East, West And South.

bed , and employed a hanger on of the law to commence a suit for grievous assault . Our countryman treated it lightly , all unconscious of the dire injuries which were promptly imputed to him by the Indian " Escribientes" of the local Alcalde , which soon covered many a ream of

paper . In the Philippines , there is no such thing as a trifling " pleito , " or action-at-law . The unlucky European who gets into the meshes of that complicated system of justice has , ever after , too good cause to remember it . There are no viva voce examinations and cross examinations ,

all is slowly and laboriously written , and got up on reams and reams of paper , signed by a notary on every leaf . The object of tho underlings is to swell the fees to the State by covering as many sheets of paper as possible ( at Is per stamped sheet ) , and to endeavour to get some

pickings by seizing every opportunity for errands , intervention , and meddling . The Alcalde is assisted by an " Escribano , " or notary , and native interests are represented by a public prosecutor or " Fiscal , " each of them Spaniards .

Indisposition of one of these brings all to a stop ; frequently , business takes one of them out of town ; native writers mislay urgent papers , and by one of the thousand dexterities , known only to themselves , can protract a suit almost indefinitely , until pulled up by some awakened

superior . When tho vessel in which our friend and his family were to sail , was advertised to start in ten days , he did what ho ought to have done at first , apply to H . M . ' s Consulate . I told him he ran great risk of detention , and

induced him to put the case in the hands of a lawyer , for the purpose of stirring up all concerned . Things now went on in better train , except that the complainant put in his claim for heavy damages , —incapacitated for work , medical expenses , & c , & c . The " Fiscal" of the case

whom I did not know , had , it seems , lately arrived from Spain , knew nothing of the Indian character , less of the English , and was imbued with the determination that no wrong should be suffered by a native , without the fullest redress . Had the defendant been a Spaniard ,

acquaintanceship or backstairs influence would probably have exonerated him ; but with an Englishman , all woro a different complexion . Three times I attended the Alcaldia to hear the pleadings of the Fiscal and the lawyer ; the former expatiating on "lawlessness , enormity , defenceless

population , & c , & c . " asking that an example should be made once and for all . He demanded the utmost allowed by law , for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm

This violence , I confess , startled me , but I was positively thunderstruck , when the day before tie sailing of the vessel , the Alcalde sent me a copy of his sentence , " Two months imprisonment . "

The British subject soon appeared , in the utmost distress and indignation . His sick wife , children , and baggage were on board , his passage to England paid , his business sold , and his affairs wound up . The warrant was out , his passport stopped ; any moment he mi ght be taken , jail lay

before him , and his wife might die on the voyage . Of this contingency ! had made the Alcalde aware , and knowing the real merits of the case , my blood boiled at the pigheadedness or possible malice of that official . There was but one hope—inspired with which I drove instantly to the

lawyer ' s , obtained the papers , and crossed the river to see Ostolaza . I found him at luncheon and trespassed on his patience , whilst I gave a rapid history of the case and sortedout the documents which illustrated its salient parts . He skimmed through them with me , and asked me , on mj honour

, whether I were convinced that it was a " trumped up" claim . I replied unhesitatingly that it was . The true friend then blazed up ; he ordered his carriage and drove in state to the private dwelling of that Alcalde , rated him unsparingly , tore up the signaturesand with peremptory

, order which suffered no remonstrance , obtained reversal of the sentence on the spot . Whether this were consistent with official forms , I know not , but the same supreme of the

power Regent in the judicature of the Colony was exercised on my favour on one other occasion , and I have often seen Alcaldes ( magistrates of the first instance ) quail before him .

That ni ght the Englishman was released from all anxiety , and left for England on the following day . Don Manuel Ostalaza , therefore , merits more than a passing word ; besides , his manner had a singular charm and though sixty years of age , he was full of energv and wit . ° The Colonial Government ordered everything for the

East, West And South.

