The Installation Of The Prince Of Wales.

0 most auspicious festival of our old Craft ! In after years let still the tale go round , Of those who gathered gladly and rejoiced , To see the Prince of AVales installed Grand Master of our English Brotherhood ! May all of good attend our Royal Brother ; May many years still see him at our head

, Strengthened and cheered by a whole order ' s love . And may Ave English Masons , free and true , Maintain the even tenour of our Avay In happy labours , none making us afraid ; And may , indeed , our true Masonic

principles Bind closer man to his OAVU Brother man , And make us feel that Ave indeed are One , One all of us in one another here , One all of us in God Most Hi gh . W .

Relief.

RELIEF .

BY MRS . C . AV . TOAVLE . HOAV cold , IIOAV dreary the day Avas ! The Avind sounded hoarsely as it moaned among the bare branches of the trees , and died aAvay in distant murmurs . A Avhite frost had fallen the night before , and nipped

leaf and floweret . The sky looked like lead , and IIOAV and then a cloud , fleecy and Avhite , as if laden Avith SHOAVS , drifted in mid air . Blue-lipped , shivering little children , Avith satchels and books , hurried hy to school , or stopped for a few moments at the street corners .

I had taken my drawing pencils and portfolio , and seated myself before the blazing lire . AVhen the Avind rattled the casement , I drew my vizette closer about me , and thanked God for a comfortable shelter from the inclemency of the northern blast . A piece of Bristol board was beneath

my pencil . Scene after scene greAV beneath its touches . But all was dreary . A frozen mill , an ice-bound tree , a snoAvstorm , a man striving to hold his cloak on in the blast , these were the prominent features in my pencil sketches . I could not be cheerful

, do Avhat I mi ght . I could not forget the drear aspect of nature without . I threw aside my pencil , and Avheeled my chair to the lire . The coals gloAved almost fiercely in the grate , and 1 began tracing pictures and images among them .

The door opened , and a strong blast swept through . I looked up and sa \ v a cloaked figure—a tall , noble , and commanding person . He threw aside his travelling cap , unclasped the steel buckles confining his mantle in front , and Uncle Roger sat down beside meto thaAV out before the

, genial blaze his stiffened fingers . As he sat there , his deep olive complexion became almost scarlet in hue . His keen black eye rested musingly upon the coals . Was he . too , tracing imagery among them ? It might be , but it was not probable . My

uncle had little imagination , and was never to my knowledge fanciful . It Avas more probable that he Avas Aveighing in his mind some East India speculation , for all his latter life had been spent there . It Avas to its torrid clime that he owed his olive

complexion , quick flashing eye , and susceptibility to cold . The fire was peculiarly agreeable to him . When he Avent into the frigid atmosphere Avithout , his broad stout person shook like an aspen , and he clasped and dreAv his cloak closer and still closer about him . He Avas a bachelor , one nearly

fifty years old . His hair Avas sprinkled Avith grey , but it looked handsome , nevertheless ; indeed , all AVIIO looked upon my uncle called him , even at that age , a finelooking man . I had oftentimes puzzled my brains to discover Avhy he had all his life remained matchless ; Avhy one , Avith his

love of social life , affectionate disposition , and domestic tastes , had lived Avithout enjoying life ' s great charm—a home . But mysteries are curious things , aud this fact remained a mystery in spite of all my speculations . I could not fathom it ;

but UOAV a stronger desire than ever before I had , seized me to know why he had never married . As he sat in the light of the grate , he looked so stately , genial , and handsome , that the mystery grew greater to my mind than ever , and I determined ,

by direct questioning , to find out the secret . " A cold day , uncle , " I said , by Avay of introduction ; " a cold day , and I imagine you feel it sensibly ; it is not much like the East Indies . " " No , " said he abruptly , and relapsed back into the dreamy state he had sat in before .

"You do not like this climate , I imagine , " I continued . " Not much , " Avas the laconic ansAver Avrung from him .