Masonry In Africa.

the dark beauties , How could the brethren thus tvillc with the prevailing foible of the sex !—"There was what is called the Apron Dance Quadrille . Eight Freemasons took off their aprons , ancl tied each to his partner . During the third figure , every Mason was to whisper the Masonic secret to the lady who was his t-is-u-ris ; at least so it was understood . Accordingly there was great excitement and expectation

among the gentler sex . " We placed ourselves behind a lady who had agreed to whisper the secret , to us as soon as she had learnt it ; and as the third figure commenced , our heart heat , our hands nervously clutched , the coat of a friend standing by . Oh , the agony of such suspense ! Our lady friend has advanced , returned , then the balancer ,. Couples have changed places , advance of lady and gentleman , the latter ( it was the mayor ) has bent down , he is whispering something to the lady . She smiled—she has returned to her place . She seems ashamed to look us

in the face . * What is it ? ' we ask , as impatiently as politeness will allow , and in faltering accents , ' CHEESE ! ' is the answer . —AVe enquired afterwards of all the ladies who had joined in the apron dance . One declared that the secret was ' Beef and Greens , ' another that it was ' Bacon and Cabbage , ' another said it was ' Potatoes ; ' and in every case the answer was evasive . "

To crown the whole , we find an appetite for the good things of this life developed which must , wc should think , be classed as a blessing indeed so near the line : — " The supper was excellent . Everybody was hungry , thirsty . Mid cnsevEul , and when tho ladies had been attended to , the gentlemen set to , with a dogged determination , to enjoy themselves , cost what it might—really we never witnessed a scene where there was such universal enjoyment . Those who couldn't eat , drankthose who wouldn't drink , ate—those who ivould neither eat nor drink , talked to the ladies . "

The brethren ' s exertions have been made , we find—as becomes Masons , in the view of ameliorating a deficient condition of society . That they will succeed in their endeavours we cannot doubt ; since in addition to their object being good in itself , they have the invaluable aid ofthe West African Herald , whose remarks are concluded in the following words : —

" Looking at the Masonic ball in every point of view , we must say that the AVorshipful Master , AVardens , and Brethren , of the Gold Coast Lodge of Free aud Accepted Magons , have achieved a great triumph whereof they may justly be proud . They have inaugurated a new and agreeable state of things . They have brought together people who ought to have known , but did not know , each other . They have proved beyond all dispute that there are on the Gold Coast abundant materials for pleasant and intelligent social entertainment , it remains now , for the residents of the Coast to follow up the excellent example that has been set them . "

THE BOARD OF B ESEVOLEKCE . —Every Master of a Lodge is a member of the Board of Benevolence , on which he ought never , ou any account , to neglect attendance—because his absence might cause expenditure which his presence ivould probably chock ; or be the means of preventing a more liberal dispensation of relief ; in cither case the Master is reprehensible ; for in the one the funds would be abused , and in the other some unfortunate brother ivould necessarily suffer loss . — Dr . Oliver .