Royal guest on a most liberal scale , and actually paid 20 dols . or £ 5 for eveiy cover placed on table at the dinner I now describe . Some contractor must have made a good thing

of it , for though an English resident ( Dr . Burke , noted for his advanced tastes and liberal hospitality ) loaned his chief cook for the occasion—the spread was nothing extraordinary .

Coffee was coming , as it should , immediately after the cheese and celery , when the guests , whose seats faced the entrance-hall , were petrified by an unexpected apparition . A tall , stalwart piper , in kilt , bonnet and sporran complete , with silver mounted bagpipes swelling on his bosom ,

marched up with measured and majestic pace . The Spaniards had never behold such a spectacle—their openmouthed astonishment was changed into I know not what ,

when the Highland instrument began to yelp and screech after the manner of its kind . I must plead guilty to a want of appreciation of this music (?) and , after dinner , I think it calculated to drive one mad . On came the

splendid piper , blowing and squeezing at his pet , which skirled and strained and shrieked with most unearthly vehemence . All conversation was suspended , and the astonished gazers held their breath with awe . Whether the Spaniards thought of the feast of Domitian , and believed

this to be a prelude to some ghastly tragedy , I cannot tell ; but they looked as though they anticipated more than even the torture of the ears . Three times did this mystorions visitant encircle the table , discoursing what may have been sweetest of melody to those who understand it , and then

stalked away through the hall and out of sight as slowly and majestically as he came . The Spaniards who were present , will not soon forget Prince Alfred ' s piper . As an example of their delightful ignorance of everything

British , I may observe , that they habitually spoke of Mr . Yorke as the Dulce of York ; they may have thought the piper even his superior , or to have been the ship ' s boatswain , or the ghost of one of our English kings .

I was chatting away with my opposite neighbours , Lieutenant Haig and the Admiral's Aide , when I was surprised to bear my name as though called by some one . Expecting nothing less , I looked around and saw the Duke tilting

back his chair prior to calling me again . Of course I jumped up , and was then asked to translate a toast which he was about to give . It was , the health of his sister , the Princess of Prussia , whose birthday it was that day .

Masonic Life Governorship Associations.

MASONIC LIFE GOVERNORSHIP ASSOCIATIONS .

ANOTHER of these nsefnl adjuncts to the Craft was established on Monday last , the 28 th ult ., at the

Railway Tavern , Fenchurch-street . This , which is styled the City Masonic Benevolent Association , has been inaugurated under the auspices of the Sincerity Lodge of Instruction . The objects are to secure to the brethren , by

weekly instalments , the Life Governorships of the three Masonic Charities , and when we add that the following brethren are founders , it is a sufficient guarantee for good faith .

President—Bro . S . H . RAITLEY P . M . 174 . Vice-President—Bro . CHARLES LACEY P . P . G . D . Herts . Treasurer—Bro . G . WARD VERRY P . M . 554 , P . Z . 554 , Sec . 1278 .

Secretary—Bra . J . NEWTON P . M . 174 , P . Z . 174 , H . 975 , Committee : ( With power to add to their number . ) Bro . E . J . MOORE P . M . 174 . Bro . J . BERRY W . M . 554 .

Bro . SALMONESE 27 . Bro . BLACKBALL J . D . 1349 , Bro . F . BROWN 174 . Bro . FRAZER 174 . Bro . A . H . BROWN 174 . We heartily wish success to the enterprise .

HOIXOWAY ' S Onrureire AND PILIS . —Precarious Position . —Though the cruel cold and severe trials of winter have at length passed away , many of their ill consequences still lurk within the frames of the feeble , delicate , and aged , ready to seize upon them from any trifling exciting cause , and rapidly pass through the curoble stages to that irremediable condition , whence no human art can extricate the patient . When the throat , air-tubes , lnngs , heart , or the sensitive membranes of joints , prone to gout or rheumatism , have received mischief from atmospheric influences or other sources , Holloway ' s Ointment , early and diligently rubbed upon the surface , as near as possible to tho seat of suffering , will give great comfort and safety from danger .