Gargantuan Repasts.

The newspapers of 1887 gave particulars of a monster pie , made at Denby Dale , near Barnsley , to commemorate the 50 th year of Her Majesty Queen Victoria's reigo . " An oven had been built on purpose for this monster pate , which contained sixty storm of flour , 230 pounds of butter and lard , 225 fowls , pigeons , geese , turkeys and grouse , and sixty-seven rabbits and hares .

To cut up this dish was a Herculean task , and ' when tho pie was opened the birds began to sing ' or rather the hungry and delighted crowds of eager supplicants for a portion . The pio was served in a field , and barricades had been erected to keep the spectators in some kind of order ; but these were broken down , and there was an ugly rush upon the distributors of the feast by thousands of would-be feasters . "

At the same place , in July 1896 , another mammoth pie weighing 3920 pounds was made to commemorate the jubilee of Corn Law Repeal . It was baked iu a dish of iron that weighed half-a-ton , and when cooked in a specially prepared oven , that must have resembled a giant ' s cave , was drawn by fourteen horses to Norman Park . Here , in the presence of 30 , 000 persons , the gigantic piece of pastry was served , Mr . Frank Naylor , of Derby , cutting into it with a specially made knife , the blade of which was thirty-three inches long . There have been six of these monster pies made and baked at Denby Dale during thc last 150 years , on various festive occasions .

The Masonic banquet at the Albert Hall , London , on Friday , 10 th June , presided over by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales Grand Master , is characterised as having been the biggest public spread ever given in this kingdom . The occasion , as will be remembered , was the celebration of the Centenary of the Royal Masonic Institntion for Boys , and accommodation was provided at ninety-two tables , where upwards of 3 , 000 guests sat down in full Craft regalia . Messrs . Spiers and Pond , the celebrated caterers who

supplied the refreshments , have furnished a " Daily Mail" representative with some interesting statistics , from which the following particulars are extracted . "At the tables , glittering and glowing with the weapons of defence , 1 , 120 pounds of salmon , and 1 , 200 lobsters were put before the guests to test their mottle and appetites . Two whole calves and one pig in cooked and edible form disappeared under the stubborn attack , and with them eighty large sirloins of England ' s roast beef . The necks of 300 tender

lambs foil before the flashing blades , but 224 pounds of pressed beef made a very fair struggle . Of fifty glistening , powdered hams , little more than the bones were left , whilst 450 pullets , 800 pigeons , and 2 , 500 quails were consigned to the oblivion of hearty digestion , preceded or accompanied by 150 ox-tongues in fragrant slices . These huge avalanches of edibles went to their doom with detachments of 250 pounds of mixed vegetables and 1 , 300 crisp , fresh lettuces . The puff pastry stood and faced death with their jam

to the foe , but 600 jellies and blancmanges quivered and oscillated like cravens , though they never retreated from their glass vases . The attack was chilled by 350 ice puddings , but the foe went eating on . From their armoured coats and green crests 100 pineapples were cut out and sacrificed , 100 cool melons gave up their luscious crimson interiors , and 1 , 000 bananas were skinned a-ripe and demolished . Sun-tinted apricots to the number of 750 , with 750 greengages and ten bushels of cherries , proved their everlasting

grit by the indisputable fact that each left a stone to his own memory as he died . Gone with all these are 750 apples that will never see the cider vat , 750 oranges that narrowly escaped the marmalade jar , 300 pounds of grapes that died in teetotal innocence , and were saved from the suffocating hug of the wine-press , and 700 pounds of strawberries just from their beds of green leaves they will never rest in again . When the missing were counted it was found that 200 solid , honest loaves and 4 , 000 crust plated rolls were amongst

those that were not left , but gone before . The proper spirit of unimpeachable excellence was supplied in sovonty-two bottles of whiskey and twelve of brandy . The sparkling champagne from 2 , 450 quart bottles invigorated them , 600 bottles of hock gave assistance early iu tho combat , 500 bottles of sherry aroused a glow of martial ardour , 500 bottles of claret poured out a life-blood-coloured stream before them , 400 bottles of port prevented them from going to ' starboard' by mistake , and 200 dozens of mineral waters

kept them cool and collected . The bases of attack were laid on 3 , 000 yards of table-cloth , and occupied 18 , 000 pieces of glassware , 29 , 500 pieces of crockery , 2 , 500 plated dishes , 1 , 000 less powerful china dishes , and 1 , 000 compo and fruit dishes . As arms , the enemy were supplied with 16 , 000 knives and 16 , 000 forks , 12 , 000 spoons , and 4 , 500 serviettes to prevent anyone escaping on to their glossy linen cuirasses or broadcloth leg encasings . "

Such a sight as that produced in the Albert Hall on the above mentioned occasion was , perhaps , never witnessed before , and the statement of the royal Chairman that over .-6134 , 000 had been contributed in Masonic charity created tho unbounded enthusiasm which such an extraordinary announcement truly deserved . " Book of Rareties , " by Edward Roberts P . M .

The Theatres, &C.

The Theatres , & c .

Criterion . — 8 . 15 . Bilberry of Tilbury . Vaudeville . —3 rd Sept . Her Royal Highness . Daly ' s . —8 * 15 , A Greek Slave . Matinde , Saturday , 2-30 . Savoy . —8 * 20 , The Gondoliers . Matinee , Saturday , 2 * 30 . Prince of Wales's . —8 * 15 , La Ponpee . Matinee , Saturday , 2 * 30 Gaiety . —8-15 , A Runaway Girl . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 .

