The Pension Indemnity Fund.

THE PENSION INDEMNITY FUND .

The following subscriptions towards the Pension Indemnity Fund of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys have been received by the Hon . Sec , Bro . Joseph David Langton , in addition to the amounts already anncun-ed , viz ; £ s . d . 504 iS o East Surrey Lodge of Concord , 4 6 3 210 o

Temple Lodge , 55 S 2 10 0 Hertford Lodge , 403 2 10 0 Hornsey Lodge , Sgo 2 10 o St . Mary Abbotts Lodge , 1974 2 10 o St . Cuthbert Lodge , 1 9 02 2 10 o Lodge Herevvard Hirst instalment ) o 10 o Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge , 4 2 10 o

St . Michael's Lodge , 211 2 10 o St . Alban's Lodge , 12 94 2100 Victoria Lodge , 1056 2 10 o Llanidloes Lodge , 15 S 2 2100 Abbey Lodge , 624 2 10 o Marmion Lodge , 1060 2 10 o Mount Moriah Lodge , 34 500 Zetland Lodge , 561 2 10 0

Lodgeof Unanimity , 11 3 2 10 0 Albert Edward Lodge , 1519 2 10 o Churchill Lodge , 47 S 2 10 o Brent Lodge , 12 S 4 210 0 Virtue and Honor Lodge , 494 2 10 0 Enoch Lodge , 11 2 10 0 Pomfret Lodge , 3 60 2 10 o Derwent Lodge , 40 2 10 o Beaufort Lodge , 10 3 2 10 0 £ 567 iS o

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Bro . F . H . Macklin , J . D . 1319 , must have his hands quite full just now , for in addition to acting at the Gaiety in " Prince and Pauper , " he is busy coaching the Rothschild Dramatic Club , which has been his duty

for some years , in addition to which he is rehearsing and stage-managing Viscountess Maidstone ' s company of aristocratic amateurs , vvho are ambitious enough to attempt to-night , at Westminster Town Hall . Sophocles ' Greek play , " Antigone , " for which Bro . Barnby provides a full orchestra , the scenery being lent by Bro .

Irving , vvho , it is thought , will , vvith Miss Ellen Terry , look in through the evening at the budding talent . Bro . Macklin is also organising hisvvife ' s ( Miss Blanche Henri ) matinee at the Avenue Theatre , vvhich is to be held on the 22 nd instant , Bro . Geo . Alexander having kindly lent the theatre . " London Assurance " is to

be the piece , for vvhich the following artistes have given their services : Bros . Chas . Brookfield ( Cool ) , P . Dodsworth ( Martin ) , Harry Nicholls ( Dolly Spanker )! Chas . Groves ( Max Harkavvay ) , Lestocq , P . M . 1319 ( Solomon Isaacs ) , Miss Kate Rorke ( Grace Harkavvay ) ,

Miss Lottie Venne ( Pert ) , and Mrs . Macklin , ( Lady Gay Spanker ) . Mr . Edward Hastings has kindly undertaken the stage-management . With such a piece and cast , Bro . and Mrs . Macklin may fairly expect a big house .

A second edition of " Ruy Bias , " though quite unnecessary—owing to the Gaiety being always full—yet very welcome , was presented on Thursday , the ioth inst . There can be little doubt that the present burlesque is the most successful of all Mr . George

Edvyardes' pieces . A crowded and enthusiastic audience received their favourites vvith rapturous applause . Bro . Fred Leslie , vvho seems ni ghtly to add to his part , and Miss Ellen Farren bear the burden of the burlesque , and never seem to tire of their task . A new song , " Don ' t know , " b y Bro . Robert Martin , vvas

sung by Bro . Leslie and Miss Farren ; the former also sings " Very extraordinary , isn ' t it V " also b y Bro . Martin , vvhich took the house by storm . Miss Letty Lind is allotted two new dances , which she gives effect to with the best possible taste . Her dresses are indescribable by the male sex , so we give up attempting . They

make the ladies in the audience very curious . Miss Sylvia Grey , who , vvith Miss Lind , may be termed the Kate Vaughan of . this generation , is also supplied with a new dance . It is a complete poem , and she trips through this classical dance in the most dreamy , luxurious way . Miss Grey vvas called upon to repeat

it twice . The duet , " I ' ve just had a wire to say so , " by Bro . Leslie and Miss Farren , seems even more popular than ever , and the pas de quatre , danced b y Messrs . Storey , Nathan , Minshull , and Leslie , is still one of the chief features of this popular burlesque . " Ruy Bias " is sure to run through the season , at the end of which the company re-visit America .

