'A pleasant ceremony was witnessed on Saturday afternoon at St. Xavier's School in Nanzing Road when the successful candidates at the examination received their reward and, for the occasion, the large play shed was fitted up as a theatre with shrubs and flowers on the stage. Soon after 5 o'clock the shed was pretty well filled with the relations and friends of the pupils, and among them were MonseigneurGarnier,.J., Bishop of Titopolis and Vicar Apostelic of Kiangnan; the Consuls-General for France and Germany, the Consuls for Austria and Portugal, and a number of prominent residents. The proceedings commenced with an overture by the school band, which struck up a lively tune when the Bishop arrived. This was followed by a scene from Molitre, in which a dancing master, a music master, a fencing master and a professor of philosophy have high words and ultimately come to blows during their argument as to the sui ity of their vidual professions. This was all given in English and considering that most of the actors spoke in a language which was not their mother tongue, they acquitted themselves very well. The next pice, the Wolf and the Lamb, " comic scene, was in French and was sustained principally by John Moore, the master of a school of headstrong young blockheads, i da Silva, the maire of the les-Anon, and they carried on 'reles to the life." The next item on the programme was Haydn's Symphonic d'Enfauts wherein a band composed of boys with infantile drums, trumpets and other noise-producing instruments common to the nursery, displayed their ability, with the aid of a piano, to make pleasing harmony. The conductor of the band was a youth of twelve summers, and the way he wielded the baton would have done credit to an older person. The Heirs of Uncle Coin Brass which followed was a comic duet in
and an ex-scavenger, in which the two English between an ex-erossing sweeper come into an income of $200,000, a piece of good luck that was almost too much for the mental equilibrium of one of the pair 2) who wanted to indulge in all manner of extravagances. A one act comedy in French entitled Browilles depuis Wagram came next and the parts were well sustained by Champein, an invalid of 64 years, (Victor Bone)
Vergeot, an invalid G4 years of age (Frederick Perkins); Isidore, Cham-bein's nephew, a sergeant of the Ist Zouaves(Philip Tavares); and Frangais, godson of Vergeot, and a working book-binder. 'The scene was laid in the garden of 'Hotel des Invalides in 1853. Champein and Ver-geat, weteransof Napoleon'sarmy, pensioners in the Hotel des Invalides, have been at swords' points with each other ever since the battle of Wagram. Isidore, having served his time in the army, wishes to take the direction of a printing-office at Auteuil, offered him by his colonel, provided he finds a trustworthy foreman. He has set his choice upon Vergeot's godson; but Peace Frangais has just drawn an unlucky number in the conscription and will soon out to service unless he secures a substitute. The two friends can make up the required sum of money for this substitute, and nothing is wanting but the mutual consent of their guardians, Though pleased at Isidore's proposal, Vergect, who wishes to overcome Champein's obstinacy, refuses his consent unless it is asked for by Champein himself. Prevailed upon by Isidore, Champzin then has an interview with Vergeot in which he uses such insulting language, that he is. challenged to a duel, which is happily prevented by Isidore's amounting to Champein the death of his antagoni This information is not correct but it causes Champein to repent his former conduct and brings about a reconciliation. A performance by the band followed. It was entitled Cine heitere Schlittenpartie, in whichareintroduced the cracking of whips, the jingling of bells and the other accompaniments attending a aleigh ride.
The first part of the programme gave much satisfaction and pleasure to the audi ence and the second part, namely, the dit tribution of the prizes, afforded similar, if Deloss oumlited ote gooillyama ver st backs not greater pleasure to the pupils. These
and wreaths which were distributed to the boys by Bishop Garnier. The afternoon's exhibition shows how careful and pains+ taking the Fathers at the school have been to train and teach the children under their care. The school re-opens on the 2ud of September.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.