Strand . —815 , No credit . 9 , What happened to Jones . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 3 . Comedy . —8 , Constancy . 8 * 30 , Lord and Lady Algy . Matinee , Wednesday , 3 . Terry ' s—8 , Meadow Sweet . 8 * 45 , Our Boys . Matinee , Wednesday , 3 Shaftesbury . —8 , The Belle of New York . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . Duke of York ' s . —8 , The Dandy Fifth . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 * 30 .

Grand . —Next week , As a man sows . Queen ' s Opera House , Crouch End . —Next Week , Tho Private Secretary . Alexandra . —Next week , Little Tich . Dalston . —Next week , Saved from the Sea . Alhambra . —8 , Variety Entertainment . Jack Ashore , & c . Empire . —7 * 00 , Variety Entertainment . " Thc Press " Ballet , & c . Palace . —7 * 45 , Variety Entertainment . New American Biograph , & c .

London Pavilion . —8 , Variety Entertainment . Tivoli . —7 * 30 , Variety Entertainment , Saturday , 2-15 also . Royal . —7 * 30 , Variety Company . Saturday , 2-30 also . Egyptian Hall—3 and 8 , Mr . " J . N . Maskelyno ' s entertainment . Crystal Palace . —Varied attractions daily . Thursdays , Fireworks . Alexandra Palace . —Open Daily . Constant Amusements . Baloon Ascents . Fireworks , & c , & c . Boyal Aquarium . —Open 10 a . m ., close 11 * 30 p . m . Constant Amusement .

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

LODGE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK .

Puller particulars as to place of meeting of the undernjentioned Lodges are given in the Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket Book ( published by Grand Lodge for the benefit of the Charity Fund ) .

Monday . 48 Industry , Gateshead 491 Roval MnssfiY . . Tp . rsev

999 Robert Burns , Manchester 1325 Stanley , Liverpool 1861 Claremont , Croydon 1991 Agricola , York 2068 Portsmouth Temperance , L'dp't . 2547 Llangattock , Cardiff 2582 Lewisham , Smefchwick

Tuesday . 253 Tyrian , Derby 954 St . Aubyn , Devonport 1016 Elkington , Birmingham 1052 Callander , Manchester 1390 Whitwell , Millon 1536 United Military , Plumstead 1609 Liverpool Dramatic , Liverpool

1675 Ancient Briton , Liverpool 2025 St . George , Plymouth 2518 Chas . Ed . Keyser , Hoddesden Wednesday . 220 Harmony , Garston 724 Derby , Liverpool 1296 Vale of Brislington , Brislington 1756 Kirkdale , Liverpool

1760 Leopold , Scarborough 1783 Albert Edward , Huddersfield 2019 Crook , Crook 2149 Gordon , Hanley 2320 St . Martin , Castleton 2357 Barry , Cadoxton 2444 Noel , Kingston-on-Thames 2448 Bradstow , Broadstairs Thursday . General Committee Girls School

Freemasons Hall , at 5 . 39 St . John Baptist , Exeter 116 Royal Lancashire , C"lne 202 Friendship , Devonport 208 Three Gd . Principles , Dewsbury 275 Harmony , Huddersfield 283 Amity , Haslingden

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

318 True and Faithful , Helston 337 Candour , Uppermill 346 United Brethren , Blackburn

403 Hertford , Hertford 475 Bed . St . John Bap ., Luton 590 La Cesaree , Jersey 594 Downshire , Liverpool 630 St . Cuthbert , Howden o 36 Do Ogle , Morpeth 710 Pleiades , Totnes ¦ 787 Beaureper , Belper

807 Cabbell , Norwich 904 Phoenix , Rotherham 1032 Townley Parker , Chorley 1151 Sfc . Andrew , T , ywardreath 1164 Eliot , Sfc . Germans 1166 Clarendon , Hyde 1235 Phoanix St . Ann , Buxton 1578 Merlin , Pontypridd 1971 Ald'shot . Army & Navy , A ' shot .

2091 Castleberg , Settle 2184 Royal Vict . Jubilee , Rainliam 2214 Josiah Wedgewood , Etruria 2263 St . Leonards , Sheffield 2335 Cycling and Athletic , Liverpool 2375 Hilbre , Hoylake 2387 Manchester Dramatic , M ' chester 2462 Clarence , West Hartlepool 2474 Hatherton , Walsall

Friday . 426 Shakespeare , Spilsby 516 Phoenix , Stowmarkefc 566 Sfc . Germain , Selby 712 Lindsey , Louth 810 Craven , Skipton 1224 Stour Valley , Sudbury 1822 Sfc . Quintin , Cowbridge 2415 Tristram , Shildon

Satuday . 1541 Alexandra Palace , Holborn 308 Prince George , Eastwood 336 Benevolence , Marple 1462 Wharncliffe , Penistone 2353 Broxbourne , New Barnet

Garrick . —Bro . H . T . Brickwell , who has just returned from an inspection of the continental theatres , has decided to produce Mr . George Playdell Bancroft ' s play " Teresa , " at this house on Thursday , Sth September , with Mr . Arthur Bourchier and Miss Violet Vanbrugh in the cast , and has arranged with Mr . Albert Mayer to produce the play .

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