A Holiday Ramble.—Richmond And The Thames.

with the business of the rowing clubs , of which there are several in the locality , and whose regattas attract considerable attention from aquatic men in London and the suburbs . On past the Eyot , with the meadows of Petersham on the left , well-trimmed gardens and slopes leading up to the comparatively newly-created Cambridge Park Estate on the right , we come in view

of the avenues of Ham , through the openings of which we catch sight of a melancholy mansion , with red-bricked front and high - pitched roof , well known as the celebrated Ham House , the principal legend attached to which is that Charles I . here concealed himself when pursued by Cromwell and his Roundhead crew . An old gardener made much of the story that there is still the room in

which the fugitive monarch was hidden , and that the " breakfastthings " are still on the table as Charles left them when be escaped by one door at the precise moment that Cromwell entered by another . There remains also a chamber , the man said , in the state tbat the old Duchess of Lauderdale left it in— her desk , great chair and cane remaining as though for her Grace ' s return . We are not

allowed to enter the gaunt old mansion , which stands grim and silent amidst its well-kept flower-beds , great trees and balconied terraces ; but we can spare time to roam nnder the magnificent avenue towards Ham Common , where flocks of geese browse about amongst the gorse and furze , and in the pellucid atmosphere of that open spot breathe a host of poor little orphans who are cared

for by Royal bounty . On our return , we find little picnic parties squatted in idyllic fashion under the spreading chesnut trees by the river margin , and the whole place is alive with the rippling laughter of children who gambol about on the emerald sward , sheltered from the garish snnheat by lines of huge trees . On the opposite bank we see another ,

but less antiquated , residence , once occupied by Queen Anne , when Princess of Denmark , and further distinguished by its having been the residence of Louis Phillippe during the period of his first exile in England . Orleans House derived its name from the late King , when he lived there as Duke of Orleans , » nd np to within a recent date has been occupied by members of his family who

survived his second exile , but who , since the fall of the French Empire , have returned to their native soil . Having nndergone great improvements , the mansion and its ground are now the head-quarters of the Orleans Club , where gay parties may be seen disporting them - selves upon tbe lawns during the summer months . The Four-in-Hand and Coaching clubs awaken the echoes of the kingly demesne

at intervals during the season , and when garden parties and the festive doings of the " Upper Ten " are at their height . " I suppose the existence of the club is appreciated by Twickenham people as a great source of attraction and profit ? " I asked of our cicerone ; to which , with a laconic grin , tbe old man replied , " Well , they say as it don't bring in much , but Twickenham folk is never

appy unless they ' re grumblin ' . However , so many grand swells , always a-comin' and goin' must bring some good to the place . " So I should say , for Twickenham has not been what it was before the princes left , some years ago . We rejoin our boat and paddle gently past the ferry , catching a view of the handsome residence of Mr . Grant Duff , M . P ., formerly the temporary home of the Comte de Paris , and on to the Eel Pie Island ,

where parties erstwhile congregated to enjoy that popular viand ; wherein that comfortable hostelry pleasure-seekers regale themselves at frequent intervals , and brethren of the mystic Craft enjoy refreshment after their " speculative " labour . Once upon a time , when our Summer Banquet was celebrated on this charming island , a facetious Brother , whose forte was the compilation of impromptu verses , sang a song which I believe has never yet appeared in print , and which he entitled " The Cowan ' s Retreat . " One recommenda .

tion of it is that it may be sung in any Lodge and made local , by merely substituting the names of brethren in the place of the asterisks which I have inserted where the names of our members appeared in the original . The ditty was well received , to the tune of " The Captain with his Whiskers , " and ran as follows : —

IMPROMPTU SONG .

The Cowans Retreat . Written and Sung at the Summer Banquet of the Anonymous Lodge , No . 0 . BY BBO . 0 . FTJLLV GREENE , ESQ ., W . M . Air : " Captain with his Whiskers . "

I m a simple little country lad , as doubtless you may see , Bub , with all your so-called " mysteries , " you don ' t come over me ; Ou ! I know your signs and passwords—and the " secrets " every one , So if you try to gammon me , you'll find it can't be dune .

Oh ! I am so very " fly !" And I give you leave to try , So " take your time from me , " And I'll prove that Masonry la a very pretty plaything for old fogies such as thee ; Bnt I ' m the little country lad—you don ' t come over me . of

^ friend mine once said me , " I'll show you every dodge % whi p h you may bamboozle ' em and get into a Lodge ; Jhore is not half the difficulty that you may suppose ; So march up boldly to the door , with your finger at your nose . " Oh ! I am so very " fly ! " < fec .

Ihen , " said my friend , " Outside the door a Tyler you will find ; Jost whisper ' BACON ' in his ear , and he'll prove very kind ; When he asks yon for the other pass , just whisper to him ' GRKKNS '; And , sure ns fate , he'll lot you have a peep behind the scenes . " Oh 1 I am so very " fly I" & c .

