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Article CRICKETALIA. ← Page 2 of 2 Article THE CHEQUERED FLOOR-CLOTH. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Cricketalia.
" Hullo , Tomkins , you here ; thought you were in New Zealand !" " Jones , my boy , IIOAV fresh you ' re looking ; so I hear you ' ve come into a fortune ; congratulate you . " " Timmins , introduce me to your
Avife immediately . Ah , Mrs . Timmins , you little knoAV what a scapegrace Timmins used to be . " " By the Avay , Jenks , who has got the living of Pluckey , " you hear Lorrimer asking Avith something like disappointment . " Johnson , Lorry ! " " What Johnson ? " " Well , that Johnson AVIIO
married Miss Mogson , and has got seven little Mogsons !" "Compton , delighted to see you . What do yon Avear a cassock Avaistcoat for here 1 " " I ' m a Bural Dean , " says Compton , someAAdrat solemnly . " Bless
my soul , a Eural Dean , " says Everett , musingly . " What a splendid catch that was of Webbe ' s , " says a cheery Harrovian . " What a splendid leg hit that was of Lyttleton ' s" says a gay Etonian .
, " Why , here ' s the Governor come up to see the old team , " says one of the lithe captains to a good old Avicket keeper , famous in his generation . Thus " Avags " the little Avorld aAvay , and Avhen to this you add the apparition
of countless angelic sisters and cousins in dark blue and light blue , with smiling faces and loving hearts , ought not the boys to be happy ? So they are , and long may they be so . Good luck attend them . MENTOE .
A coloured philosopher thus unburdened himself on one of Avoman ' s weaknesses : " Jim , de men don't make such fools of demselves about Avomen as de Avomen do about men . If Avomen looks at de moon , dey see a man in it . If dey hear a mouse nibblingit ' s a man ; and
, dey all look under 'de bed de fust thing at night to find a man . Why , I nebber look under my bed to find a Avoman ; does you ? " '
The Chequered Floor-Cloth.
THE CHEQUERED FLOOR-CLOTH .
I ' ve often thoug ht when in the lodge , I ' ve listening sat in silence there , Amid some solemn ways and words , Some mystic rites both old and rare , How well in each " component part " Does Masonry unfold the plan , With which the architect Divine Still rules the world and man !
I cast my eyes upon the ground , The chequer'd floor-cloth meets my view , Marked with alternate black and white , In little even squares so true ; And on that floor-cloth outstretched now , Gather a quiet genial band , And youth and hope , and health and strength , Around in glowing power stand .
And yet how true a picture still Is that old floor-cloth of our life , How well its all-contrasted dies , Betoken human change and strife , ' Alternate scenes of joy and woe , Alternate hours of jest and pain , Those pleasant times which fleet away , Those friends who greet us not again .
How all things change ! how passing time Does touch us sadly one by one , As we are feeling old and frail Whose sands are nearly all but run ; How pass the hopes and charms of years , The cheery hour , the smiling face , The song , the sigh , the laugh , the tear , Old friendship ' s trust , affection's grace !
T he lodge where once we met in glee , The brethren of a happy hour , The words we heard , the work we did , The pleasant strain , the festive bow'r , The gatherings and the greetings then , The hands so warm , the hearts so true , Have faded into nothingness , And seem but shadows to our view .
Our W . M . no more does fill So well his stately royal chair , The Chaplain with his face benign , Utters no more his words of pray'r , The Wardens have left their pedestals , The Deacons no more wend their way , The Organist has ceased to play ,
As in an unfotgotten day . No Secretary with busy air , Heads out his minutes any more , The Treasurer has closed his book , No Inner guard observes the door , Even the Stewards vanish fast , With Tyler from the mystic room , Past Master Clarke no moie shuts up Our secrets—all is darkest gloom !
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Cricketalia.
" Hullo , Tomkins , you here ; thought you were in New Zealand !" " Jones , my boy , IIOAV fresh you ' re looking ; so I hear you ' ve come into a fortune ; congratulate you . " " Timmins , introduce me to your
Avife immediately . Ah , Mrs . Timmins , you little knoAV what a scapegrace Timmins used to be . " " By the Avay , Jenks , who has got the living of Pluckey , " you hear Lorrimer asking Avith something like disappointment . " Johnson , Lorry ! " " What Johnson ? " " Well , that Johnson AVIIO
married Miss Mogson , and has got seven little Mogsons !" "Compton , delighted to see you . What do yon Avear a cassock Avaistcoat for here 1 " " I ' m a Bural Dean , " says Compton , someAAdrat solemnly . " Bless
my soul , a Eural Dean , " says Everett , musingly . " What a splendid catch that was of Webbe ' s , " says a cheery Harrovian . " What a splendid leg hit that was of Lyttleton ' s" says a gay Etonian .
, " Why , here ' s the Governor come up to see the old team , " says one of the lithe captains to a good old Avicket keeper , famous in his generation . Thus " Avags " the little Avorld aAvay , and Avhen to this you add the apparition
of countless angelic sisters and cousins in dark blue and light blue , with smiling faces and loving hearts , ought not the boys to be happy ? So they are , and long may they be so . Good luck attend them . MENTOE .
A coloured philosopher thus unburdened himself on one of Avoman ' s weaknesses : " Jim , de men don't make such fools of demselves about Avomen as de Avomen do about men . If Avomen looks at de moon , dey see a man in it . If dey hear a mouse nibblingit ' s a man ; and
, dey all look under 'de bed de fust thing at night to find a man . Why , I nebber look under my bed to find a Avoman ; does you ? " '
The Chequered Floor-Cloth.
THE CHEQUERED FLOOR-CLOTH .
I ' ve often thoug ht when in the lodge , I ' ve listening sat in silence there , Amid some solemn ways and words , Some mystic rites both old and rare , How well in each " component part " Does Masonry unfold the plan , With which the architect Divine Still rules the world and man !
I cast my eyes upon the ground , The chequer'd floor-cloth meets my view , Marked with alternate black and white , In little even squares so true ; And on that floor-cloth outstretched now , Gather a quiet genial band , And youth and hope , and health and strength , Around in glowing power stand .
And yet how true a picture still Is that old floor-cloth of our life , How well its all-contrasted dies , Betoken human change and strife , ' Alternate scenes of joy and woe , Alternate hours of jest and pain , Those pleasant times which fleet away , Those friends who greet us not again .
How all things change ! how passing time Does touch us sadly one by one , As we are feeling old and frail Whose sands are nearly all but run ; How pass the hopes and charms of years , The cheery hour , the smiling face , The song , the sigh , the laugh , the tear , Old friendship ' s trust , affection's grace !
T he lodge where once we met in glee , The brethren of a happy hour , The words we heard , the work we did , The pleasant strain , the festive bow'r , The gatherings and the greetings then , The hands so warm , the hearts so true , Have faded into nothingness , And seem but shadows to our view .
Our W . M . no more does fill So well his stately royal chair , The Chaplain with his face benign , Utters no more his words of pray'r , The Wardens have left their pedestals , The Deacons no more wend their way , The Organist has ceased to play ,
As in an unfotgotten day . No Secretary with busy air , Heads out his minutes any more , The Treasurer has closed his book , No Inner guard observes the door , Even the Stewards vanish fast , With Tyler from the mystic room , Past Master Clarke no moie shuts up Our secrets—all is darkest gloom !