Queen Eleanor Cross, Waltham.

ecclesiastics , and saints , who in times past were associated with the Abbey . Witb such a sculptor , and for architect Mr . 0 . E . Ponting , whose treatment of the Churches of Bishops Cannings , Broad , Hiuton , Swindon , Avebury , and works of like character , sufficiently

guarantees that the work of the Eleanor Cross will bo done in the most careful aud reverential manner . Lodges intending to subscribe towards this work , should address the Secretaries of the Eleanor Cross Preservation Committee , Waltham Cross , Herts .

1 ours fraternally , J . TYDEMAN . Waltham Cross , N ., Sth August 1886 . The Secretaries thankfully acknowledge receipt of subscriptions from the following Lodges : —

Lodge . No . £ s d King Harold 1327 2 2 0 Worslev 1814 110 Ken lis " 1267 110 Dnke of Cornwall 1529 110

Dalhousie 865 110 Belvedere 503 110 Merlin 1578 110 Eoyal Sussex 312 110 St . George 231 110

Corinthian 1382 110 Royal Preston 333 110 Hertford 403 110 Cuthberga 622 110 Gresham 869 110

. St . Thomas 992 110 Indefatigable 237 110 Stortford 409 110 St . Michael 1097 110 Commercial 411 110

Faithful 85 110 Itoyd . ! ( per Bro . Stanley Haynes ) 1204 110 Bagshaw 1457 110 Neptune 22 110

Wilson lies 2054 110 Caradoc 1573 110 St . Peter 481 0 18 0 St . Martin 510 0 5 0 Suffield 1808 0 15 0

St . Peter and St . Paul 1410 110 Lodge of Triumph 1061 1 4 0 Sphinx 1329 110 Atlantic Phcenix , Bermuda 224 110

Promises from the following Lodges have been made : — St . John 327 110 Rose and Lily , M . M . M . 354 110

" Desecration Or Sacrilege ?"

" DESECRATION OR SACRILEGE ?"

To the Mitor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DE M- SIR . A _ . D BROTHER , —I have read a paper , under the caption of "Desecration or Sacrilege ? " in a late issue of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , which has excited in equal parts my astonishment

and my indignation . That any erasure should bo made from the foundation-stone of a Masonic edifice , justly planted with solemn ceremonial , is an offence against history , truth ancl justice . Such au act , so far as I know , is , unprecedented . Erasures have been made from gravestones , from public monuments , & c , either by order of

Courts or during public excitement , but never , so far as I am in . formed , from a Masonic foundation-stone . During the anti-Masonic spasm in this conntry , 1826 to 1836 , a proposition was entertained by the authorities of Boston , Massachusetts , to erase from the corner , stone of the Bunker Hill monument all allusions to the fact that

" the stone was planted under Masonic patronage , * " but public sentiment forbade the desecration , and the inscription remains as originally written . This act must be searchingly investigated , and a black mark placed

upon the criminal hand that removed an honoured and respected name from tho foundation-stone and replaced it by one unknown or insignificant in Freemasonry . I shall watch the proceedings iu the case with great interest .

Yours faithfully and fraternally , Roc MORRIS . La Grange , Kentucky , U . S . A . July 1 SS 6 .

Educating The Orphans.

EDUCATING THE ORPHANS .

To the Editor oj tho FREEMASON ' S CHUONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BKOTIIEI ., —I have noted fr , queiih references in yonr columns to the varied systems of education adopted liy the Itoja Masonic I . isiittri ns for Girls , tho Koyal Masonic In . titl . ttion for I $ oy _ , and < _ > . W funds which are devoted by the Freemasons of

Enj / land to the education nnd t _ i _ ii _ rt . nanee () f tho orphan children ol their brethren , at d I recently he-. rti from a distinguished Cratt- - man—none other than Bro . A . F . God . on , M . P ., the Chairman of the recent - . lark Benevolent Fund—something further on thia point ( by the way his remarks , which I deem rather important , were omitted

Educating The Orphans.

from your report ) . He , in speaking of the Educational Branch of the Mark Fund , said that tho children educated under ifc were educated near their own homes , whioh was altogether different to the education afforded by the Masonio Boys' and Girls' Schools

where they were educated away from their own homes . This , aa you are well aware , is the system also adopted in several of the Provinces of England which have established , and are able to maintain , local funds for the relief of their own cases of distress .

