Masonic Portraits (No. 8.) An Eastern Star.

MASONIC PORTRAITS ( No . 8 . ) AN EASTERN STAR .

EEW of us who can only boast of average inches are able to understand or appreciate very tall men . Malignant little imps of five feet five or so , will tell you that the giant of the evening , who towers head and shoulders above the other guests , and upon whose arm the lady he takes down to dinner looks like a white camelia on a black

coat , is a slow , dull creature ; that his circulation must be feeble , because the heart , which is about the same size in all men , has so much additional work to do in forcing the blood to the extremities . Others will tell yon that a very tall man can hardly ever put his feet down without

treading upon somebody ' s corns ; he cannot , we are informed , sit at table like other people , because of the extreme length of his legs . " He is always shaky on his pins , " says a third detractor , whose nether limbs are so short that he could not sit on horseback without imminent risk of sliding

from the saddle . " He talks you down , with his big , strong voice , " says another ; " he looks at little people with the same contempt with which a Newfoundland dog regards a terrier , and roars out his words as if it were the privilege of bio- men to ride rough shod over the world . "

Notwithstanding that these hostile opinions are very general , we confess to a liking for tall men . We have usually found them to be harmless and straightforward fellows , free from guile , and as tender hearted as the fair sex . Here , for example , is a gentleman whose great stature is his most

striking personal peculiarity . He is a kindly giant , whose heart is easily touched by the tale of woe . He is not the man to take his ease by his own tire-side while duty calls him to labour for his fellows . An active philanthropist , he is always present at the elections of tho Masonic

Charitable Institutions , and happy , indeed , is that orphan or that aged Mason whose cause he has espoused . He is none of your roaring giants , of whom little men speak so bitterly ; his comely features are grave , and his deportment is quiet and decorous . Yet , under the calm exterior is

hidden a fund of humour , and he possesses histrionic ability of no mean order . The calm face is flexible enough to express all the varied emotions of humanity , and the tall form is sufficiently graceful and well balanced to agsume , with ease , any attitude or contortion . Under that close

cropped , stubble hair , lies a brain which possesses the rare power of imitation . Our giant has that glorious gift , which in all ages has made the Mime attractive to his fellow creatures . Men who possess these attributes are always irresistibly compelled to exhibit them . Acting and mimicry

are necessary to their very existence . We do not call our brother charitable because he is always ready to display his talents for the benefit of others , we base his claim to the title upon far more sterling qualities . The tale of distress readily excites his active sympathy , and he never

draws tight his purse strings when money can do aught to heal the wounds of the afflicted . Some men ' s philanthropy consists of mere words ; they can say kind things , or express a vague pity for the unfortunate , but they do not understand the art of giving . The line of their charity

is drawn at the pocket . So far as the Lodge funds can help , they are willing to hold up a hand and vote relief , but when they are pressed to contribute , they give nothing , or give reluctantly . The highest authority tells us that cheerful giving is the true test of philanthropy . Soft words may

sound sweet enough to the ear , but they do not place bread upon the table , or mend the " looped and windowed raggedness" of the deserving poor . Our kindly giant , in the noble simplicity of his heart , usually pities the distressed in those plain figures which represent good and lawful money .

But he is careful to remember that true charity begins at home . We have no words which will adequately express the contempt we feel for men who give for the sake of the hollow applause of the multitude , and who neglect those who are dependent upon them . The man who is zealous

in the cause of chanty , who is a boon companion at table , and a jolly good fellow everywhere but athis own fire-side , is so contemptible a being that we will not waste words in talking of him ; his own conscience , if he has any , must bring him his fitting punishment . Our hero , like many big

men , is gentle and kind to children . The youngsters , by the bye , seem to have an instinctive knowledge of character , and we are almost inclined to think that that man must have something good in him to whom an infant will open its arms . Little children approach our giant with perfect confidence , and p lay pranks with his tall , burly form ,

Masonic Portraits (No. 8.) An Eastern Star.

which remind one strongly of theplayful fooling of the Lilliputians with Gulliver . At a juvenile party he looks like a tall pine , surrounded with a dense under growth of graceful ferns . This association of extreme youth and maturit y is always delightful to right-thinking persons ; the

merriment of the youngsters , the simulation or real jollity of the grown person , the real Freemasonry of mind between guileless manhood and innocent infancy—all this to minds that are not jaded with over work , or satiated with pleasure—is like the music of angelic voices in some heavenly choir .

But we are forgetting that our giant is famous for Masonic excellence , as well as for the social virtues . He has presided over one of the most influential Lodges in London , and has passed , with eclat , the first chair in a Royal Arch Chapter , and is now the Scribe . He is

Secretary of one Lodge , and perpetual Director of Ceremonies in another . His Masonic duties are performed with intelligence , tact , and zeal , and he is justly regarded as a worthy pillar of the Order . So sincere a man as he is must have many friends , and his friendship wears well .

Some men never can keep their friends for any length of time . They are constantl y forming new acquaintances , and they wear them out rapidly . Our hero retains the hearty good will and fraternal affection of such brethren who know him . They respect and love him for his simplicity ,

for the firmness with which he pursues the straight and narrow path of rectitude , for his high Masonic ability , and for those talents and that strength and force of character which have contributed to raise him conspicuously above

his fellows . We regret that our brother has been prostrated by a painful illness , which temporarily extinguished his mimic fires , and removed him from the sphere of active usefulness in which he delights to shine . Ho is , however , so far recovered as to resume those duties which

are consonant with his feelings . We wish him God speed on the road to perfect health , and many years of active work and wholesome enjoyment . " This tall fellow , good sir , is sick , I pray yon nse him gently .

Sir Leech , what says thy skill ; Canst cure this mystic malady As readily as a broken pate , Or musb we dub thee dnnce , and seek Some other dabbler in the healing art ?"

Management Of The Boys' School.

MANAGEMENT OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

WE are glad the year has not passed without a full and exhaustive report on a subject which has been greatly exercising the mind of Masonry of late , and causing , we may add , no small amount of uneasiness . In the early summer it was knosvn that serious differences had arisen

between the scholastic and managerial staffs of our Boys ' School . Agreement between these at length appears to have become conspicuous by its absence , to differ being the one solitary point on which there was a community of feelinobetween the two . But , further than this , Bro . Tew ,

D . P . G . M . for West Yorkshire , published a pamphlet , in which he expressed an opinion that the School was not so economically managed as it should be , the brunt of his attack being levelled , principally , at the official expenditure , which he considered far too high under the circumstances ,

In the autumn , a second pamphlet appeared , from the pen , of Bros . Tew and Rev . O . Perrott , the late Head Master , in which the same opinion as to the financial management was expressed , but entering into greater detail , It contained also a mass of matter relating to the recent

differences between the Secretary and the lute Head Master , which ended at length in the resignation by the latter of his important office . A long discussion ensued in these columns , and in those of our contemporary , and

considerable bitterness was exhibited by the disputants . At length it was determined by the governing body of the School to institute an inquiry into the merits of the charges made against the management by Bros . Tew and Perrott . This Committee devoted a

considerable amount of time , and the utmost care in investigating the several matters which had formed the subject of such public denunciations , and without calling iu the

assistance ot an accountant , for which authority had been given them , they recently presented their report , completely exonerating the school officials from the charges which had been made . As it was no business of the committee to investigate the differences which had prevailed between the Secretary and the late Head Master , of course this part