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AGREATSECRET; 0n reentering the hired carriage in which aha had come, Madame de Lancry gave the direction â€" f‘ Fqbrique _ Fourgier, Sgint Pierre.” As she drove along the straight sandy road she saw, a. little before the point where the canal comes in sight, the small, slight figure of a shabbin dressed girl hurry- ing along at the side of the road. Madame de Lmncry glanced at her carelessly, but did not recognise her as any one she held seen before. On arriving at: the factory, she sent in a message, asking whether M. Victor Fournier could spare her a. few minutes. She had scarcely time to lean back in her carriage when the young fellow hurried out to her, flushed and radiant at the unexpected sight of her. _.b..- __ "V" “ Are you very busy ‘2” said she, smiling withiher most peraugsive manner. How charming she was, he thought, 9.5 she leant back, without taking the pains to be extremely vivacious, as one half of the ladies he knew capable of this sort ot ad- venture would have been, or inconceivably languid, like the remaining half! How sweet, how new, her attitude of business- like seriousness Wasl It’was, in fact, so business-like, so serious, that a moment‘s doubt clouded the young Frenchman‘s in- fatuated happiness. This doubt was delici- ously dispelled by her‘flrst words. “ Does not that seem strange? Your father is a rich man; so must Mr. Berea- ford be. Take my advice, do not let your- self be hurried into this marriage until your aunt’s will is proved.” She saw immedi- ately that these words were taken by the young fellow for a. flattering sign of j enlousy. She added : “ What if Mr. Beresford, care- ful as he seems, is imperilling his own for- tune by private speculation ? That is what the erratic conduct of his confidential clerk Smith suggests to me.” “ Th,en com-gifiith nm a little way. I'm so dull; I haven‘t seen anybody but my husband sinceâ€"jyestge‘rday. ” The impressionable young Frenchman opened the carriage-door promptly, and took the seat she oflered him beside her. “ Where shsll I tell himto drive to, ma.- "More pleased than ever, Victor told the coachman to take the Guines road, and then turned to the lady, still scarcely believing in his own good fortune. Amon the local pseudo-beauties he was considers danger- ous by his rivals, irresistible by himself; but this fascinating new-comer belonged to another world, and with her one could not be so sure of one’s powers. "Yes and no, madame. “Mr. Beresford is an oracle with my father, who sees in all thisasmart stroke of business, which he admires They are partners, and what ‘is good for one is good for both. I almost think that, on condition of this arrangement, my father has consented to my receiving with Miss Beresford no dot at all.” Vicwriwho was in debt, took the alarm at once. “‘76,. anywhere, anywhereâ€"out of the town for a. little While." - “Take my advice. Be on the watch for Smith’s comings and goings. Mr. Beres- ford is in feeble health; you are deeply in love, of course, with his daughter. Make one or the other of these excuses for can stunt attendance at ‘ Les Bouleaux,’ and watch the effect; of Mr. Smith’s visits on Mr. Beresford. Speculation is gambling; watch for the gambler’s elation, the ambler’s depression, the gnmbler's irrita- Eility in Mr. Beresford's manner, and, if you find the signs hard to read, come to “713.571 Eévrer‘ too busy to be at your com mantis, madame." . . u... 1v “ What can I do, madame? I dare not hint such a thing to my father. I cannot prpxg i_t for mygelf." dame uII am.afra.id i made a. very inopportune appearance at ‘Les Bouleaux’ yesterday. Your fiancee did not seem pleased to see “Then is very scrwge, is it not? You have an aunt who has not; seen you since you were a. child, who never cared much about; you, who scarcely remembers your existence. Mr. Beresford lives in the same town with her for a. few weeks ; he is avari- cious, he has a marriageable daughter who has not previously occupied much of his thoughts. He returns from Nice, sends for his daughter, engeges her to you, and short- ly afterward you learn that; a fortune has been left you by your aunt, on condition of your marrying an English girl. Has the matter sttuck you in _this light ‘2” “ With that fortune there is a condition -â€"-I must mg.er an English g_irl_.” Madame de Lanny Etartgd. but for a few moments she said nothing. Then she look- edrgghim penetratingly. “ fun don’t care for Miss Beresford, Vic- tor ‘2" she said at last. Ha shrugged his shouiders. “ Madame, I care for her as one cares for the case and the straw in which one receives a present of choice wiue: the wine could not come without them. but when it has come they are in the way." “ Madame, how can I thank you ‘2” “ There is no need for thanks at all,” said she, with simple maguanimity, in which Victor could detect no venom. “ I shall be too happy if I can help you against the fraud of a. apeculator or the avarice of a. miser." She told Victor to direct the driver to re. turn ; and the young man’s cupidity had been so successfully aroused that she found no difficulty in keeping his admiration under the strictest control until he leit the wrriage at the outskirts of the town. She looked after him with a shrewd expression on her face. "‘V‘Madam, she did not know how much reason she hat! to be @isglegseds’j 7 Madame de Lancry looked at: him steadily, but without showing either gratification or annoyance m; his wo_rds1 H “Ah, ‘les beaux yeux de sa. cassette ’ are the attraction. \Vhy, Victor, you are avari‘ cious at threeâ€"four-and-twenty ! \Yhat do you want with this uufledged little creaâ€" ture's dot, you who have just had a fortune left you 2” “Ah, but, madameâ€"” began the young man eagerly ; and then he henitated. “ Well I” 7“ A very good ferret for the second hole,” she said to. herself ; “ and now for the third." She was thoughtfvl and preoccupied as she drove back to the hotel, and went up- stairs to her sitting-room. At the door her 9" SHALL IT OR, attention was auddenlv roused by the sound of a high, excited girl’s voice inside. She turned the nandle and went in, guessing who the intruder was. Her husband was sitting, silent and solemn, by the stove, and in front of him, pouring forth torrents of indignant eloquence, in the attitude of a miniature Cassandra, was Peggy Bares- ford. CBAPTER XIX. The entrance of Madame de Lmncry did not in the least disconcert Peggy Beresford, who turned toward her fiercly, as if rather glad to find an opponent more worthy of her steel than the peaceful old General. “ Where is Gerald? What have you done with him ‘2 ’ she began at once, as Madame de mery walked into the room, very composedly unfastened the clasp of her fur cloak, and seated herself in a. chair facing her husband’s as if the excited little intruder had been some over indulged domestic pet; whose capricious humors were of no consequence. At these fierce question she looked up lazily. :‘ Madeline, you are too good to me. as you always are. But I will not trouble you to read to me longer, for I cannot listen to- day. That poor child’s entreaties fill my ears. Why were you so harsh te her, Made- line? You who are so gentle, so kind !” Madame de Lancry dashed down the paper and went to the window without answering. The crust of her habitual calmness was broken up, and passion was flashing in her great eyes. The General rose slowly from his chair, followed her to the window, and called her softly, “_Madeline, Madeline." “ My good child, don‘t you know that these uncivilised attacks are the luxury of the very poor, and are quite out of place be- tween~people like you and me? Now run away home, like the good little savage you are at heart, and I will make no complaint to your father about your impertiuent in- truaion.” “Madeline. you will answer me, I am sure. You are never discourteous to me." There was such simple dignity in his ap- peal that she reluctantly moved so that he could see her side-face, and bent her head slightly to shoyv that ghe was 1iste_1.1‘ing. 7‘ Téll me what; made you so unlikeuyour- self to that poor little girl. Why were you so unkind to ker ‘2 You spoke to her as if yog hated her.” _ “ It won't make any difl’erence to me if you do, for I shall never see my father again if I can help it. And I won't leave this place till I know what has become of Gerald.” She shook h'e'r shoulder fietulantly, but did not turn. ' She turned suddenly and met him face to face. Lenning against the window-frame, with the sinking April sun shining on her chestnuthsir, and on her glittering, feverish eyes, she showed her husband fo the first time in their married life, what anner of “ Then we shall enjoy the pleasure of your society for some time, my child. Gerald Staunton is now occupied with busi- ness far too important for him to be dis- tracted by any wild and childish whims of youri’ Madame de Lancry shut_the door after her with an exclamation of relief, and turned to ask her husband if she should read to him, as if glad to be rid of a dis- tasteful subject. The General thanked her with his usual elaborate courtesy, but he was not quite at ease; and she had scarcely read half a dozen lines of an article in the Gaulois on the political crisis, when he turned abruptly in his chair and inter- rupted her. women it was that he had married. Like the Circe of fable, like the Mesaalina. of his- tory, like the fairest. most daring, incarna- tion of all that is beautiful and evil, she stood before him with the fierce lightning of reckless passion playing over her beauti- ful face. “ I do hate her ?” She hissed the words out defiantly, and %et his astonished gaze with eyes still on re. She tossed back her hair with one' hand from her burning forehead, and made a step away from the window toward the door. Her husband touched the fingers of her right hand reverenth-to d_etain_h_er_. 1‘ Don't leave me like that, Madeline ; I have not treated you so badly as to deserve that. You do not one for me, I know ; but you have borne with me, and I have wor- shipped you even for that. No change in you can make me love you 1685; give me our confidence, for the sake of an old hus- end's love.” “ I am not changed. You don’t change a. letter by tearing off the envelope. The envelope has been torn off to-day for the first; time ; if you don’t like the contents of the letter, vgny, yon can throw_ i_t away.” d “ Then you won’t tell me where he is Y” The little creature turned, white and shak- ing with passionate excitement, from the handsome lady, whose face was now as hard as a. mask, to her quiet old husband, who sat watching the conflict in much anxi- ety. “ Make her tell me, do make her tell me ! You said you would help me if you could. Why don’t you make her speak ‘1” “ Now go," "she. said, in a. voice harder and colder’ than ever. “ You have intruded upgp_us lpng gnough." .Sbiveringufromvhea‘d to foot with rage, disappointment, and physical fatigue Peggy still stood before her, and hurled forth her last defiance in tones alternately harsh and broken. “ You are a. hard, selfish, cruel woman, and you have no more friendship for Gerald than you have love for your husband," she burst; out tremulously. “But I will save him from you. I don’t know Where he is, andI haven’t a penny in the world. “ But I will find him out, and go to him, and tell him how wicked you are, and how much I love him, if I have to beg my way all over Franco, and England boo." And 'With a smothered sob she gave up all attempt at maintaining her dignity, and rughed paet_h§r enemy_ out _of t_he roo_m. . “ And I am not unlike myself; I am my- self again.” “ I don,t understand you, Madeline. What has ehanged yqu like this ‘2” “ Don’t; worry my husband, dear child. [have no doubt he would do anything in his power to assist you, but this, unfortun- ately, is out of his power.” Sfié rose from he: chair and opened the dooriyvitzh a mgqufiy 11nt :9 be resisteq. DONE. Madeline stopped and stared at him, hear- ing in her husband’s tones a strange echo of the passion which had thrilled her own voice in the long past days when she had been a. slave to the cold and selfish Louis de Bre- teuil. She tried to laugh, but broke off suddenly. “ 1â€"1 am behaving verv foolishly, mon- sieur,” she said, not quite‘steadily! _m§]sjng a strong effort to recover her usual indiflerv- ent manner. “ If you will allow me to go to my room for a quarter of an hour, 1 will undertake not to trouble you with any more eruptions.” __ ... .. .- .. n “No, no, Madeline,” said the General, seizing her hand, " you shall stav with me; you shall answer my questions now. If I let you go, you will come back in ten minutes cold, calm, listless, obedient, and I shall see no more of my Wife than I see every day. Great heavens, Madeline, I am not so old nor so cold as you think. and 1 like you better as a. devil than as a. statue l” v “ Now tell me what you please,” Said he be,» gegtiyg himgqlf besidf her. He bent his still handsome head till his iron-gray moustache touched his wife's chestnut hair, and she submitted to be led back by him to the chair she had so abrupt;- ly left. .. . . . .. -‘. Madeline had been soflong used to treat- ing her husband as a cipher that it was for the first few moments rather disconcerting for her to be called upon to treat him as a. man. As he waited