I do not wish to draw any comparisons between the system of in . door and outdoor maintenance , but I cannot help making one comment as to the former . In your last issue is a copy of a letter of Bro . Hughan ' s , in which he says the building of the Masonio Institution for Boys at Wood Green , has cost £ 85 , 000 ! Now as to the ofcher

system , that of education afc schools near the homes of the pupils . Would it not be possible to extend this system to such an extent aa to afford relief to every deserving case brought under the notice of the Craft ? I am aware this would entail a great outlay , but ib is one which could be met by Freemasons , if they entered heart and

soul into the project , and it would be a great gratification to know there was not a single deserving child of a deceased Mason through , out England who was nofc receiving the blessings of education . I

think if this subject was sufficiently ventilated among the members of the Order something might be done , and if you will kindly insert this letter you will do much to bring the subject under the notice of those whom it concerns . Yours fraternally , SCRIBO .

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Prince ' s . — On Thursday , 29 fch July , Dion Bonoicaulfc , an author ever popular with playgoers , produced anew English Comedy , in five acts , entitled " The Jilt . " The Jilt , a celebrated London belle , marries Sir Budleigh Woodstock , a Yorkshire Baronet of great wealth . Previous to this marriage , the death of a former admirer of

the lady takes place . As a dying gift , he bequeaths the love letters which had passed between them to his executors , to be given to Sir Budleigh . Lord Marcus Wylie , who is a suitor of Kitty Woodstock's , ( Lord Bndleigh's sister ) , secures possession of these letters , and by threatening to expose her brother ' s wife , attempts to forward his

suit ; he is , however , prevented from doing so by the interposition ot Myles O'Hara . Mr . Dion Boucicaulfc takes the pari of Myles , and his ready wit and perfect acting was continuously applauded . In Act IV . a race is supposed to take place , on an invisible race-courae , where a horse belonging to Sir Budleigh , ridden by Phyllis Welter , comes off ¦

the conqueror whilst au animal , late the property of O'Hara , and ridden by Geoffrey Tudor , comes in second . Geoffrey , son of Colonel Tudor , Kitty Woodstock ' s guardian , is an Eton boy of nineteen , and is continually " getting into messes . " Mrs . Welter , fche mother of Kitty , entertains a great fondness for racing ; this she

plainly shows by her restless condition when racing subjects are conversed upon . At the conclusion , "The Jilt " confesses to her husband that although she had no love for him at the time of their marriage , by his manly condnct and unceasing care for her she has learned to love him clearly . Myles O'Hara pairs off with Sir

Budleigh s sister Kitty ; Geoffrey Tudor with Phyllis ; and Colonel Tudor with Mrs . Welter . Mr . J . G . Grahame ably conceived the part of the frank Yorkshire Baronet ; Mr . J . G . Taylor took the difficult part of James Daisy , a betting scoundrel , aud was most successful in its delineation . Miss Kitty Woodstock was played by Miss Thorndyke ,

who is a sterling actress . She has a good voice , pleasant appearance , and met with a very favourable reception . Miss Myra Holme played the Jilt , and enacted her difficult part successfully . Mis 3 Webster as Phyllis Welter displayed earnestness . The minor parts ,

of Curate , Butler , and aged Huntsman , were taken respectively by Mr . E . W . Gardiner , Mr . Sidney Harcourt , and Mr . Belton . At the close the author was called for , and the artistes engaged were loudiy applauded .

Haymarket . —On Saturday , the 3 M nit ., the Vaughan-Cot .-wny Comedy Company produced Sheridan ' s renowned Comedy the " School for Scandal . " The piece was admirably pnt on the stage , and its portrayal resulted in a success . Miss Kate Vaughan took the part of Lady Teazle . Her acting and bye-ploy were admirable , well

meriting the npplan . o sho received . Mis-s M ** rii . Illi ng . f . n had evidently carefully studied the character of Lad y Sneerwoll . Sir Peter Teazle was characterised in an ablo and spirited manner by Mr * . J . A . Howell . The buoyancy and jovial manner of Charles Surface waa well . hm . * n hy Mr . H . B . Conway ; Joseph Surface and his

3 "iitimc _ itd utterances were delineated by Mr . Forbo . Dawson . e ' o---e-i war * excellently made up , arid was amusim _ ly ren dere . l by Mr . 0 . O ' nIJcffc' * . Sir Oliver Surface waa well rf . pre ** ei > fc * -d by Mr . H . C isp . In the second act a minuet , most gracefully danced , called forth au encore .

Tlie Installation meeting of the Ethelberi . Lodge , No . 2009 , will bo held at the Masonic Roam ., Heme Bay , afc thrc-. e p . m ., on Tuesday , the 1 . 0 th instant . A banquet will follow at five o ' clock at the Board School Rooms .