Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

a former generation , there is attached to the subject of this illustration a degree of interest from

the exact resemblance it bears to the " highest badge" worn by Burns in his occasional occupancy of the orient in the Lod _ ve Tarbolton Kilwinning : St . James . We had hoped to be able to have presented an engraving- taken from the badge

itself , but failed to induce the members of the lodge to part with it for the short period that was necessary to the accomplishment of our purpose . We sympathise with the brethren of Tarbolton in their jealous care of this interesting relic of their

former Depute Master , the Bard of Coila , and had we been a draughtsman we should in the present instance have spared them the pain of non-compliance with our request . The scrupulosity with which they administer the office of custodier of

the relics connecting Burns with their lodge is very aptly illustrated in what befel our excellent friend Mr . James M'Kie of Kilmarnock Kilwinning St . J ohn , in the performance of a service to Burn ' s Lodge which , through an unbounded

admiration of the poet and praiseworthy zeal for the preservation of those records at Tarbolton which identify the Bard with Freemasonry , he was led to undertake . Bro . M'Kie , who enjoys a well-earned reputation as printer ancl publisher of a fac-simile

of the first edition of Burn ' s works , in the course of a lecture recently delivered in the Kilmarnock Literary Society , related the following episode in one of his pilgrimages to the scene of the poet's Masonic birth : — " For a series of years I was in the regular habit of visiting Tarbolton every New-

Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

Year ' s Day morning , to enjoy a family breakfast with my Tarbolton friends , and to past the day . I generally visited some of the haunts of Burn ' sto see the Mason lodge where the poet often kept the table in a roar ; get a sight of the lodge minute

book ; see the auld kirk hammer which struck the bell , etc . A friend of mine had told me about getting an inspection of this said Masonic minute book when rusticating for a few days iu the Cross Keys Inn—Mr . Brown ' s—and who is the custodier

of the book . Mr . Brown and my friend were sitting up-stairs , and on a knock being made in the shop by a customer , down runs Mr . Brown to attend , and takes the book with him under his arm . The interruption took place several times , and the

landlord always in rising took the book with him . My friend latterly suggested that he might leave the book on the table . Na , na , says Mr . Brown , I am under a pledge never to allow the book out

of my sight , as by this not having been attended to formerly , leaves with Burn ' s signature and minutes written in his own hand , had been torn out and purloined . I got a sight of the volume under the same precautions and

restrictions , and found it in a most dilapidated condition —all tattered and torn;—a number of the minutes are written out and signed , Robert Burns , R . W . M . I proffered to Mr . Brown to take the shreds and patches with me and bind them up gratis ; but

nay , if he would not leave it out of his sight , the time he went up and down stairs , far less would he let it go to Kilmarnock , the result was , I took the measure of the book , and next time I was over , I sewed and pasted up the volume , stuck a

pair of boards on it I had brought with me , backed it with leather , and nnished it off , so that it is now well preserved , and has a prettyrespectable appearance . " ( To be continued . )

(No. 7).—The Masonic Temple, St. Helier.

( No . 7 ) . —THE MASONIC TEMPLE , ST . HELIER .

Lancashire and Yorkshire may justly be proud of their foremost rank in every good work , and particularly of their high position in the Masonic world , but neither of those great counties possesses a building devoted to Masonry which

approaches in extent , beauty , and adaptability , the splendid Temple at St . Heller , Jersey . Indeed there is no structure in England to be compared with it , excepting of course the new building of