"Eastward Ho!"

Rarey ; for suddenly , without intimation , Dobbin makes a plunge and starts off quite smartly ; and so did our sticker , and after all we arrived in Somerset at 9 a . m . at Bro . Holl iday ' s Hotel , had breakfast , and , very soon after , some ofthe Somerset B . B . came to welcome us and escorted us to the lodge-room . At exactly 12 m . the procession started for the purpose

of laying the foundation-stone . Having arrived at the spot , the Rev . Woodruff delivered a very appropriate prayer . This gentleman , I may state , has not the slightestobjection to pray for any of his fellow creatures -who may be Freemasons , as some of the clergy in the Dutch Reformed Church in this colony have ; for these sometimes preach from their pulpits that we are " Calumniators ofthe Most High , " "Men who do not believe in Almighty , " & c , trying to keep their congregation in terror of us , but magna est Veritas et prcevalebit .

Bro . Henderson then gave a very beautiful address in honour of the occasion , which was followed by one from Bro . Pye , who addressed himself especially to the ladies . He thanked them for their presence at the ceremony iu the most flowing language , adding that the event of the day , and in fact any hour of man's life , would be nothing without them ,, and , for his own part ,

he could only say that the " Sweetest hours he ever spent , were spent among the lassies , oh ! " These remarks , I think , were made principally on account of he also having overheard what some of us did ; when the grand honours were given , one or two ladies remarked , "There ' s heathenism ! " Notwithstanding , the stone was duly laid according to the ancient custom by the

W . M ., Bro . AV . Rorke . The procession then returned to the lodge-room , when the B . B . were called to refreshment , and refreshment it was , for the lodge Eintdracht treated us right royally . About 40 B . B ., added to which was the Resident Magistrate , Brorvnler , Esq . - , and our friend , the Rev . Woodruff , sat down to a splendid luncheon prepared by mine host of the White Horse Hotel ,

Bro . Holliday . May Ms sJictcloiu never grow less . Of course the usual and other toasts were given , amongst which was tho health of the W . M . of St . Paul ' s Lodge , No . 989 . 0 ? course one feels rather elevated when he hears the health of the W . M . of his lodge proposed , and so did I , and , I may say , so did we all , at ony rate it was responded to by the present P . M . of that lodge . He briefly thanked the members of the

lodge Eintdracht for the very cordial manner in which the health of the W . M . had been bumpered , and stated moreover that the seven members of St . Paul ' s ( for one more joined us on the road ) had travelled 60 miles , not merely for the honour of being present on the occasion of laying the foundation-stone , but also for the object of establishing a bond of union between the two lodges , and

which , from the fraternal reception they had met with and the very friendly expression of the countenances now assembled at the table , was sufficient proof of the attainment of their purpose . After lunch we retired to our hotel and commenced preparations for a return home , but which was strongly negatived by our fraternal friends , who were anxious to

keep us there a night ; but we , on the other hand , were anxious to get back to business , and were at last positively obliged to tear ourselves away . As one of us afterwards ' remarked , "There's no mistake , those Somerset fellows are a jolly lot ; " and so say all of us . At four p . m ., tho same day then , we left Somerset accompanied by several of our friends , who were

determined to escort us out of the village ; and it was well they did , for , about a mile out , our " sticks " horse made a dead stand ; but thanks to our friends , and one in particular , we were enabled to start after an hour and a half's trial of patience ; but before we got back to Cook Huix Bridge , the rain descended in torrents , and it became beastly dark . AVe got drenched , insomuch that the water and our courage oozed out ( not at our fingers '

"Eastward Ho!"

ends ) of our boots . We got home the next day , and are now amused at our difficulties , and pleased wo went . I have only to remark that we hope to lay the foundation-stone of our lodge iu December , and trust we may soon have sufficient funds to complete it , of which there would be little doubt if the Masters and Past Masters would onby follow the ancient custom [ vide Book of the

lodge)— "Every Master and Past Master shall give a beam of cedar , besides other contributions , " and I sincerely trust to have the pleasure of giving the readers of the FuEEar . vsojfs' HA . GAZT . 2 TE a flourishing and satisfactory account . By-the-bye , we strongly recommended your publication to the notice of our Somerset B . B ., and no doubt you will soon receive the required subscriptions .

Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution.

CHESHIRE EDUCATIONAL MASONIC INSTITUTION .

The fifth animal amateur dramatic performance in aid of the funds of this excellent institution took place on the evening of tlie 15 th instant , in the Theatre Eoyal , Birkenhead . The performance was under the patronage of Lord de Tabley , R . W . Prov . Grand Muster , Cheshire , and a number of other noblemen and gentlemen belonging to the county . It may be stated that the trustees of the institution are Bros . Lord de Tabley , Lord CombermereCaptain H . A . Bennett . E . G . AA illoughbyJoseph

, , Brattau , and Edward SamueLon . The object of the institution is to impart a good sound education to the children of deceased Masons who have not left behind them sufficient means for that purpose . The' children are sent to different schools , and although the institution li . is been only five years in existence a considerable number have already received the adv . uirago of an excellent educational training . At present there are fifteen

juveniles under instruction . The amateur performances on behalf of the funds of the institution has been every year exceedingly well supported , and on this occasion the theatre was crowded in every part , the audience including the elite of Birkenhead and the neighbourhood . Amongst those present were the Hon . Sir Edward Gust , Mr . AV . Laird , Air . S . Ledward ,

Lieutenant-Colonel King , Mr . B . E . Bryaus , Major Gaskell , Mr . C . J . Preston . Mr . AI . Mocatta , Captain Homblower , Mr . R . Galloway , T . S . . Eddowes , & o . The performances passed oft with eclat , and when it is borne in mind that all the gentlemen players were am iteurs , whose opportunities of donning the sock and buskin are not very frequent , it must be conceded that the absence of any apparent bitch reflected highly to their credit . The piece de resistance

was Messrs . T . and J . M . Morton's drama , " AU that Glitters is not Gold ., ' The impersonation by Mr . T . Walters of Jasper Plum was very effective , and the different parts of the brothers Stephen and Frederick Plum were well sustained by Mr . R . T . Parkinson and Mr . Thomas Tiier . Mr . J . Robertson ' s conception of the character of the roue , Sir Arthur Lascelles , was very felicitous , and his realisation of it was most successful . The TobTwinkle of Air . W . J . Hammond deservedly called forth

y the applause of the audience , The impersonation of Lady Leathevbridge and Lady ATaleria Westendlcigh by Mrs . Carter and Miss Edwards , ofthe Theatre Royal , Manchester , respectively left little to he desired ; and Miss Emily AA eston , of the Alexandra Theatre , Liverpool , was very successful in the part of Martha Gibbs .

The performance concluded with Charles Sclhy's celebrated romantic drama , " Robert Macaire , or the Auherge des Adret . " The several characters in this piece were also exceedingly well represented , avid the audience expressed their satisfaction with the efforts of the amateurs by frequent hursts of applause . The costumes were supplied by Mr . Henry Jeffries , and the stage director was Bro . John Chester , of the Prince of AVales Theatre in this town . The success of this performance in aid of a very

worthy object is greatly to be attributed to the following brethren of the Masonic order , who took an active part in tho arrangements , namely—Bros . H . Oliver Jones and Walter Theobalds , honorary secretaries ; Bro . J . P . Piatt , treasurer ; and Bros . J . Higson Johnston , Thomas Dnighton , Walter Theobalds , Edward Harbord , John Griffiths , William Smith , C . P . Nosworthy , Joseph Sillitoe , Captain John Jones , and Robert Davies . who officiated as stewards . The result of the night ' s performances will bo a handsome addition to the funds of the institution .