Mons. Victor Hugo's Annual Festival Of Poor Little Children.

hitherto been given , at a cost of about £ 10 ; and I hope this year also , to be able to repeat this most interesting and gratifying entertainment . " Any donations will be thankfully received and promptly acknowledged by , Sir ,

" Y our most obedient servant , "WILLIAM FULLER , " Treasurer of the Ragged Children ' s " Dinner Fund . "I'll , Piccadilly , W . " M . Victor Hugo in referring * to this letter ,

expressed a hope that the deplorable term of " ragged" would soon disappear from the beautiful and noble English language , and also that there Avould no longer be a ragged class . He then dwelt on the fact that cholera had not attacked

one of the children thus fed m London . Nothing , he thought , could speak more forcibly in favour of the institution , and he left the result to the consideration of those Avho now heard him , and concluded in the following terms : — " Here , ladies

and gentlemen , here is my excuse for describing to you Avhat takes place here . This is Avhat justifies the publicity given to the dinner to the forty children . It is that from this humble origin there arises a considerable amelioration in the condition

of suffering innocence . To relieve children—to train them into men—such is our duty . I will add but one Avord more . There are two ways of building churches . They may be built of stones —they may be built of flesh and bone . The poor Avhom you have succoured are a church that you have built from whence prayer and gratitude ascend to God . "

The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

THE NEMESIS : A TALE OF THE DAYS OF TRAJAN .

By Bno . A . ONEAI HATE , KM ., K Gal ., Corresponding Member of the German Society , Leipzig ; Knight Templar , Scot . ; Author of " The History ofthe Knights Templars ;" " Vara Queer ; " " Gatherings in Wanderings ; " "Bongs and Ballads ; " "Poemata ; " "Legends of Edinburgh . " §* e ., Sfc ., Sfc . ; Poet Laureate of the Canongate , Kilwinning ; P . M . St . Stephens ; P . P . Z . of St . Andrews , Pu . A

Chap . ; ife . ; < fe . ( Continued from , page 489 . ) CHAPTER XVI . - THE MURDER OP GENUA . Murther must foul , as in the best it is ; But this must foul , strange and unnatural .

Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin , TJnhousel'd , disappointed , unanel'd ; No reckoning made , but sent to my account With all my imperfections on my head . —Shakespeare . The news of the discovery of their haunt in the

Suburra carried dismay to the Bacchanalians ,, hearts . The stern morality of Trajan , the rigorous chastity of his household , and his own severe laws told them that a discovery would send everyoneheadlong from the Tarpeian rock , the place of

execution of such criminals . Trajan , although greatly addicted to wine , his worst fault , still hated , anything * approaching licentious debauchery , and . he constantly said that a nation could only remaingreat , so long as the domestic virtues were

cultivated . The reigns of Nero and Domitian had done much to destroy the ties of home and virtue ,., and the presence of rude mercenaries offered a . striking contrast to the staid decorum of Rome in the days of the Republic . Wise men foretold the

downfall of her power , when the Romans instead , of fighting their own battles depended upon paid , legionaries for protection . It was thus that stringent laws came in force to curb the popular luxury ,, but too late to effect any good . The evil had sunk , too deep , and the Romans had become thoroughly demoralised .

Balbus , Murenna , Murtius and several of themost important Bacchanals , held a solemn conference over the trying circumstances in which . they had been involved , and it was resolved that , Oenna should be inveighled into their company ,,

and when overcome Avith wine , despatched . Murenna , Avho Avas the only one averse to such an extreme measure , thought that he mighfc'be bought , over , but his suggestion met with no approval ,. Balbus throwing all his Aveight into the scale , and

the fate of the unfortunate author was settled .. The question of dissolving or for the present discontinuing the society ' s meetings met with a decided negative . The members thought that the spy once removed all danger would cease , and

Balbus found the feeling almost too strong against , him to contend with . But he Avas a man of greattenacity of purpose , the stake he Avas playing for-Avas of too great magnitude to be rashly endangered , furthermore he was sated with such obscene

pleasures , and although he did not sigh for purer ,, it Avas not in his nature to do so , his ambition pointed to a nobler mode of life . From his . earliest hours ambition had wormed itself into his . heart , and even in his debaucheries , he had never

lost sight of a great hereafter of glory . His fortune had increased through careful management ^ , the common herd were in his favour , for he Avas lavish of his money , and many of the noblest Romans , ignorant of his viler qualities , were on