LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 472, 20 December 1875, Page 3

LITERATURE.

DR SEYMOUR. BV NAECISSA ROSAVO, AUTIIOK OJP "POLLY." {Concluded.) 'Ah!' she exclaimed, 'I thought I was alone. Ten days ! and it is a full week now since this was written. I must go and answer this old friend's letter at once. I hope you will excuse me, Doctor Seymour.' She stood up, trembling with excitement. As she did so, her companions unfortunate epistle fell from her lap to the floor. He picked it up, and in so doing recognised it as that which had once been his property, but which had ceased so to be on leaving his possession, and which he certainly had had no right whatever to attempt to recall. lie now stood silently with it in his hand, like a man in a maze. Miss Pemberton looked at at him, and remembered all their mystification concerning this letter, and his subsequent behaviour. She'saw there was something which needed telling, ami she forced herself, by a strong effort of will, to put her own affairs aside for a while, and attend to the matter in hand. ' That letter from you came some time back ?' she remarked, in an inquiring tone. The doctor looked at his companion with a distracted and anxious expression in his face. ' And what did she think of my presumption ? What must she have thought of me for avoiding her, as I have done, all this week, and for never looking or asking for an answer 'i But everything is in a confusion. I did not know this letter had reached her, and I fully believed she was either wholly or half engaged to her cousin.' ' You never were more mistaken in your life,' Miss Pemberton said, laughing heartily as she thought of Jim again. By degrees the whole story came out. The doctor had returned home at once on leaving the house in the afternoon. He had taken out and opened the letter Haynes had given him, intending to destroy it, and had thus discovered that a mistake had been made. As the gatekeeper afterwards confessed, he<had been puzzled between the two envelopes, which on being compared were certainly found to be very much alike ; but when the doctor received the letter handed to him as his own, and pocketed it as such, the man naturally thought there could certainly be no cause for uneasiness in the matter, and he said nothinc .v«ui oeymour asK<Wia Q sT, In a helpless, despairing tone Miss Pemberton laughed. ' 1 will send Fllen down v. give you her answer, she - "■>■..a 'I really ~n is t go upstairs now and write letter.'

When her epistlo was an d sent off to the post, she returned to si ie sittingroom. The doctor was still there. Ellen was again in possession of her rocking cWr, and pussy was happy on her lap. The scene was a very peaceful one, and the new comer saw at once that the much talked-of proposal had now been properly urged in the right quarter, and had been accepted. ' How could I ever have imagined we were goi'g to be a pair of cross old maids ?' sl.e mentally ejaculated ; but she was outwardly very proper and sober over the affair, and offered her congratulations with due solemnity. It was quite impossible not to feel just a little hungry, however, so she asked the doctor to stay and have dinner with them, as it was ready, or nearly so. This invitation, and a subsequent one—that he would at least return to tea —had never theless to be refused, as he suddenly remembered that there were at loast fifteen patients to be seen before midnight. Perhaps it was, after all, as well that he could not spend the evening at the house, as the second post arrived just then, and with it came a note from James Compton, who very humbly and properly expressed much gratitude for being forgiven for not having done something of which he was wholly ignorant. If permitted, ho would come to tea and bring his secret in his pocket. He then hoped to hear the whole history of the practical joke. He professed great admiration of the feminine mind and genius, but he was sorry to be obliged to state that in this case he thought these powers had led his fair relatives astray, in making them conceive that even the superior abilities of a man were equal to the talk of disproving connection with the unknown. The ladies pocketed some of their just indignation against the offender, and greeted him with civil dignity for the sake of his secret, which was in due course produced in the shape of a wedding ring, having the name of the future wearer engraved within its rim. ' This is quite a conclave of family secrets,' Miss Pemberton remarked, with blushing pomposity. 'We have two to communicate also, being both engaged to be married, as well as you ; but as the gentlemen are not by, our mysteries cannot be revealed so gracefully as your story has been.' ' I have told mine with a whoop,' Jim observed, with assumed innocence. The outrageousness of this pun did much to reinstate him in his cousins' good graces, and they both gave him their warmest congratulations. After awhile quits were cried on both sides, although Jim stood out long and valiantly, but vainly, for the history of the practical joke. It was never told him. The two ladies were married to their re spective husbands on the same day, and have lived happily ever since.

1.0.0. F., M U The half-yearly meeting of the Lytte'.ton district branch whs held at Akaroa on 'he 16th ; present, Brothers W. H. Turner, P.G.M.; J. Sowden, acting for W. Hillier, D.Q.M., who wag unavoidably absent ; J. S. Jenkins, 0.8. ; and the following delegates : From Ciry of Norwich PG. Hobbs, P.P.G.M. Sowden, P GO. Burns. From Good Intent Lodge— P.O. Duxbury, PS Whitfield. From Timaru Lodge P.G. Simnson. i'.G Podgett. Fmra Waimat Lodge—P.G. Silveria. From Hand of Friend ship Lodge—Sec G Bishop. The Provincial Grand Masterde'ivered the following address: —Worthy Deputy-Grand Master and Delegates,—l am glad that this half-yearly meeting is held in this place, as it is now some years since one has taken place in Akaroa ' I will not detain you long I daresay you have seen the report of the last annual moveable committee, which w;ts held at Newport, Scuth Wales; I learn from it that the Unity numbered on the J°t of last January 496,520 members. At the May meeting the Grand Master estimated that at the usual rate of increase there were more than half a million members. The receipts for 1874 were no less than £625,000, and the payments for sickness and funerals £396,000. The estimated gain for the year wua £229,368, while the total capital was estimated at £3,706,336. With such facts as these before them the Grand Master miy well have felt justified in saying the Manchester Unity continued to hold the first place not only in respect of numbers and funds, but also in promoting the policy for which it was intended. The principal business for you to consider is the division of the district and the opening of a new lodge at Pigeon Bay. I may mention the number of of lodges in the district and the number of members last autumn :—City of Norwich Lodge, 173; Good Intent (Akaroa), 51; Heart of Friendship (Waimate), 43 ; Hand of Friendship (Okain's), 19 ; Timaru Lodge, 64 ; total, 350. Resolved Pigeon Bay to open a lodge be acceded to." On the application to form a district branch in South Canterbury being considered, much desultory conversation took place, but the general feeling seemed to be that there should only be one large district. The matter was allowed to stand over for the present. An application was received from the Loyal City of Norwich Lodge for refund of funeral money for late brother John Hobbs. Resolved—" That the same be paid." Thn following officers were nominated: — P.D G.M Hillier to be P.G.M next term; P.G. Podceu to beD.i.M.; Bro M'William to be auditor. Kesoived —" That the delegates' fees be paid." Advantages was takeu of the occasion of the district meeting being held in Akaroa by the Loyal Good Intent Lodge to present their Past Secretary Whitfield with a handsome timepiece, and the P.G.M. was asked to undertake the pleasing duty, which was done gracefully with a few appropriate remarks. Past Secretary Whitfield said, in accepting the gift, that he should endeavour to retain the confidence of his lodge, and use his best endeavours to promote its interest. The meeting then adjourned.