* * * "April Showers" was produced at Terry ' s Theatre more than a year ago , and met vvith some degree of success , and it vvas thought that it would be seen in an evening bill , but this has not yet come about . We think we have solved the reason , which is that it has two characters vvhich must be played by very special

pe . pie . Miss Maude Millett and Miss Annie Hughes have not been both at the same time out of an engagement , ancj we strongly advise that they and the rest of the < cjmpany ( with one exception ) should be engaged , and it should be forthwith put into an evening programme . The authors of " Flirtations , " Messrs . Bellamy and Romer—the former of whom is now

The Theatres.

dead—have written a most beautiful , it somewhat thm , comedy . Charlie Clincher fancies he loves Queenie Lawrance , whose mother suggests to him that in order to win her daughter ' s affections he should make her jealous by appearing to like some one else . He asks his friend of childhood , Miss Lacy , to assist him . She

consents , but vvith much bitter feeling , for she loves Charlie herself . It is understood that young Clincher is a suitor for the hand of Queenie . Nevertheless , his old chum , Frank Lacy , falls in love vvith her , but his sister reprimands him for playing false to his friend , so he makes up his mind to say good-bye and go away ,

acknowledging to Charlie that he has acted meanly . Frank ' s father , Lord Lacy , vvho is a widower , also admires Queenie , and offers her marriage . Mrs . Lawrance , vvho is a type of many women of this age , who will sell their daughters for money , position , or title , urges her to accept Lord Lacy , as she will soon be

without any means , owing to a Chancery suit . The g irls tells Lord Lacy that she will accept him if he cares to have her respect without her love , which she can never give . Charlie Clincher has lost all his admiration for Queenie , and finds himself madly in love vvith Miss Lacy instead of only pretending to be

in love . Lord Lacy overhears his son tell Miss Lawrance that he loves her , and , finding it is reciprocated , he nobly looses her from her promise to him , and joins the hands of his son and Queenie . It is the brilliant way in which the comedy is played which makes it so charming . First and foremost , Miss Maude

Millett , as Queenie , seemed to excel herself , whether in a mock trial scene , vvhich stopped the action of the play , but vvas quite excusable , owing to Miss Millett's delightful p iece of acting . As the counsel for the defence or in the more pathetic parts she was equally good . We know of no one on the stage at the present

time who is more able to portray the character of English g irlhood in all its modesty and purity , and freedom from affectation than this lady . She ought to be content to keep to these parts . Miss Annie Hughes , as Miss Lacy , vvas exquisite , and greatly helped towards the success . Indeed , without these two

ladies vve do not think "April Showers" would draw . Mr . Nutcombe Gould not only looked but acted as a noble lord . Mr . Lucas Smith vvas manly and generous as Frank Lacy . Mr . Walter Everard , as Charlie Clincher , had some very smart lines , vvhich he said smartly . His volatile manner is well

suited to the comedy . Mrs . Brunton did well what she was required to do as the daughter , selling mother . Mr . Dagnall , as Mr . Clincher , sen ., was the round man in the square hole . He never seemed to forget that he vvas not playing the waiter at Cremorne in " Pink Dominos . " It is a low comedy part , but as he

represented a solicitor he should have made him a gentleman , instead of vvhich he made him a man of low breed . We shall hope to hear of " April Showers , " played by the present company , taking its place in the evening bill . If the manager can get a good strong first piece to put in front of it , so much the better .

# * * We predict a long run of Mr . Sydney Grundy ' s "A Village Priest , " vvhich has not only been adapted from the French , but almost reconstructed . The title might have been "A Noble Sacrifice" or "The Three Selfsacrifices , " as there are virtually three men vvho

sacrifice themselves for the good of others . A story like this is sure to appeal to a British audience . An Abbe has for 19 years carried in his heart a dreadful secret revealed to him in the confessional , which if disclosed would free an innocent man from shame and prison . The convict escapes , and flies to the Abbe , who will

not allow to him that he is innocent , but when the gendarmes enter to make the arrest , the captain asks if he is shielding a murderer , and the good Abbe rep lies—No murderer is there . The convict , now that his daughter does not shrink from him , goes back to prison in order not to disturb the peace of mind of an

old lady , vvho is the widow of the really guilty man , since she has been like a mother to his daughter . The infamous judge has died , honoured by all , but his son , when the truth dawns upon him , does not swerve from his duty , and gives up the girl he dearly loves in order to clear the innocent , for it turns out that his father

had betrayed the mother and slain the father of his fiancee . The Abbe , who alone can unravel the whole mystery , throws off his orders , and reveals the truth by relating what vvas told to him in confession . Mr . Grundy has written an intensely dramatic play . We felt spellbound . Its situations are thrilling , for there is

a deep vein of human interest all through . But our mind is not clear upon the all-important point . It is a dramatic licence of Mr . Grundy ' s tbat the Abbe reveals what vvas confessed to him , or could a priest , by resigning his cure and ceasing to perform clerical duties , divulge such secrets . Would it not be

