North Londoners' Charity.

NORTH LONDONERS' CHARITY .

THE topic of the week has beeu the North London Masomc Ball . Of course everybody went , notwithstanding that the Hon . Secretary was pessimistic at the outset , and fancied the ball was going to be a frost . A frost ? What , after years of prosperity , always growing ? Impossible ! It might be that some who had borne the heat and burden of the day were inclined to let the young ones have-a turn at ticket selling , but

is there not a proverb that there is as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it ? Aud the fish appeared . The popular comedian , Harry Eandall , took a turn at the presidency , vice Herbert Sprake retired , bnt keen ou the ball all the same , for there he was enjoying himself with the rest , and there was at least one old ex-president , whose nom de plume shall be

nameless , who meandered round remarking that even if one or two old workers had dropped out , there was a terrible lot of the old and familiar faces knocking about . It is a matter of the progress of life that death and marriage should play havoc amongst us , and thus many a pretty face of the past was missing , but there were young and fresh beauties " coming on , " as

Eosalind says , and smart young fellows doing their best to get entangled in their meshes . Therefore , I think young Master Fred . Humphreys was a little bit unkind when , in his supper speech , he suggested that a gentleman who had worked like a nigger for the cause for six years had no right to ask for a rest . I have attended this ball with certain marriageable daughters for

many years , but let anyone tell me I'm expected to go on until the Day of Judgment and I shall want a few minutes private conversation with him in the back garden , where the language will not be overheard by the servants . But no matter , "It was after all a most beautiful ball , " as they say in the old duet of the " Cousins . "

The hall of the Freemasons' Tavern is a noble one , and when it is filled with gaily dressed ladies and be-jewelled and beribboned men , with Hiram Hen ton ' s brave men in scarlet banging away in the band , it presents a splendid picture of light , life , and loveliness . I am no dancing man now-a-days , but I can look on * these glittering scenes with' ple * aSure vet ; while' my

thoughts go back to the days when I knew a fellow who could waltz and polka with the best of them , and flirt on the stairs with the prettiest . Ah me ! it is a long while ago , and we used to dance the swan-like waltz slow and stately then , and do our steps in the quadrille . Those were the days of the Varsoviana , the Celerius , and the Polish polka . Why don't they dance them now ?

One of the advantages of the North London function is that the old fogies can gather in the drawing-room of the lobbies and fight their battles over again . Some of these days there may be a card-room , where they can play a rubber . I found plenty of occupation at the coffee-bar , and varied it with toyings with the claret cup . Everybody seemed to know everybody else , and

thus there were not wanting cordial greetings and the merry quip and jest as time went on , and the Mocha began to tell . Here the massive Harry Hunter told the latest tale , or Baby Herbert Campbell took the cheerful " cup of tea . " Dan Leno hither came with lithesome jest , and Harry Eandall from his pantomimic labours fresh as paint . The time sped on butterfly wings , and then the supper .

Supper was spread all over the place , in the Crown Eoom , the Sussex Eoom , and the Glee Room . The first room had the largest gathering , for here , the presidential chair was , and the principal fun and frolic . Such speeches as we had were commendably brief . Bro . Eandall was eloquent on the subject of the Charities , and Herbert Campbell and Dan Leno pleasantly

fooled about the toasts entrusted to them , getting roars of laughter for their funniments . Indeed , the supper was just what a ball supper should be , a hilarious interval , garnished with lobster salad , cold chicken , champagne , aud French pastry . When dancing was resumed , the fun ran fast and furious . Marvellous feats of agility were performed by Herbert the rotund ,

and the Drury Lane detachment ; while the Grand contingent held its own . It was much past my notion of a Christian bedtime when I left , and on my way home the family chariot rolled past early milk carts and cold pigs going to market . Since , I have heard whispers of some who went home with the

milk absolutely , but that of course was only slander , invented by envious people who could not get a ticket for , perhaps , the most successful and jolly ball that ever was . —The " Merry Villager , " in " Islington Gazette . "

PRESENTATION TO BRO . MILTON SMITH . rriHE Bishopsgate Lodge , No . 2396 , at the initiative of its present -L Worshipful Master Bro . W . Newman , gave a dance oji Friday , 28 th ult ., at Seyd ' s Hotel , Finsbury Square , a very plcasont evening boing spent by the Brethren , with their wives and families .

North Londoners' Charity.

At the supper an interesting ceremony took place , the W . M ,., on behalf of his colleagues and himself , presenting a handsome gold watch to the retiring Secretary Bro . Milton Smith . In making the presentation the W . M ., in eulogistic terms , referred to the rvble manner in which the duties of the Secretaryship had heen discharged during tlie first six years of the Lodge ' s

existence , by Bro . Milton Smith . Tha speaker , in his further remarks , expressed regret that Bro . Henry Clarke , CO ., L . C . C ., who was the I . P . M . at the consecration of the Lodge , was unabla to be present to take part in the ceremony . A letter from tho present Secretary of tho Lodge Bro . Albert E . Pridmore , CO ., expressing regret that he was prevented by indisposition from being present , was also read . ' *

Bro . Milton bmith , m returning thanks , said Masons were generally distinguished for rendering honour to whom honour was due , but he thought in tho present instance that they had exceeded that distinction . He had only done his duty , and in the performance of that duty there was bounteous reward in the knowledge that a good work was being carried on . He recognised tho value tho Lodgo had been to the ward of Bishopsgate , by binding together in brotherly love and unity tho active powers in the ward , and felt it to be an honour to have shared in so useful a work . He did not

know how to adequately express his appreciation of the kindness the members of tho Lodge had shown him , but he thought no form of present could have been more acceptable than a watch , the constant ticking of which near to his heart would ever remind him ol tho pulsations of the hearty good wishes of his friends .

DIRECTORS AND WORKERS . THE annual dinner of the North Metropolitan Tramways Cricket Club took place on Friday of last week , at the Cannon Street Hotel , when a numerous company assembled to enjoy the hospitality of the directors . Mr ' George Richardson , Chairman of the Company , and President of the Cricket Club , was in the chair , supported by Mr . John Goddard as Vice-Chairman , and Mr . Arthur Godfrey , captain of the Club .

A very enjoyable evening was spent , in the course of which the Chairman expressed the sympathy of those present with Mr . R . L . Adamson , the enterprising manager of the Company , who was absent through sickness : There can bo little doubt that this annual gathering of the directors and their staff tends greatly to promote the good feeling that obtains , and conduces to spur on the staff to increase the prosperity of the shareholders .

Every library in the United Kingdom and the Colonies has , lately , been the recipient ' of a copy of Edgar Brinsaiead ' s well-known book , " The History of the Pianoforte . " This work deals with the evolution of the Pianoforte hoax the' embryonic stage , when Hermes is supposed to have discovered tho first stringed instrument by accidentally stumbling against the shell of a dead tortoise , the dried ligaments of which gave forth , on being struck , an harmonious sound . The book is interesting alike to the musical and general public .

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