Masonic Reminiscences.

frequently made the belligerents pause , only , however , to prepare for a more serious row : the two parties uniting against the common enemy , the old Charlies , those primitive nocturnal shepherds of our forefathers , generally full of roguery , whiskey , and fun , long since fortunately superseded by the new police . Now came the tug of war—who was to lead the forlorn hope against the serried phalanx of watchmen standing to the

charge with then- formidable lances . This dangerous weapon need not be described to our Irish readers , many of whom have , no doubt seen , and perhaps some of them , FELT it ; but we may inform our English friends that it consisted of a long , heavy , ashen pole ,, armed at one end with a double-edged blade , some ten inches longand a strong sharp hook , so that if you made fightyou were

, , received on the point of the blade , and if you bolted , you were sure to be hooked , fortunate if a slice from the nape of your neck , or the calf of your leg , did not remain behind with a portion of your habiliments . It was said to be made on the plan of the pikes used by the insurgents in ' 98 , the use of the hook being to cut the reins of the cavalry .

A council of war was called , and after sundry volunteers had offered their services , the president thus addressed a Mr . B ., familiarly known as the " babe of grace : "— " I say , B ., I don't think you ' re in the sweetest odour with the Sean , ancl if you should be brought up again this week , it is ten to one but you'll get special leave to visit your respected parents long before they expect yon , so , as a friend , I recommend you to run the

gauntlet ; it will perhaps cost you a gash and a coat , but even so , just trust to your heels and leave the fighting to us , for this night " The "babe" consented , and having broken cover by upsetting the nearest Charlie , made for old Trinity like " a three year old , " the whole jposse of night guards after him , in full chase and cry , ivith rattles creaking as if the ivhole city were in a blaze ; then indeed was it an excitin g scene

to see Charlies tripped up and rolling over hatless jibs , with fragments of coats , one fellow trying with desperate efforts to retain a recusant prisoner , with his little red scidl cap bordered with his black grizzly hair thrust through that part of his hat where the crown should be , the body forming a most grotesque neck collar , looking exactly as if he had been in the pillory , seemed to give great delight to the mob .

Our veteran friend , warming with the recollections of the past , wound up thus -. — " Well , often since I left college , when mounted on my bounding steed , with my faithful dog gambolling around in the pride of his joyousness , awaking the echoes with the music of Ms ringing bark , have I felt proud ; and if there be any one position more than another in which man can feel the dignity of his position on earth , it is this . Yes ; he can then

really feel Ms glorious inheritance from Ms Creator , the proud lordship over all other created " things ; but pray do not laugh at me when I assure you that I never felt prouder in my life than when I beat old Castelloe , the watchman , in a fair run from the top of Grafton Street to the College gate , and could just hear him soliloquize thus after I got inside -. — ' The tuntherin rogue has bet me agin ; that last bonnet he lint me over the night-cap completely dumfounderecl me , but I'll have him yet , an' be me