The Three Grand Lodges.

Masonic canopy there , is powdered with Saints . Nevertheless , such is . the case , and is the more surprising , seeing that the Saintocracy have had a poor time of it in Scotland since the Reformation in 1560 , previous to which very few lodges had been estabhshed . It is refreshing to note , amidst

the long procession of canonised mortals , a half dozen , or so , of p lain useful Operatives , an Ancient Brazen , and several other Ancients . Emblems of the spirit of brotherly affection , and nationalit y at the same time , are noticeable in the Thistle and Rose , Thistle and Grown , Shamrock and Thistle , Brace and Thistle . Cumberland

Kilwinnins-( from Port Glasgow ) , Caledonians , and Celtic , come forward . King Robert the Bruce is there also , and so is Fingal , his Hig hland predecessor . Neptune appears along with Camper down and Trafalgar , who have no ri ght to be there , though they be splendidly

arrayed , and Arcadia following them , calls up shepherds , music and Greece . What could have prompted Scotchmen to pitch upon the name Innocents ? Surely they had forgot or disregarded the fact that in their native tongue the commonest acceptation of the word is " harmlesslinsane . "

y Maj r be they had in view that in Scotland " puir innocents" have been from time immemorial objects of a more than an ordinary amount of charity ancl sympathy , ancl hoped that their title would attract a modicum of these emotions in their

direction . There is no lodge in Scotland rallying under a Masonic virtue—the one Hope , the two Harmonies , the Faith , and the Perseverance , " which acknowledge her Grand Lodge as their superior being , all situated in the West Indies . Name and place of meeting mark the difference of lodges in

Scotland ; number in Ireland ; whilst in England number and place are the principal distinctions . In conclusion , I would observe that generall y the "British , Irish , ancl Colonial Calendar" is carefully edited ancl p rinted . Some few typographical errors have crept in , however . Thus the

the note in Scottish Memorabilia ( p . 178 ) refers to page 118 for a list of G . M . ' s . It is not there but at page 185 . Lodge 160 , Ireland , has the date 1866 affixed to it , and these overlooks have been continued for a year or two . A few other very trivial mistakes mi g ht be ] 3 ointed out , which

in no way affect the substantial value of a hi g hly convenient' publication . It would have been a decided improvement had the editor deleted from the English list the names of all Masters from whose lodges no returns were received this year , as it cannot be supposed that one-third of the brethren who held that position towards the close of 1862 now do so . The rotation of office bearers

is more regular ancl rapid in- England than m Scotland . A liberal curtailing of designations where the lods-e and the town of meeting- have the same name would also have been a judicious operation . On the whole the Annual is much improved , and , though late , is heartily welcome .

The Portrait—A Mason's Story.

THE PORTRAIT—A MASON'S STORY .

( From the Masonic Monthly , Boston , TJ . S . ) I shall never forget the story told by brother S—— , at one of our sodality meetings at B , S . 0 ., in the winter of 186-. Among the officers of the various regiments stationed there at the time , were several brethren of the " mystic tie , " and ifc was no unusual thing for some of us to meet together of an evening for the

purpose of passing a "lecture . " On such occasions , after spending an hour or more in rehearsal , we usually fell into social conversation , and not rmfrequently we would find the whole of our little company listening to a story from one of our number . One evening , something in the conversation reminded brother S ¦ of the history of a portrait , which he thought might , perhaps ,

interest us , and upon our expressing an eagerness to hear it , he consented to tell ifc . My memory will only allow me to recall the principal points of the story , but I shall never forget how completely our attention was absorbed at the recital . There was a certain something- in the manner in which ifc was told—something peculiarly attractive in the tones of his voice—which lent an unusual charm to the narration .

"You probably all know , said Bro . S , "that I am not a native of this country . I was born in the old and respectable city of , in Germany , a city long famed for its university , and where my story begins . Among those who earned a scanty livelihood by leasing lodging-rooms to tho students of the university , and keeping them in order , was a widow . She had scarcely

reached what men call the prime of life , but no one could look upon hor countenance , without being conscious that her lob in life had been deeply tinged with sorrow . Left with a young famil j ' , without means of support , save her own hands , her years of widowhood had been little else than years of constant struggling with poverty .

" Among her lodgers was one student , whose pale face and frail form had often attracted her notice , as he passed to and fro from the university . Aud she often wondered if he had a mother , and if that mother knew that her boy was overtasking himself , and that his face grew isaler day by day . Of his history she knew nothing . He was too shy and reserved for one in her

position to question ; and he seemed to shun the company of his fellow students , and to bo wholly wrapt iu his studies ,- —scarcely allowing himself to be absent a moment from his room , excepfc to afcfcend to his recitations and lectures , and his hasty meals .

"Months passed away , and the only change in . the pale-faced student was a deeper palor , and a more reserved demeanour . But such a course of life could not be of long duration , and at last nature gave way . The student fell suddenly and violently ill . The widow hastened to his bedside , and tended him with a mother ' s care . For a time his life hung tremblingly in the

balance ; reason tottered on her throne ; but by day and by night the gentle hand of woman ministered to his wants . She doubtless remembered her own dear boyher first born—whom she had not seen for these five long , long years . He had gone , with a mother's prayers and blessing , to the new world , where , under the advice aud patronage of a relative , he hoped soon to be

able , by his earnings , to assist his mother in supporting herself and her little ones . He , too , might fail sick among strangers , and in his agony , like the j > oor boy before her , call in vain for a mother ' s kiss . As she thought of this , her heart yearned for her sick charge as if he were her own boy . "At length the crisis passed , reason returned , and

nature began slowly to recover her lost sway . The student daily expressed his gratitude to his kind nurse , for her unwearied watching and care , and hoped that she might never want a friend in time of need . Of his own