Red Cross Knights.

orty , lie was defeated by a young competitor , Mons . Prevost Paradot , Avho obtained his seat in that august assembly by a small majority , owing to political influence . We have given the article in another page , there are points in it which amply entitle it to the careful perusal and attention of the Craft . The Secretary having concluded the reading of this article , Bros . E . Jaboneau and Capt . Ph . Lo Jeune were proposed as joining members . Several matters of routine were disposed of ,

and the lodge was closed at half past nine in love and perfect harmony . AA ' e must not omit to add that for the translation of Mons . Martin ' s paper , as also of the address delivered by Bro . Schmitt , we are indebted to our excellent brother and esteemed correspondent Dr . II . Hopkins .

Isle Of Man.

ISLE OF MAN .

RAMSEI- , —8 . Manghold Lodge ( No . 1 , 075 ) . —A lodge of emergency was held in the rooms of this lodge , Waterloo-road , on Wednesday , the 20 th ult . Bro . Rothwell , W . M ., occupied the east , whilst the west and south were occupied by Bros . J . McAA'hannell , and AA' . Hunter . The other officers and brethren present being Bros , the Re \ . Kermode , Chap . ; W . Laughlin , Sec ; G . K . Walker as J . \ A . ; R . B . Henperson , I . G .,- F . Tellet , Rev . T . Henry , Rev . J . E . Pattison , J .

J . Cleator , A . B . Skeoch , J . Higgins , R . Yeare , J . Vondy . The lodge having been opened in due form , the business of the evening was stated to be to initiate three gentlemen who had already been ballotted for and accepted . The AA' . M . then , in his usual impressive manner , initiated Mr . T . Kneale , Dr . Thompson , and Mr . R . J . Kelly . The brethren then adjourned to the ante-_ oom , when after the usual loyal aud Masonic toasts , " The Health of the Newly Initiated Brethren . " Avas proposed . The

Rev . Chaplain complimented the lodge on the acquisition of such useful members as had been that night initiated . Bro . Thomson had done good service to his country abroad , and since -lis return had , by bis gratuitous services to the poor and needy , shown that he was well fitted to become a Mason ; indeed , one of Avhom Masonry might well be proud . He also spoke in complimentary terms of the other gentlemen who had just received their first degrees , to which the brethren duly responded . After the closing toast tbe brethren separated in love and harmony .

Poetry.

Poetry .

CHRISTMAS DAY—AN ACROSTIC . < 3 heerful Masons ! greet the season , H eaven-sent joys are thine or " ours" to-day ; It ugged as may be the footpath I n life ' s ordinary way . S weet it is to welcome yearly—T bink of , perhaps , for weeks before ; 51 any pure endearing pleasures

, A 11 may hope to have in store . S eldom are we disappointed . D o as Masons should—oar best—A 11 around to render happy , Y outh and age will both be blest . L . TWINING

The Week.

THE WEEK .

V THE COURT . —The Queen drove out on the afternoon of the T 2 th inst ., accompanied by Princess Louise , and her Majesty Avalked in the grounds on the morning of the 13 th inst ., accompanied by her Royal Highness . The Queen walked out in the afternoon , attended by the Marchioness of Ely . It being the anniversary of the Queen ' s great sorrow , her Majesty , accompanied by the Royal Family , went to the Royal Mausoleum at Frograore , and remained there some time . The Dean of

AVindsoi- attended , and read prayers and portions of Scripture selected for the occasion . Afcer the Queen ' s return to the Castle , the Mausoleum was , by her Majesty ' s command , opened for all the members of the household , including the servants , residents within the Castle , and most of her Majesty ' s tradesmen in AA'indsor , to visit it . The Queen , with their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Christian , Princess Louise , Prince Leopold

Princess Beatrice , and Prince Henry of Prussia , left the Castle on the morning of tiie 15 th inst ., at five minutes past eleven o ' clock for Osborne . The Queen , their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Christian , Princess Louise , Prince Leopold , Princess Beatrice , and Prince Henry of Prussia arrived at Osborne at ten minutes before three o ' clock . Her Majesty crossed over

from Gosport in the Royal yacht Alberta , Captain his Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen . The Queen and Princess Louise walked and drove in the grounds on the morning of the 17 th inst . The Queen went oat in the afternoon with Princess Beatrice , and her Majesty walked and rode in the grounds on the morning of the 18 th inst . with Princess Louise . The

Queen drove out in the afternoon , accompanied by Princess Christian j and her Majesty walked and rode in the grounds on the morning of the 19 th inst ., with Princess Louise . GENERAL HOME NEAA-S . —The weekly return as to the health of London , published by the Registrar-General , is again favourable , so far as comparison with the number of deaths compared

with the average of past years will give any indication . The deaths from all causes registered were 1389 , 80 less than the average . Amongst them were 2 from cholera and 25 from diarrhoea . The annual rates of mortality for the week ending Dec . 10 th , in thirteen of the largest towns , per 1 , 000 , are reported as follows -. —Hull 19 , Bristol 20 , Birmingham 21 , London and Leeds 24 , Dublin 26 , Salford 27 , Manchester 28 ,

Sheffield 29 , Glasgow 31 , Liverpool 32 , Edinburgh 33 , and Newcastle-on-Tyne 41 . The second colliery explosion , which took place about four miles from Tunstall , although not so calamitous as the Barnsley catastrophe , is the most serious that has yet occurred in the North Staffordshire coal-field . It is believed that one hundred and thirty-seven persons have perished . The Talk-o ' -the Hill Colliery descended to a depth

of three hundred yards , and a seam of gas coal had lately been reached , the working of which was known to be dangerous . A Birmingham contemporary forcibly remarks that , "Never , since the battle of Culloden , have so many lives been lost by violence within so short a period in Great Britain . " The heroism disclosed in the reports of the second explosion at the Oaks

Colliery has never been surpassed in the history of human self-sacrifice or self-devotion . Mr . Jeffcock , the engineer , for example , was repeatedly urged to make good his escape , but he would not desert his companions , and took his chance Avith the rest , the result being that immediately after the cage into which he might have entered had reached the pit's mouth , he

and many other brave men perished in the last explosion . One man , named Brown , was on the 14 th inst . rescued from the pit . He Avas one of the volunteer searchers . How he escaped is a marvel . He seems to have Avandered about the pit through the night , stumbling over the dead , and finding his Avay at last to the mouth of the pit , where , fortunately , he succeeded

in making himself heard . A breach of promise of marriage case , Nicholls v . Fox , was tried in the Court of Queen ' s Bench . The plaintiff , Miss Nicholls , was thirty-eight or thirty-nine years of age , and the defendant , a publican , forty-one or forty-two . There was no particular interest in the case . The jury assessed the damage done to Miss Nicholls ' s feelings at £ 250 . At Bow-street a young man , calling himself Henry