Our Weekly Budget.

tlie preparations for ortr Christmas festivities . Everywhere in London are to be seen attractive commodities offered for sale , and if the nsnal amount of rejoicing over Christmas Boxes is not as demonstrative this year as at former Christmasticles , it will certainly not be tho fault of

our London shopkeepers , who for months past have boon busying themselves to secure the patronage of the public . The provision shops—especially tho bn tellers , Italian warehousemen , and greengrocers—ore in admirable form just now . Prize sheep and bullocks aie on view in tho shops

of the first ; all kinds of dainty preparations in the way of jams , preserved fruits , bon-bons , and tho like , aro noticeable in those of the second ; while I be latter seem to have had their places converted all of a Hidden into one huge holly hedge , relieved here and there by small firs for Christmas

trees , and branches of mistletoe , under which Cousin Jack will pay his dear Angelina tho compliments of the season in good old English fashion . As for the poulterers , there seems to be no end to the turkeys , geese , pheasants , and other game and poultry which thoy havo laid in for our

benefit when the eventful day arrives . In the bazaars are to be seen piles upon piles of toys , both English and foreign , including musical boxes , warlike implements more or less dangerous , magic and Chinese lanterns , bon-bon boxes , and such-like ornaments for the Christmas tree ,

with flags and banners of every nationality which ever boastedan existence , either actual or in theimagination only . Elsewhere are to be seen books of all kinds , handsome picture cards , and Christmas and New Year cards , on which some pretty sentiment , appropriate to the season , is

inscribed ; and likewise albums , varying in price from a few shillings to a few pounds . The difficulty which , it seems to us , is the likeliest to befal tho purchaser , in the first place is that he may contrive not to buy all that is offered him without unpleasantly snubbing the pretty girls

who serve behind the counter , and how to get out of a shop , when once he has entered , with enough to pay his cab fare home . Speaking with the experience of many , many years , we advise our friends , if they contemplate purchasing Christmas gifts , to do so as quietly and as

knowingly as possible , and without having their little clears in company with them . The appetite of children for toys and the like is well-nigh insatiable , aud Paterfamilias will probably find his face a little longer than usual , when , having bought incautiousl y ho finds it necessary to reckon the cost of the little ones' amusements .

One person , at all events , has been doing some good hard work this week , and that is the American pedestrian , Weston , who is for the second time in London essaying the task of walking five hundred miles in six days . It will be remembered that some months ago Weston attempted this

unparalleled feat at the Agricultural Hall , but covered a distance of only 450 miles . This was a great achievement , though it fell short of absolute success . Since then he has been starring it in the provinces , and , financially speaking , we imagine he must have been turning his pedestrian

ability to very good account . This week he has , as we have said , devoted to a second attempt to cover 500 miles , but additional attractions have been offered on this occasion . Tho managers of the Exhibition at the Agricultural Hall , though not contemplating more than a display of Weston ' s

marvellous powers , have invited certain comparatively untrained Englishmen to test their powers of endurance against him , and have offered a series of three prizes of £ 60 , £ 30 , and £ 20 respectively to the three men who shall together walk a distance longer than Weston covers , each

of the three walking 48 hours , and to cover at least 1 G 0 miles in that time to entitle him to the first prize , 150 miles for tho second , and 140 for the third . The giving , however , of these prizes at all is conditional on the total of the three men ' s distances exceeding that walked by Weston .

Up to the first hour of yesterday morning , or to be exact , at five minutes past midnight , "Weston had completed 326 | miles , while the three so far had clone only 818 miles , namely , Ide 152 miles and 5 laps , Parry 1 G 3 and li laps , and Grassland about two miles . Thus Weston is ahead on

the first two-tint d .- , of his journey , bnt he labours under the disadvantage of having to keep his lead against a fresh , and , as it happens , n very go d man , who has already walked his 114 miles in the 24 hours . It seems thai

Weston in some manner broke down ihe third day . He had a slight abrasion of the skin on one of his heels , which for a time proved very painful , and the wenthc-r , which was anything but seasonable during the first half of the week , appears to have affected him , irritating his throat , and

Our Weekly Budget.

making him feel very drowsy . But on Thursday he picked up again , and the last accounts . we had left ; him walking steadily . Long distance walking has never been tried in this country as a sport , so that the performance has attracted a goodly number of spectators . It is not unlikely , however ,

wo may hear of a contest shortly , Sir J . Astley having staked £ 500 on Weston walking 500 miles against any man in tho world . The stake has been covered , so we shall doubtless witness a match in the course of the next , threo or four months . So largo a sum is worth going in low a course of training to win .

