The Masonic Sign.

" But , my good sir" ( Tap , tap , tap . ) Then he tried the single and the double tap , but no result followed ; so he paid for a third-class ticket , and went on his way with the brotherly resolve of joining the Order , if it was only to obtain the satisfaction of leporting the conduct of this unworthy clerk . Arriving in town , his first business was to call on Brother Jones , and explain

how he had been served , and how tho man refused to give him a ticket without tho money . " Of course he did , " explained Jones . " You made a mistake ; you forgot yon wero returning , and that tho signal ought to have been reversed . Yon should havo tapped the loft side of your nose with the finger of the left baud , thus . "

Poor Smith more than suspected he had been made tho victim of a joke—the hero of a tale with which Jones would regale many a Masonic Brother , with infinite relish . Certainly ho never seeks to discover the sign by becoming a Mason . As to Brother Jones , ho has risen higher and higher in the Craft , and is not only P . G . D . J . D . O . but P . M . M ., P . F . C ., P . E . A . P ., and X . Y . Z . also . —Funny Foils .

The First Stone.

THE FIRST STONE .

Forsaken , down trodden , crime-laden , heart-broken , Ho lies in the dust . Cast thou not tho first stone ; And bo not , by thy too-ready lips , his doom spoken ; On high sits tho Judge who may judge him alone .

Ho hath sinned . Well , > rho hath not ? If to us wero given , To each and to all , what stern justice deems due , Not a man of ns ever could hope to gain heaven , Nor e ' er the strait gate of salvation pass through .

Forgive him ! Who art thon dar ' at sit on thy neighbour In self-assured judgment ? Say , hast thou no spot ? No speck on thy conscience ? Why shouldest thou labour To prove him all guiltv , yet dream thou art not ?

Oh , hypocrite ! know that far sweeter to heaven The tears of a sinner than those of the just , As fresh scent gains the rose after tempest hath striven , And sweeter her blossoms bloom out of the dust . From the " Quiver" for August .

JENNI" JONES . —Many melodies popular in Wales are not old , but the composition of modern bards and harpers . These aro often composed in the old stylo , so that ifc requires some discrimination to distinguish between ancient tunes and tho modern imitations . John Parry tells us that two of his airs , " John op Evan , " composed in 1802 , and "The Maid of Morna" in 1 S 03 , hive boon taken for

ancient melodies . ' Ho says , " I have composed a number of airs after the Welsh modulation , as it is termed , and which consists of an admixture of the major and minor keys , . similar to tho well-known air , 'Of noble race was Shenkin , ' which have become very popular in Wales ; but when the harpers are asked who tho composer ise they know nothing about it ; and , indeed , oven the names of thy tunes aro frcqnentlv changed . For instance , when n lat'lv of any

consequence happens to admire a certain air , the minstrel , ont of courtesy , calls it "Lady such-a-one ' s deli ght . " The air of " Jenny Jones , " sung in London in 1836 , by Charles Mathews , the comedian , was picked up in Wales by that gentleman , who considered ifc to bo an old melody . The real fact is that it was composed in 1801 by John IV . rry , and called by him Cader Idris , after the highest mountain but one ( Snowdcn ) in North Wales . —Leisure Hour .

Freemasonry In Massachusetts.

FREEMASONRY IN MASSACHUSETTS .

A Special Communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of tho Commonwealth of Massachusetts was held on Saturday , 3 rd day of July , A . r ,. 5875 , A . D . 1875 , for tho purpose of commemorating the centennial celebration of tho day when our illustrious Brother , General George Washington , under tho old Elm at Cambridge , assumed command of the Colon al forces , soon to become , under his generalship , the Army of the United States .

Present— Bros . Percival L . Everitt Grand Master , William J Sawin Senior Grand Warden , Lucius W . Lovell Junior Grand Warden , John McClcllan Graud Treasurer , Charles II . Titus Recording Grand Seeretary , Geo . P . Sanger Corresponding Grand Secretary , and other Grand and Past Grand Officers . The Grand Lodge Avas opened in ample form , in Grand Lodge Hall ,

Masonic Temple , Boston , at 10 o'clock a . m . By order of the Grand Muster , the Grand Lodge was called from labour to refreshment . Tho Grand Master , with tho brethren of tho Grand Lodge , proceeded in carriages to Lyceum Hall , Cambridge , as guests of the municipal antborities of the city , and wero welcomed by his Honour the Mayor , W . Bro . Isaac Bradford . Here a procession was formed of the many eminent representative men who had accepted the invitation

to unite with the city authorities in fitly celebrating tho day , the Grand IiOdgo being assigned a position next to the President and Fellows of Harvard College , and was conducted to a tent on tho Common , near the historic old elm under which Washington first drew his sword as Commander-in-Chief of the Army . In the tent , after tho music and prayer , a poem was read by James Russell Lowell , and an oration delivered by Rev . Augustus P . Peabody , D . D ., both of great ability , and well befitting the occasion .

At tho closo of the services in tho tent , tho Grand Lodge joined again in procession , and was conducted to Memorial Hall , Harvard College , where a banquet had been provided for the citizens aud their guests . Here his Honour , the Mayor , presided , as he had done during the services in the tent , and at the conclusion of the repast called upon Judge Sanger , our R . W . Corresponding Grand Secretary ,

to act as toast-master . The first toast , " Washington , " was responded to by a dirge from the band , the company all standing with bowed heads . To tho second toast , " The United States , " Hon . George S . Boutwell , U . S . Senator from Massachusetts , responded . The third toast was " Massachusetts , " and to this his Excellencv ,

the Governor , Bro . William Gaston , responded . Hon . Josiah Quincy spoke to the fourth toast , "Tho Thirteen Original States . " To the next toast , " The Army and Navy , " General , Judge , and Bro . Charles Devons , responded . President Eliot spoke eloquently for " Harvard College , " the next

toast , when the " Grand Lodge of Massachusetts " was given as the sixth regular toast , to which the M . W . Grand Master eloquently responded . The orator and poet of tho day wero called up , and Mr . Lowell , declining to make remarks , called up in his place O'iver Wendell

Holmes , who read a poem w'oll suited to the occasion . Other eminent men responded to sentiments appropriate to the day , and the exercises in this beautiful hall proved to be of exceeding interest . On invitation of R . W . Henry Endicott , the brethren of the Grand Lodge enjoyed tho hospitality of his pleasant home in Cambridgeport , thus adding pleasantly to the many enjoyable scenes of tho day .

At eight o ' clock p . m ., the Grand Lodge returned to Masonic Temple , Boston , which was called from refreshment to labour , and closed in ample form . —The Keystone .

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