Facts And Fancies.

post of Secretary to the Palestine Exploration Fund , for which Society , in conjunction with the late Professor Palmer , whose intimate friend he was , he wrote a " History of Jerusalem , " a most valuable book for Biblical students . He still retains his connection with the Society , and is greatly interested in Palestine work . He is , or was , till quite recently , Treasurer of the Home Arts and

Industries' Association , a most useful Society , which , by its endeavors to bring back to villages the arts and industries which have now been entirely transferred to great towns , is doing excellent work ' . He is also the originator and mainstay of the Incorporated Society of Authors , whose chief object is to adjust equitably the

position and claims of authors and publishers . No sketch of Bro . Besant would be adequate without some mention of his views on the " Woman Question . " They are to be found in such books as the " Revolt of Man , " a farcical book unworthy of its author ; and another more serious , and from many , ' points of view

very truthful one , called " Katharine Regina . " Briefly , it seems to be this—that it is best and right and natural for women to be happy wives and mothers . When this is not possible , women must work , but the work must not be of a heavy or exhausting kind , and then only if there be no male belonging to support her . Whether this view , in opposition to the latest one promulgated by Mrs . Mona

Caird , is right or not , time alone can show ; but no woman can fail to be grateful to Bro . Besant for the chivalry and reverence that he invariably shows to her sex . In appearance , he is a small , rather thick-set man , with kind , short-sighted eyes , a good-humored , genial face , and a long brown beard ; in fact , he looks exactly what he

iskind , good-humored , tolerant of other people ' s errors , and very willing to give a young literary brother or sister a helping-hand . Hampstead people know him well by sight , and he may often be seen ascending the hill on his way home , where his fair , beautiful , rosy children are expecting him . * # *

BRO . WILLIAM WILSON , C . E ., IN THE WEST INDIES On November 17 , 1870 , I left Southampton in order to proceed to San Domingo , in the West Indies , to examine and report upon the proposed Dominican Railway from Santiago to the Bay of Samana . The weather soon became most violent , and so stormy

and rough that our voyage extended far beyond the expected time . The coal was all used up , so we had to burn some of the ship timber , and it was decided that some of the passengers' baggage should be sacrificed ; although the storm abated and the weather brightened , we did not cast anchor at St . Thomas until December 7 .

In consequence of this terrible voyage , and our being so long overdue , all the corresponding packets had departed , and we were assured there was no alternative but to remain until the arrival of

the next steamer from Southampton . The amount of illness and frequent deaths from yellow fever was now something awful . We tried every means to get away from the place , and even endeavored to hire a small ship , but the cost was so great that I could not afford it myself , nor tax my business with the cost . At this time a boat came into the harbor , which was proceeding on its

own business to San Domingo . Every effort was made by my friends to induce the officers to take me with them , but as it was not a passenger ship the proposal could not be entertained . Meeting the captain at a dinner hospitably given to us , I discovered that he was a Freemason , and when he found that I was one also , he

immediately agreed to take me along with him , and never was I more thankful in my life than when I got away from the low-lying and unhealthy place which we had inhabited at St . Thomas , although before reaching our destination the ship struck upon a rock , and but for the fine weather we might have all been lost , as

we had to land in small boats . After these voyages of great peril , I reached the Island of San Domingo , and prepared to cross to Porta Plato to examine and report upon Samana Bay , and consider the route for the line of railway which I had gone to inspect . Th-sre was no means of travelling except upon mules and horseback , and when I started on my journey across country , I hired at the city

three horses , and engaged two men as guides , and an interpreter , and loaded the horses with instruments , baggage , provisions , and water , and at an early hour in the morning we started off . On tlie second day out we attempted to cross the River Nieva , being assured by the guide that it was a place where it would be safe to cross over on horseback . No sooner had we got well into the stream than we

all suddenly sank in the depth of the water . Wc managed to save our lives by swimming , but the horses were all drowned , and some of our baggage and the whole of our provisions were carried away and lost . Having got our clothes dried , we started on our journey on foot , carrying what was left , and walking through a dense forest of prickly

trees until next day , without any food or drink became quite exhausted , and saw no hope of getting to the end of our troubles . We were all in despair , when my interpreter said to me , " The other night at San Domingo Hotel I heard you talking to a gentleman , and I gathered from your conversation that you are a

Freemason . " " Yes , " I said , "I am . " Then said he , "I know there is a family of tobacco-growers up among the mountains over there , " Dointing towards the hills , " who have been expelled from

Cuba in consequence of their being Freemasons , and , if we can manage to get there , perhaps they would assist you with what you require to continue our journey . " So after a long day ' s struggle through the forest , without food or drink , we succeeded in getting up to the house , and , upon inquiry , we found the proprietor , and explained to him the sad accident which had occurred , and the

fearful state we were all in , and begged him to give us help . He supplied us with a little food and drink , but refused anything further . We were in such a fearful condition that it seemed quite impossible for us to proceed . I found that my guide had not mentioned the Freemasonry . He now said to me , " May I explain to

him that you are a Freemason ? " I said , " Yes , do , do . " And we went again up to the house , and , after a little delay , the proprietor appeared , and my guide told him that I was a Freemason , and that he had heard that he was one also , and , if so , perhaps he would render us the assistance we required . His answer ( in Spanish ) was ,

" No , I am not a Freemason , but my daughter is , and if she will assure me that you are a Freemason , I will give you the assistance you require . "

After a short delay the daughter was introduced to me . Dolores Torros was her name , and I shall never forget her , for she was handsome in appearance , and most kind and intelligent . She conducted me into a chamber , closed and fastened up the door , and put me through a most strict examination , and even corrected me in the termination of one word . After she had completed her

investigation she took me down and introduced me to her father , and told him that she had proved me to be a member of the Craft , and told him that he must provide me with horses and provisions , and everything necessary to proceed on the journey . After a further stay of about two hours we received three horses and good

food and drink , and after an affectionate farewell we started off . My guide told me that he had ascertained that Dolores Torros had been made a Mason in Texas , in the United States , where it is possible for a lady to enter the Craft .

An autograph hunter recently received from Bro . Mark Twain the following vigorous and pertinent reply to a request for his autograph—the best of the joke being that the letter was written and signed on the type-writer : — " I hope I shall not offend you ; I shall certainly say nothing with the intention to offend you . I must explain myself , however , and I will do it as kindly as I can . What you ask me to do , I am asked to do as often as one-half dozen

times a week . Three hundred letters a year ! One ' s impulse is to freely consent , but one ' s time and necessary occupations will not permit it . There is 110 way but to decline in all cases , making no exceptions , and I wish to call your attention to a thing which has probably not occurred to you . and that is this : That no man takes pleasure in exercising his trade as a pastime Writing is my tradeand I

. , exercise it only when 1 am obliged to . You might make your request ofa doctor , or a builder , or a sculptor , and there would be no impropriety in it , but if j'ou asked either of these for a specimen of his trade , his handiwork , he would be justified in rising to a point of order . It would never be fair to ask a doctor for one of his corpses to remember him by . ''