Masonic Festivities.

MASONIC FESTIVITIES .

YORKSHIRE ( AVEST ) . BEADFOED . —On Friday evening , November 29 th , a private ball was given in their new rooms , by the members of the Lodge of Hope ( No . 379 ) , at which the sons of Masons , with their wives and sweethearts also were admitted . An efficient Committee having been appointed , with the AV . M . as their Chairman ; early iu the month

the necessary dispensations were granted by the R . AV . D . Prov . G . M ., and every arrangement completed iu clue time . By a judicious arrangement dancing commenced at eight o ' clock , aud closed at two precisely , the M . C having kept the dancers employed to their hearts content , to the delightful strains of a well selected band conducted by Mr . Blackburn . The stewards had not neglected the creature comforts of the refreshment room ; at half past ten the door were thrown openwhen about half the company availed

, themselves of the opportunity and took their places round the supper table , when an elegant and substantial repast was spread "before them , and after doing ample justice to the various dishes ^ they retired to give place to the rest of the company , who had in the mean time continued the mazy dance with increased spirit , proportionate to the additional space caused b y the retirement of the rest . The tables being replenished , the wants of all were supplied

to their evident satisfaction . AVe believe ive are correct in stating that the idea of the ball originated with the ladies ; for , having heard much of the rooms they naturally desired to test their capabilities and inspect their interiors , a commendable curiosity , ivhich the members ofthe lodge were ready to gratify at the earliest possible opportunity . AVe are happy in being able to state that every arrangement was satisfactory , and the supper pronounced unexceptionable , notwithstanding the early fears of some to the contrary . The whole was prepared on the premises .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BEO . MARK OLIVER IRON . Bro . Mark Oliver Iron , formerly an upholsterer and cabinet maker at Ipswich , died on the 29 th November , 1861 , at the Asylum for Aged Freemasons at Croydon , in his 80 th year , and was buried at St . James's Church , his remains being followed to the grave hythe whole of the inmates of the asylum . He was initiated in No .

131 , Ipswich , February , 1806 , paid to December , 1 S 24 , joined No . 522 , December , 1824 , paid to December , 1845 ; but in consequence of severe losses he petitioned the Institution , and was elected an annuitant on May 15 th , 1846 . On the opening of the asylum at Croydon in September , 1850 , he was admitted an inmate and appointed , by the Committee of Management , AVarden , ivhich position he held at the time of his death . His only daughter , who

hy permission has resided with her father , and passed her life in attendance upon him , is now left , at the ageof 50 years , totally unprovided for .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COUET . —Her Majesty and family still remain at Windsor . The Prince Consort is confined to his apartments by fever , which is considered by his physicians likely to continue some time . H . E . H . the Prince of Wales ' is to spend the Christmas at Windsor , after ivhich he will proceed to Syria and the Holy Land . GENEEAL HOME NEWS . —The present mildness of the season is testified by the state of the public health . The mortality has dropped

-down about 120 in the course of a single week , the returns last week being 1300 and for the week previous 1420 . The corrected average for the last ten years would give 1395 . It is curious to observe that in the City the rate of mortality had rather heen on the increase ; it rose last week from 52 to 62 . The birth rate over the metropolis is also below the average , but the decrease is only nominal—1656 children against an average of 1660 . Parliament has been further prorogued to the 7 th of January . The

Government are pursuing with great vigour their preparations in anticipation of a war with America . In addition to the Persia , Australian , Adriatic , and Panama , they have taken up six more screw transports , which will he got ready with all speed . The second battalion of tiie Grenadiers and the second battalion of the Fusiliers have been ordered to be ready for embarkation for Canada ; the force already under orders for that country being a very

efficient ancl formidable one . At the Jamaica Coffee-house on AVeclnesday , an association of shipowners was formed , for the purpose of insuring British ships against war risks . There was a very influential attendance of persons interested in the object . AVe intimated a short time ago that it was the intention of her Majesty ' s Government to reappoint the commission that lately sat on the embankment of the north side of the Thames , to consider the question how far it might he desirable to proceed at the same

