Pearls And Blackberries.

" It isn ' t the spoon , and I don't come ' of an apoplectic family , " said he . "But upon my word , this is about the largest blackberry I ever came perilously near swallowing ! " and he held out his wife ' s pearl brooch boiled up hi the blackberries .

There was a momentary silence around the table , and then it was broken by Mrs . Darling—one of those blessed old ladies , who never see an inch beyond their own spectacled nose . " My goodness gracious ! " said Mrs . Darling , " how could it have ever come into the preserved blackberries 1 I—do—notsee-. "

" But I do ! " said Dr . Darling , looking provokingly knowing . " Yes ; I see a good many things now that I didn ' t see before . " And Harry glancing across the table at Ursula was somewhat consoled to perceive that her cheek was a shade more scarlet

, if possible , than his own . He followed the old doctor into his office , when the evening meal was concluded—Ursula didn ' t know how she ever would

have lived through it , were it not for Mrs . Darling ' s delightful obtuseness , and Sophy Bradbury ' s surface-charm of manner—and plunged boldly into the matter . "Doctor— "he began valiantly ; but the old gentleman interrupted him . " There ' s no need of any lanation

exp , my boy , " he said , " Iknow now why you didn't want to marry Miss Bradbury . I don't say that I blame you much ; only I came very near choking to death with Ursula ' s blackberry jam !" And . Dr . Darling laughed again until

, had his spouse been present , she would surely have thought a second attack of apoplexy among the inevitables . "Little Ursula , " he added , " who would have thought of it 1 Well , you shall have my blessing . "

The pearls were all discoloured , and the gold of the old-fashioned brooch tarnished with the alchemy of cooking ; but Ursula keeps that old ornament yet , more tenderl y treasured than all the modern knickknacks with which her young husband loads

her toilet-table . And every year , When she preserves blackberries , Dr . Darling comes to tea , and makes ponderous witticisms , and pretends to search in the crystal preserve dish for a " boiled brooch . " But then jolly old gentlemen will have their jokes . —American Masonic Advocate .

" So Mote It Be."

" SO MOTE IT BE . "

" So mote it be ! " What memories throng , Whene ' er we hear those mystic words , What hopes , what aspirations strong Stir the heart ' s deepest inmost chords , To hear , in mystic harmony ,

The craft's response " So mote it be . " When first as youthful neophytes , With tear the dangerous path we trod , And humbly kneeling , prayed for light , Professing there our trust in God ,

We heard in tones of sympathy , The deep amen , " So mote it be . " Supreme Conductor , wheresoe'er A craftsman turns in prayer to Thee , In mercy lend a listening ear ,

Give Faith , give Hope , give Charity : And let the craft from sea to sea , Respond amen , "So mote it be . " Where craftsmen on the level meet , Or part uprightly on the square .

In mystic form each other greet , And raise their hearts to Thee in prayer-Join every soul in harmony , While we respond " So mote it be . "

Charles Dickens—A Lecture.

CHARLES DICKENS—A LECTURE .

BY BRO . EMKA HOLMES . ( Continued from p . 139 . ) Delivered at the Working Men ' s College ,

Ipswich , President , the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer , Sir Fitzroy Kelly . LORD JOHN HERVEY , IN THE CHAIR . At the same time he wrote and published

his charming Christmas Carol , the profits of which he expected to be £ 1 , 000 , but which brought in only between £ 400 and £ 500 . At this time he was greatly in fear of being ruined past all mortal hope of redemption ; and this was , in fact , Forster says , the turning point in his career . M 2