Masonic Reminiscences.

their hiding places , and began to symbolize all sorts of impertinences , — one red-headed fellow thrust his thumb into his ear , as if winding up some machinery in his head which caused an unseemly protrusion of the tongue , another affected to turn his leg into a mock rifle , and was deliberately covering her with the point of his toe , others played the most grotesque antics with the tips of the thumbs to their noses—and some ,

we blush to add , invited her attention to parts where there were no noses ; all sorts of grinders , and hurdy-gurdies were imitated , until it became a scene of general roaring , screaming , fun . There , however , stood the fierce tigress at bay , with distended nostril , and fiery eye , ready for a spring' upon any unfortunate , who should unwarily venture near enough , but taught wisdom by experience , they kept a safe , if not a civil distance .

The crowd now increasing , she deemed it time to retreat , but was first resolved to convey to all around , some strong expression of her supreme and indignant contempt , and lifting her dress , so as to give her huge leg full scope and freedom , she let fly a sweeping kick at all creation , more particularly meant , however , for the ruffians of T . C ., which she charitably hoped to see one day in ruinsand all its inmates hanged . In

, performing this feat , she made a pirouette on her left pedestal , which brought her " right about face" to her shop , into which she darted , slamming the door with such a bang , as to send several panes of glass to shivers .

The measure of unfortunate Phil ' s misery seemed now Ml to overflowing , for he had not proceeded many yards before he met the Colonel , who found some difficulty in recognising his nephew , in the hatless , forlorn , and ridiculous object before him . All was soon explained , Phil entreated , with gushing tears , to be sent home , and his uncle , seeing that he was likely to follow in the footsteps of his father , and become the victim of

reckless wags , and a standing butt for practical jokes , made up his mind to gratify him : so , Phil returned to Simpson Hall , a melancholy instance of home spun simplicity , and of the evil effects of parental indulgence . And Phil was as welcome to his home , and to that "home of homes , " a fond mother ' s heart , as if he had returned laden down with the fairest fruits of the tree of knowledge , filled with all the wisdom of the past

, and crowned with the bays of a world-wide fame . Strange , mysterious , inscrutable , yet how surpassingly beautiful , is that providence of maternal love , which concentrates her strongest and most abiding affections on the feeble , the deformed , perhaps the most worthless of her offspring ; loving for its very helplessness the little delicate tendril which " cannot flourish alone , " but which is fondly , closely , turned round

every chord of her affections , nestles in her heart of hearts—and often , as the climbing parasite , round some fair tree , will absorb its health , and nourishment , and in its fond , but fatal embrace , sow the seed of that canker , that will one day leave it a leafless and withered trunk—even so , the unrepining mother , doting , as it were , upon ruin , bestows all the tenderest feelings , stirred from the very depths of her heart , upon that little puling , pale , and sickly thing , imperceptibly planting within her