considered just as dishonourable to make any revelation after throwing off parochial work as when acting in the priesthood V -We thought once a priest always a priest . We doubt whether in any of the three great branches of the Catholic church a man , after having once taken holy orders , can become a layman . We

are aware that Parliament has passed an Act vvhich admits a man to unfrock himself , but that is onl y because by the law of the land no clergyman of the Church of England can sit in the House of Commons , but we doubt whether the Church qui ! Church

recognises this . It is not generally known that the Deputy Grand Master of Sussex , Bro . Sir Wm . T . Marriott ( the Judge Advocate General ) , and Professor Thorold Rogers were in holy orders , and availed themselves of this Act to sit in the Lower House . But

The Theatres.

vve can hardly believe that it is allowable , even for the purposes of redressing a gross wrong , for a priest to break the seal of confession ; surely he takes an oath not to do so . Bro . Tree makes the Abbe a dear old man , and he acts throughout without over-elaboration . Bro . Fernandez , as the convict , is

especially good in the first act , when he tells the false judge ' s son the story of the shameful trial . Mr . Fred Terry , vvho is fast becoming one ol our finest actors , though yet a very young man , as the dead judge ' s son , excels his previous efforts . He is polished in manners , distinct in pronunciation , and elegant in carriage . He

has one fine scene in the third act vvhich he makes the very most of . Mrs . Tree is very nice as the daughter of the murdered man , and shows much sympathy . Her costumes are very fine , in fact Mrs . Tree ' s dresses are becoming proverbial . Miss Rose Leclerq gives another piece of her careful style of acting in a

somewhat difficult part . Mrs . Gaston Murray and Mrs . Brooke each are excellent as old people , and Miss Norreys , of course , does the very best possible in a small part , quite unworthy of her . The scenery is beautiful , and is a great credit to Mr . A . B . Tapping . Mr . Fred Harrison now reigns supreme as manager in

place of Bro . Bashford , to whom he is a worthy successor , and vve have no doubt he will become as popular . " A Village Priest" is certainly a play to see and enjoy , and vve tender our congratulations to Bro . Tree ( who took his Second Degree last week ) on the achievement of another success .

Miss Annie Irish has been engaged by Bro . Henry Irving for the autumn season at the Lyceum , where she will become , we are sure , as much a favourite as she did recently at the Adelphi , Vaudeville , and Terry ' s . Bro . Irving having seen her act , recognised her talent ,

and previous to the regular season , Miss Irish will play in a revival at the Lyceum next month of "Olivia" the part of Sophia . In the meanwhile , Miss Annie Irish will play the leading role in Mrs . Oscar Beringer ' s matinees , supported by little Miss Vera Beringer , in " Prince and Pauper" at the Gaiety .

* * * Since Bro . Sam Adams ( vvho , by-the-bye , must be one of the oldest members of the Robert Burns Lodge ) took over the Trocadero , and rescued it from its precarious career , he has not only made it a

popular public resort , but has raised its tone . Nothing nasty or in the least suggestive is found or allowed at the Trocadero . Bro . Adams knows well from experience at the Royal and Pavilion how to cater for the music hall public , and he has successfully succeeded in so doing since he became a proprietor himself .

The Tivoli will probably be opened in Derby week . Externally it is a grand building , and vve have no doubt owing to its directorate that internall y it will be equall y handsome and comfortable . A full license has been granted . Its position in the Strand is unequalled , and under the management of Bro . J . W . Potter , S . W . and W . M . elect of the Emblematic Lodge , we are convinced

that it will become a popular house as a music hall and dining saloon . Bro . Potter ' s past experience entitles his being engaged by the directors to look after their shareholders' interest , and in doing that Bro . Potter will also look after that of the public , for he well knows that they are identical . We shall hope to say more concerning the Tivoli and its Masonic rooms later on .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . W . SIDE , P . M .

It is with deep regret vve have heard of the death of Bro . W . Side . P . M . of the Metropolitan Lodge , 1507 , and P . M ., founder and first W . Master of the Wharton Lodge , No . 2045 , P . M . of the Zetland Lodge , No . 511 , and P . Z . of the Metropolitan Chapter , No . 1507 . Our deceased brother vvas in his time a most zealous

and worthy Mason , and endeared himself to a large circle of friends b y his integrity and independence of character , warmth of heart , and conscientious disciplinarian to duty . Our brother has been a very great sufferer from a painful desease for some months past ,

but heroically bore vvith undaunted fortitude , sufferings vvhich those around vvere conscious would prove fatal . Our brother passed away at his residence at Willesden early on Wednesday morning , the 16 th instant . The funeral will take place to-morrow ( Saturday ) , at three o ' clock , at Willesden Parish Church .

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