In the City , the Wardmotes in the different districts for the election of Common Councilmen were held on Thursday . In the majority of Wards there was no contest , but in some a poll was demanded , and that was to have been taken yesterday . By the way , a vacancy has been caused

in the Court of Aldermen by the death , at the advanced age of 80 , of Alderman Besley , tlie well-known type founder , who had filled the office of Sheriff and Lord Mayor , with great credit to himself and great satisfaction to hia . fellowcitizens .

Our news from the East , if not vei'y alarming , is . not particularly reassuring . In some quarters it rtppears'to be taken for granted that war is inevitable between Russia and Turkey . Others are more hopeful that the efforts of tho Conference will be successful in securing a . firm and

honourable peace . Wo hope so most sincerely , but , without being alarmists , we confess we do riot see ' our Vvay to indulging in this hope . When the two Powers which are supposed to be most concerned go on arming to the teeth , laying up warlike stores , and preparing for tho victualling

of their armies , when fortresses aro being provisioned , and the ordinary railway traffic is interrupted , that soldiers and material of war may bo conveyed to their appointed destination , it looks very much as though they meant fighting . Moreover , the matter is becoming more complicated and

critical . Tho Magyars ' are growing as excited as the Sclaves are said to be , while another outrage on the Austrian flag has been perpetrated by the Servian officer in command of Belgrade . This will certainly not "hel p forward the cause of peace , for Austria is said to be

dissatisfied with the apologies offered , and the increasing excitement of the Hungarians , ' whose hatred of the Russians is well known , may force the Emperor Francis Joseph into a

conflict . However , let us hope that the Conference will pass off well , and that the last week of the present yearof- anxiety may bring forth good fruit , so that we may enter on the year 1877 with a fair prospect of peace .

It has already been announced , in- our Advertisement columns , that H . R . H . Prince . Leopold , Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire , will preside at the annual Pestival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution on Monday , the 14 th of February next . We are now in a position to

supplement this agreesJblo piece of intelligence with anpther equally gratifying , namely , that Lord Snffield , the newlyinstallecl Provincial Grand Master of Norfolk , will preside on the occasion of the Eighty-ninth Pestival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , which is fixed for Wednesday , the 9 th May . ' •.-.. •¦ s .. v . ;

St . George ' s Preceptory of Knights Templar met at ^ the Albion Tavern , on Friday , the 15 th inst . TheRev . D . J . Drakefovd was installed a Knight of the Order Jby the Preceptor , W . Spencer , assisted by W . HydePullen . ¦ -

The annual ball of the Stockton 1 reemasons' was Held on Friday evening , the 15 th inst ., in the New Masonic Hall , Wellington-street , and was largely attended ;

Consecration Of A Lodge At Brighton.

CONSECRATION OF A LODGE AT BRIGHTON .

( From The Brighton , and Sussex Daibj VosfJ . ' ... ' .. ' ON Worlno day , at tlio Poyal Payillion , Brighton , a Special Grand Lodge of tho Province of Sussex was hold , for tho purpose of consecrating a now Lodge , tho St . Cecilia , No . 1 , (> 36 , d warrant for the establishment of whieh hud been granted by tho Grand Lodge on tho application of the following : —Bros . Kuho ( Grand -Organist

of Fnghmd ) , Everall , Sumlemnn , Brpadbriflge , Noll , Foat ; Belcher , Devin , Ilawks ? , Nj'c nnd'H . P .-iync . The Provincial Grand Lodgo was opened , at three o ' clock , by the Acting Prov . G . M ., . Bro . E . J . Furner ( in tho absence of the Prov . G . M . Bro . Lord Pclhani ) . " The

Acting Grand Master w : u supported by Pro . Sir \ V . Wd Barrel ! , Bart ., JLL' . ( I ' rr . v . D . G . M . ) , and by his Provincial Grand Officers as follows : —Bros . T . Trollopo S . G . W .. C . Pocock J . G . V / .,-. E , Walker ( Rev . ) G . Chaplain , G . Tatliam G . Treasurer , C . Woolley G .