Masonic Reminiscences.

of either , each endeavouring to hide from the other the fact of Ms being hit ; at last , one timidly hinted , " I fear you ' re hit . " " Oh ! a mere scratch , but I greatly fear you must be hurt ; bere , Doctor , attend to Mr . 0 . " " By no means , Doctor , attend first to Mr . W " ( there happened to be but one medical man on the ground ); and it was thus most amusing , if not ludicrous , to see tivo men a moment before

armed with deadly weapons against each other ' s life , noiv vieing in acts of kindness , courtesy , and good nature . But no excuse for quan-el could be more foolish or unjustifiable than that with which our introduction to the Order is associated , by which Masonry lost a brother , society an ornament , and by which another victim to that blood-stained Moloch of the duellistmisnamed honourwas added

, , , in the premature homicide of poor P—r W—e . On the evening but one previous to our initiation , we happened to meet this gentleman and a few others at the theatre , and , as was then the custom , all adjourned to eat oysters and devilled kidneys , and imbibe divers potations of that inspiring beverage , whiskey punch . The house chosen was one just opened in Grafton Street , called , the New Shades , and which

we understand is at present admirably conducted by Br . Jude . It was at this time the rendezvous of the students of T . C . D ., who often came there in the wild spirit of frolic , to kick up a row , a consummation by no means difficult to accomplish with such combustible , materials as were generally to be found there ; a flash of wit was often sufficient to set all in a blaze , particularly should it happen to be about the 12 th of July , the period of the dog-days , when ihe baleful influence of sirius would seem to produce a maddening influence on most of the inhabitants of that island .

While awaiting the efforts of the cook , one of our symposial companions , the fastest man of his day in college , but now a veteran upon whose brow the snowfall of time was leaving the unmistakeable marks of winter , was entertaining us with his recollections of b ygone freaks . He told us of a college wag frequently beginning the fun of the evening somewhat in this way : — " Boys , have ye heard the news ? I have it direct from the

Lady Mayoress , that bis grace the Archbishop has just received special intelligence that the bottom of purgatory has given way , and all the inhabitants have tumbled into . " " Dear me ! what an awful crushing the poor heretics must , have got , " was the witty rejoinder . The roaring laugh which followed these and other sharp passes of wit , tended to keep up the good humour for awhile , but a few irreverent hits

at the Pope , or the Scarlet Lady , Daniel O'Connell or the Eepeal , was sure to produce the desired effect ; at first it commenced with a quiet turn-up between a couple in a comer . One interfered , then another , and another still , till the whole company , young and old , as if drawn by some irresistible attraction , joined in the melee , when , to use a graphic Hibernicism , it grew into one universal " scrimmage , " in which no one knew , or cared

about the original cause of quarrel , but pelted away , right and left , friend or foe , all alike . At this point of their amusement , a general cry of "Watch , Watch , "