time with the embankment of the Surrey side of the river . The Gazette of Tuesday contains the official reappointment of this commission . The Sniithfield Club Cattle Show was opened on Monday . The exhibition takes place at Baker-street as usual , but this is the last year it will be held in that place , as the club has acquired ground in Islington , where spacious premises are in course of erection , which it is fully expected will be ready for the

exhibition of next year . The exhibitors comprise many persons eminent in rank and position . The P . tince of AVales makes his first essay as a practical farmer , and his father , the Prince Consort , also exhibits largely . Captain Denman , 'R . N . has been entertained at a banquet in this city , last night , by the officers of the Manchester , Salford , and Ardwick volunteer corps , who desired to mark their appreciation , of the lion , and gallant gentleman ' s conduct in devoting to the promotion of the volunteer movement iu this district the considerable sum of money ivhich his political supporters subscribed some time ago , with the view of presenting him with some substantial memento ni' the services he had

rendered in contesting Manchester in 1852 and 1859 . The lion A . Egerton , M . P . presided . Mr . Laird the eminent shipbuilder has been elected M . P . for Birkenhead on the conservative interest . It Avill be remembered that a dispute has been going on between the Charing-cross Railway Company and the Governors of St . Thomas ' s Hospital , as to the value of the hospital premises , which it was settled the company were to purchase , as their line interfered with the buildings . The governors valued the hospital grounds ,

etc ., as well as the expense they would be put to in finding other premises , at £ 750 , 000 . This the company demurred to as excessive . The question was referred to the Board of Trade , who nominated Mr . John Stewart , of Liverpool , as umpire . That gentleman has just given in his award , reducing the hospital's claim to £ 296 , 000 , which the railway company is to pay . A man named Crane has been brought up before the magistrate at Cierkeuwell charged with attempting to take his brother ' s life , in which there is some reason

to fear that he will have proved successful . There was little or no evidence produced before the magistrate to connect the prisoner with this attempted fratricide at all , but his injured brother distinctly charges him with the assault , which seems to have been a determined and prolonged one ; and even the brother either cannot or will not throw light on the motives which led to the shocking affair . A very sad affair took lace in the neihbourhood of Hayward ' s-

p g heath , on the London and Brighton line . The wife of a respectable farmer in a moment of frenzy cut the throat of her little girl and then her own . There is no doubt that the wounds were inflicted by her hand , and as little that they ivere inflicted on an impulse of insanity . In fact her health had for some time been the subject of

uneasiness in the family , and a watch was placed over her conduct , though unfortunately not so vigilant as to prevent this most lamentable catastrophe . The inquest and verdict substantiate this view . A man named Atkins was tried at Maidstone for the murder of his wife . The deed , which was committed under circumstances of peculiar atrocity , was clearly brought home to him by the evidence of his daughter , a girl of eleven years of age , who witnessed and detailed the circumstances of the murder . It

appeared from other witnesses that the unfortunate couple bad lived a wretched lite for some time previous , the husband being inflamed with jealousy , for which , however , there appeared no reasonable cause . The counsel for the prisoner rested his defence ou the plea of insanity , and the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on that ground . A serious charge of forgery has been preferred against Mr . Henry AVells Young , a solicitor , at the Mansion-house . The charge was that this person had forged two powers of attorney for the transfer

of sums amounting to between £ 5000 and £ 6000 , ivhich were deposited in the Bank of England . Mr . Freshfield attended to prosecute on behalf of the hank , and evidence with reference to one case having been gone into , the prisoner was remanded . FOBEIGN 1 N-. IELLIC . NC- _ -. —Most of the Paris papers , including even the Fatrie , which lately showed a desire that the French government should take part in any hostilities with the United Stateshave declared that France will remain neutral if a war

, should break out . According to the Italia , the French Government has addressed a very important note to the Court of Turin , offering its efficacious assistance in the repression of the brigandage in the Southern provinces , and announcing that it will insist upon the withdrawal of Francis II . and his Court from Rome . This will be very gratifying intelligence for Italy , if its truth is confirmed .