Mark Masonry.

proved unanimous in favour of the candidates . Bro . Le Geyfc was then admitted , properly prepared , ancl advanced to the degree of Mark Master by the W . M . This was a case of great interest , as the newly made Mark Master is 76 years of age , and has been 53 years a Mason . An addition to the by-laws was determined upon , and several matters of business Avere transacted . At a quarter to nine the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned for refreshment , after AA'hich the usual toasts were duly honoured , and the party broke up by ten o ' clock .

Poetry.

Poetry .

HIGH TWELVE . List to the stroke of the bell—High Twelve I Sweet on the air they swell , To those who have laboured well—And the Warden's voice is heard , From the South comes the cheering word , " In the quarries no longer delve . "

Again 'tis the AVarden's call"HighTAvelve !" "' Lay aside gavel , hammer , and maul , Itefreshment for Craftsman all , By the generous Master is given , To those Avho have cheerfully striven Like men in the quarries to delve . "

There is to each mortal ' s life , High Twelve ! In the midst of his early strife—With earth ' s grovelling luxurious rife—The voice of the Warden comes , Like the roll of a thousand drums , "In earth ' s quarries no longer delve . "

List to the tones of the bell—High Twelve ! As if from on hi gh they fell , Their silvery echoes swell ; And again the voice we hear , As if from an upper sphere , " Hence for heavenly treasures delve . "

There shall ring in the ivorld of bliss , High Twelve ! AVhen relieved from our Avork in this—If ive ' vo lived not our lives amiss—Tho Master shall call us there , Our immortal crown to wear , No more in earth ' s quarries to delve

Ar01702

ME . DAEWIN ON MOVEMENT OP PLANTS . —AVe see how high in the scale of organisation a plant may rise Avhen we look at one of the more perfect tendril-bearers . Ifc first places ifcs tendrils ready for action , as a polypus places ifcs tentacula . If the tendril be displaced , it is acted on by the force of gravity , and rights itself . Ifc is acted on by the light , and bends towards or from it , or disregards ifc , Avhichever may be most advantageous . During several days the tendril or internodesor both

, , spontaneously revolve with a steady motion . The tendril strikes some object , and quickly curls round and firmly grasps ifc . In the course of some hours ifc contracts into a spire , dragging up the stem , and forming an excellent spring . AH movements noiv cease . By growth the tissues soon become ivonderfully strong and durable . The tendril has done its work , and done ifc in au admirable manner . —Popular Science Review .

Literary Extracts.

LITERARY EXTRACTS .

A GREEK BAPTISE . —An altar is made of a chest of drawers in the house , the priest is a married man ; nurse , baby , godfather , but neither father nor mother are present , and the ceremonj' begins . First , the child ' s face is signed Avith the cross ; then blown into by way of exorcism ; then it is anointed ; then basons of hot and

cold water are poured into the font . The little fellow had been yelling lustily up to this time , but the bath soothed and quieted Mm . With one hand the priest poured water plentifully upon his head , then lifted him out and dipped him a second time . But instead of effusion it was this time complete immersion . Placing

his hand over the child's mouth and nose , he plunged ifc completely under , three times in succession . The Greek Christians skilfully avoid the vexed question of " sprinkling or immersion , " on which so much breath has been vainly spent , by combining both methods . If a child three times sprinkled and three times dipped is not

sufficiently baptised , the ordinance had better be set aside . The screaming and half strangled babe was laid on a warm cloth ; and while the nurse dried his body ,

the priest cut tour bits of hair irom the top of his head ( in the form of a cross , of course ) , and threw them into the font . A gaudy dress of blue and white , with a lace cap—the godfather ' s gift—was then produced and the priest proceeded to clothe the child . It was an act of great solemnity , accompanied by a short service , Avherein

each article assumed a spiritual significance . Thus : — " I endoAV thee with the coat of righteousness , " and on Avent the coat : — " I crown thee with the cap of grace , " and he put it on : — " I clothe thee with the shirt of faith . " This terminated the ceremony , so far as the little Christian was concerned . He was now quiet enough , and in a few minutes afterwards , I saw him sleeping the sleep of

peace in the next room . A hymn of praise and thanksgiving , interspersed Avith the reading of chapters from the Bible was still necessary , and lasted some fifteen or twenty minutes longer . —Bayard Taylor . RAILAA ' AY TICKETS . —No rude hand is alloAved to tamper wifch them . A special department is allotted to them , Avith a special superintendent , and a special staff of assistants . They may be purchased in a ] 3 artly-printed state , or singly as oblong bits of Avhite or coloured cardboard , at a shilling or tAvo per thousand . If the

company print their OAVU tickets , there are founts of type for the printers , and beautiful machines for giving to each ticket , as it passes through the press , a number different from that of every other ticket of the same kind ; the machine registers its oivn work , and piles the tickets up infco dense columnar masses , in which the Avhole of Shem take their places according to their

numbers . Millions upon millions are required every year by each of the great companies . Each station masteror booking clerk sends to the superintendent of the department for supplies as fast as he wants them , and as there are tickets from every station to almost every other station , Avith single and return tickets , and also tickets for different classes of carriages , the total number

of kinds is almost incredible . When every farthing is accounted for taken by the booking clerks for these tickets , and all matters squared up , then , and not till then , are fche battered old tickets consigned to the pulp vat , there to be worked up again into new cardboard ' and neiv tickets . —Dickens' All the Year Bound . THE BLOODHOUNDS OI * THE WEST INDIES . —Esquemeling , who Avrote a history of the buccaneering expeditions in which he and his lawless comrades engaged , says that he had found in these hiding-places heaps of human remains