The' minutes are silent as to whether any resolution embod ying this proposal was considered and adopted , nor is it material to inquire further . Suffice it lo say that iu •the printed Proceedings of lhe Grand Lodge for the quarter

to the end oi June , 1806 , will be found a statement of account , from which , and from subsequent statements of a similar kind , we learn that Bro . Leslie acted as Treasurer of the Institution , and rendered his accounts periodically , which accounts we're published in the aforesaid printed

Proceedings of the : ( irand Lodge . Bro . Leslie continued lo act in this capacity for the Boys' Institution until the beginning of the year 1815 , when Bro . Isaac Lindo was chosen his successor . Thus but for the act of Bro . Leslie the Institution founded b y Bro . Burwood would have been lost to the Craft , and to him

accordingly we express the sincere gratitude whicli all Masons must feel for preserving to us what has since become "The Royal Masonie - Institution for Boys . " When we think of this , and of the well nigh infinite good which has resulted , we can afford ro pass lightl y over the many shortcomings which Leslie undoubtedl y exhibited as Grand Secretary , G . BLIZARD ABBOTT .

Jasper's Folly.

Jasper's Folly .

[ AU . liliillTri IlKSHltVKU . ]

A TALK OF MYSTERY . BY T . C . WALLS . Author of " The Rial Ihrom Mystery , " " A Niijltl of 1 ' eril , " " The Old Manor Hmtse . " " Saved hi ) a Sinn , " " Tha Secret , Tribunal , " h \ i ! al X / i ' r ¦ *•¦ ¦ * . / I ' , " " The Hermit of Dunslanborough , " "The Vision nf Eril , " "A Life ' s Haired , " " The Legend of Dead Man ' s Wood , " " Love aud LntjcMij , " y ] 'c , yj ' c-

CHAPTER I . ^ f ^^^^ r'v- ' pgrw ^^ 'i ^ r-CT ,,,-. rt-T 1 , , ¦ vjAzsZ ?//^ . ^ l-l-HIN a large und well-proportioned room , at the timo Wmfl & Wi ^ when George the Fourth was King , was . seated a man II I'll felll \ ° ^ m ' lW !> o whose refined features were over-| VNs ^ Jwr / (& shadowed by an expression of deep sadness . The lij ^ ggife ^ j & sd walls of the apartment wore lined with massive bookcases . The handsome furniture was of black oak

quaintly carved . Suspended from tlie coiling was a bronze lamp of . classic design so shaded as to shed its bright light only upon objects in its immediate vicinity . In a recess there stood au old world-clock with a brazen dial that shone brightly in thc ruddy beams from the lire that blazed on the hearth . The sole occupant

ofthe chamber sat at a table with his cheek l-esling on his hand . lie was evidently in a deep lit of musing . Occasionally he closed his eyes wearily and his lips epiivereel as if some painful recollections were being conjured up . Presentl y the abstraction of the man and the stillness of the room were broken by the clock chiming tho four quarters as a prelude to its resonantly striking thc hour of eleven .

"Another hour gone , " he murmured , " and no news . This suspense is almost too much for mc . My nerves arc unhinged and my mind is sorely troubled . Fifteen months ago there lived not in this old village a happier nv . ui than I . Everything was prosperous with me . Domestic happiness in all its cherished phases was mine . A wife

lie sat trazing incilitalive ' ly at the lire , to all intents and purposes loving and trusted . The partner and sharer of my joys and sorrows , my si niggles and triumphs . One also whose presence brightened the surroundings of life by her vivacity and innate cheerfulness and whose sole object in existence

was 1111 endeavour to niiike others happy . Her actions throughout the sixteen long years of onr union were blameless and her tniunlestulions of affection towards me were apparently dee ]) auel sincere . Then too , the love she bore for our only son , alas , poor youth , fat " better would it have been if he had never drawn the breath of life