A Holiday Ramble.—Richmond And The Thames.

So , according to my friend's advice , and knowing well the dodge , I made my way , with gladsome heart , to tho * * * * Lodge ; I first came to this banquet hall , was asked to go inside , When * * * * standing at the Lodge door I espied . Oh ! I am so very " fly ! " & c .

Now this man had an apron on ; he looked so very grand ; With a fine blue sash around his neck ; a big sword in his hand ; But I march'd up to him boldly , and said " ' BACON , ' my dear sir ;" Bnt he couldn't understand tho " GREENS " I whispered in his ear !

Oh ! I am so very " fly ! " & o . Then he gave three load raps at the door ; I heard a voice inside , When a man , I think called * * * * out tho little trap doorspted . " Now , who comes here ? " I heard him say , the Tyler says to he , " I fancy 'tis a cowan ; you had better come and see . "

Oh ! I am so very " fly ' . " & o . Then straightway came the Inner Guard—look'd very fierce at me , And the questions that he ax'd I'm sure were rude exceedingly j He ax'd how old my Mother was , and the year that I was made ; I can hardly tell you all the stuff that cheeky fellow said .

Oh ! I am so very " fly ! " & o . Then he spoke about some Architect , and how I was prepared ; I really thought the man was mad —so hard at me be stared ; He wouldn't have my pass-words , but he turned and said , quite cool" Now , Tyler , get the poker hot , we'll frizzle this poor fool . "

Oh ! I am so very " fly ! " & o . You may depend I didn't wait to have the test applied , So I bolted off and very glad to find myself outside ; And if you think I'll try again , you'll find I'm no such flat , For I'm the little country lad , so mind what you are at ! Oh ! I am so very "fly ! " & c . "

We cannot quit the sequestered spot , however , where the little Duke of Gloucester was wont to drill his young playmates in mimic war , without patronising the Island Hotel ; and having satisfied our . selves of the excellence of the interior economy of that establish , ment , we ply our oars again , rowing away a little in the direction of

Teddington Lock , passing the delightful grounds of the late Countess Waldegrave at Strawberry Hill , and others of as nearly picturesque aspect , returning past the boathonses of the Twickenham Rowing Club , and over the shallow Middlesex side to the landing-place . Of conrse , we visit the church with its ancient greystone tower ,

disfigured by a red brick nave , but there is little in tbe heavy-galleried interior which strikes the visitor with admiration . Here , too , we find among the mural tablets one of more than ordinary interest , of a mar who wonld not be buried in Westminster Abbey , though he well deserved a niche in that resting place of national

greatness—I refer of course to Alexander Pope , whose house once stood a short way off . The site is now covered with a house of modern structure —one of the most extraordinary specimens of architecture which the vagrant taste of the present day in such matters can possibly conceive . Pope ' s willow is also gone , and so is the obelisk he raised to

his venerable mother , but the grotto still remains , and is visited by the curious . But the afternoon is growing apace , and the river is low , so that if we are to have a turn at the " gentle art" we must lose no time in getting into our punt , which the waterman has stationed in

midstream . As we sit there , and with many more besides , and the silvery roach and dace come flickering into our creels , tho twilight deepens into dreamy softness , and from the returning river craft comes wafted the harmony of songs from pleasure-parties who are sharing with ns the glories of a summer ' s evening on the Thames .

My advice to " the likes o' me , " who can only afford a day now and then to enjoy a holiday , and to inhale the fresh and invigorating country air , is " go to Richmond and the Thames ; " and perhaps this little passing sketch may help them to see as much as can be comfortably crowded into one single day .

The Board of Masters meets on Wednesday next , the 23 rd instant , for the purpose of settling the bnsiness to be transacted at the next Quarterly Communication of Grand

Lodge , and among the notices of motion that will be submitted -will be the one notified by Bro . James Stevens in his letter which appeared last week in the columns of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , namel y : —

"That , having regard to the great increase , during the past twenty , five years , in the number of ' Lodges within the London District ' ( see Book of Constitutions , page 72 ) , this Grand Lodge desires to

respectfully represent to His Royal Highness the Most Worshipful Grand Master the desirability of subdividing the said London District into Subordinate Grand Lodges , to be constituted in like manner to Provincial Grand Lodges . "

We see nothing in this notice to evoke anything like an objection to its being inserted in the agenda paper , though , as a matter of course , opinions as to advisability of passing the motion in Grand Lodse must divided . Bro . Stevens

writes in a hopeful strain , and though we cannot shut our eyes to the reasonableness of " JOD ' " letter , we see no very grave objection to his proposition . At all events he has , we understand , a large number of brethren who symnathiso with him iu Ids movement .