A Masonic Dream.

almanac , it is supposed to be moonlight , though the moon may have gone down an hour before . This night the sombre clouds , portending a storm , had shrouded up every star in a pall of darkness . Stumbling on in the darkness over broken pavements , and across unseen alley Avays , I was suddenly grasped by two strong men , one on each side , with a Herculean grip . In the blackness of darkness I had not seen them until they were upon me . At first I thought

they were highway ruffians , bent on robbing me , but one of them , iu a . stentorian voice , said : "You are wanted . " I knew what that meant ; I ivas arrested . Instantly there came flashing across me everything I had over done ; the marbles I had " hooked" when a boy ; the hard bargains I had made in trade . But after allI thoughtwhat crime had I committed that I should be seized

, , in the dead of nig ht and hurried off to justice or injustice ? It must be a mistake , thought I ; I have been arrested by mistake for some other person ; I shall soon establish my innocence before the tribunal . All these thoughts went like lightning through my brain , for in truth there was not much time for thought at all . In the strong grip of these two stalwart officers of justice I was rushed through a door of some great building

, which , in the darkness , I could not make out ; and up a staircase so steep as to quite take my breath away . Presently we were ushered into a dimly-lighted room , which began by degrees , as I became accustomed to the doubtful light , to take shape as the main hall of the Scottish Cathedral . The only'li ght came through a few gas burners , turned clown and strained through glass shades ornamented with skulls . Before me sat two or three men masked in

sombre black , whose features were entirely uncliscernable . No one else was visible . Under ordinary circumstances this ivonld have been sufficientl y alarming ; but to your correspondent Avas somewhat assuring . He had "been there before , " and so thought to himself , " I guess it ' s all right ; I am in the hands of friends after all . But what upon earth does it all mean ?" Presently a A'oice came from the black-robed judge at the head of the table

, deep and-sepulchral : " Guards , AVIIO have you there in charge ? " I recognized , the voice as that of the old Patriarch Enoch , the same that built the famous vault of nine arches , and hid away the golden plate for posterity to find . The guards , thus challenged , answered in firm , decided tone : " A Mason who is accused of violating his Masonic obligation !" " A Mason who has violated his Masonic obligation ! Can it be possible ?

Knowest thou not , unhappy wretch , that no crime of ivhich a man can be guilty is deeper or more damming than this ? Stand forth and answer ! " All this , from the deep , sepulchral tones of the Patriarch Enoch , struck down deep into my soul , and made me feel prett y serious . Still , thought I , there must be some mistake ; ivhat haA'e I ever clone to bring me here before the judges ? ancl I tried to brace myself up in conscious integrityand Avrap about

, me the mantle of injured innocence . " Chancellor , " said another voice , " read from the book of doom the principal crimes of Masons , who have gone over the gulf to perdition ; and let the accused answer , as if be stood at the bar of the eternal judgment . " That voice began : " 0 unhappy motal ! hast thou ever unlawfull y revealed the secrets of Freemasonry ?"

" Never , " I ansAvered with the quickness of an electric telegram . . I began to be sure they were after the wrong individual . " Art thou not still in the habit of using the name of God profanely , notwithstanding all thou didst promise at thy initiation into the solemn mysteries of Masonry ?"

"No , sir , " I replied with firmness , " never since I have been a Mason have I been guilty of that vulgar ancl gratuitous vice . When I was made a Mason I broke short off , and neA'er have been guilty since . " I straightened myself 2 A 2