quite patiently for her confidence, however, she at Inst rather he- sitatingly gave it. ‘ Lyra “I have met lately, quite by chance, a personâ€"some people-who caused me great unhappiness when I was a. girl, long before I ever met you.” “ But this child, this little creature who was here to-day? Surely sheâ€"” Madeline’s face grew sullen again. “ No, I never saw her until yesterday.” “ And your reason for hating her?" “ That I cannot tell you. At least," she said quickly, “ the girl is in my way. She is in love with a lad in whom I take an in- terest, and who would be better without her. That is reason enough,_ isn’t it 7" And the General walked up to the win- dow against which she had leaned, and pic. tured her again to himself as she had stood there in her proud beauty; and forgotten fire came into his own eyes as he did so. He was on the point of turning away, to give effect straightway Ste some of his new resolutions, when, as he glanced out upen the quay, the small figure of the girl whose appearance had raised the day’s storm caught his eye. She was standing with her back toward him, looking at a ship which was being loaded for departure. A gen- darme watched her idly from a few yards off, and a couple of tiny gaming played hide-and-seek round her, without her appearing conscious of their presence. The General was interested; she looked so forlorn, so friendless; he wondered what was the thought in her mind that kept her there alone, motionless, minute after min- ute. For more than half an hour she re- mained in the same place, never once mov- ing sufficiently for him to see her face as he sat Watching her. Then a group began to gather, the last preparations were being made, the ship was goin to start. Peggy slunk out of the way 0 the little crowd. and wandered along under the hotel win- dows, glancing behind her now and then wistfully at the busy sailors she had watching ; and so, slowly, forlornly, been walking with wavering, uncertain steps, as if she had no particular ob- ject in .her lonely ramble, she passed out of the General’s sight along the broad stones of the quay. He was not satisfied; he got up and fetched his fieldvglassâ€"a toy which his wife took care to have always at hand, as it kept him quietâ€"and after allowing sufficient time for a. person to cross the mov- able bridge at the end of the quay, and to get round to the opposite side of the basin, e began to look out carefully. Before he had watched many minutes he saw again the tiny figure, a mere speck in the distance by this time, moving along more slowly than ever, stopping from time to time to look down into the green water many feet below her. A shudder passed over the General, and a fear lest the thoughts in the poor child’s mind should be darker than he had imagined: when she passed again out of sight behind the hill, he watched, in anxiety wsich absorbed his own troubles, for her re- turn within range of his glass. The sky was darkening toward evening when, to his great relief, he saw the solitary speck re- turning ; the Warmth of the April day was gone by this time ; he shut the window and shivered. His wife had not come back to renew her usual perfunctory attentions, and he was glad of it. Ringing the hell, he ordered his servant to bring him his overcoat and cap, and when the astonished man obeyed, he put them on and looked at him- self in the glass with some simple satislac- tion. The long military cloak which he still affected suited him, and his wife had that afternoon awakened his innocent vanity. And Madeline got up, with a. very evi- dent intention of answering no more ques- tions. Her husband let her go, but he was not at all satisfied with her last explanation. If his wite had been fond of him, it would never have occurred to him to be jealous of a lad like Gerald. But, stirred as he had been by her excitement, awakened suddenly to consciousnes of the strong current which ran under the crust of her everyday manner, he was ready to accept the unlikely, and he walked up and down the room, when his wife had left him, with almost a young man’s impetuosity. And he took the strong'stick hehabitually used, and, refusing any other support, made his way slowly along the corridor and down the stairs. He was not strong yet, but he was “ You are not going out, monsieur, and E0 late !” remonstrated the servant, in amaze- ment. “ What will madame say ?" His master drew himself up. “ The ladies are too nervous, Charles ; one should not: always consult them.” “ A boy like that 1 It is im ossible that she can care for him 1" he ssi to himself, forgetting his invalid's gait as be stamped angrily upon the floor. Why, he doesn’t even care for her; it is this little girl he is thinking about. And yet, what is this business of hers that he is so busy with? And what does she mean by having these secrets from me? Iwon’t allow it, I won't allow it ! She surrounds me with an army of doctors and servants, and doses me, and walks on tiptoe near me, in order that I may treat her as a. nurse and not as a. wife. But I’ll send them all away; I’ll have no more pillows and no more walking-sticks; I’ll enter the lists myself with these young pop- injays whom she doesn’t even think it neces. sary to introduce me to. I have been de- ceived in her ; I’ll let her see she has been deceived in me.” in better health than he had been allowed to imagine, and he found the evening breeze that blew in his face as he stepped upon the quay rather refreshing than chilling. He turned to the left, Walking close to the water-side, and keeping a sharp lookout for the little figure of which he was in search. The masts of the ships that lined the harbor were standing out black against the deepen- ing crimson of the the evening sky when he came at last face to face with Peggy Beros- ford. She did not know him, butcame straightto- ward him with ablank, sightless look on her face that made her more like an elf than ever. He stoppedshortin front of her, but,without even glancing up to see who it was that was barring her passage, she stepped nim» bly on one side and passed him. He turned round and called to her. “ Mademoiselle!" he began without any effect. The sound of his limping footsteps as he bobbed after her, however, arrested her at- tention, and as he came up with her she turned. "ffr’éggy started. “ You snid you couldn’t tell me 1” said she sparply. . u -.u A wirfiénsieur de Lancry 2” said she shyly, uncertaiuly, {and 8:5 prepared for flight. j uncurmluny, mun «:3 u rnly... w. “u ___b_”_ “ Yes, mademouelle. DJ not be alarmed, I wish to help you ifyou will allow me. You wish to know where is Monsieur Gerald." "Liâ€"$35015 tell you with exactness, made- moiselle ; but I know that he is in London.” “ Ah, I thought so. And Madame de Lancry sent him there 1” “ You are auxmus to find him, mademoi. Belle ‘2" gain} the General stifliy: W “ Itohas all gone too smoothly," she said to herself. “ Gerald rescued from ‘ Les Bouleaux’ and saved frem that girl. One ferret at ‘ Les Bouleaux ;' the second in Lon- don ; Paris the only hole that remains to be wa.tched. My husband is well enough to go away; to morrow I find out that I am tired of Calais, and must return to the hou- levards; then' it is only a. waiting game. And yetâ€"and yetâ€"I wish it had not all been arranged so easily, so simply. There's always a little ripple upon the open sea; but in the smooth Water Close in shore one looks out forâ€" rocks.” ” I will find him,” answeréd Peggy, with fire, “ifI have to go crying his name all through London like the Saracen lady did Gilbert & Beckat’s l" Madreline set up later, thinking over the events of the day, and congratulating her- self upon the work she had done. She had had too adventurous a life not to be super- stitious ; and when she had summed up the results of her labors, she shook her head and eighed d_gubbfully. u. u 1 ~. Past and Present. In 888 the Church of England leased to the crown a. piece of land for 999 years, or on What is termed a “ perpetual lease.” The time has expired, and now the property reverts to the Church. Here is a document in force, made away back in the days of King Alfred, compasaing a. millennium, less one year, and now after this long period the occupants mush vacate. How strangely this event links the present with the past, and what a. proof of the majesty of the law and the stability of the English government. (I And when do you to se to mademoiselle ‘2" p p° start, WAll her valor went out suddenly, and she stood before him, limp and wretched, with the begrs fprcinz their wav to her gayest “ I’ll ask me capmm or the night boat to take me over,"aa.id she tremulously. “ And if he won’t, I’ll ask the captain of the boat that gogs to-morrow !" " But he Will perhaps know you. I be lieve you are the daughter of a gentleman who resides here.” “Kgdfiiififlhraippfi ignorance of the hnvoc he was doing his est :0 work in his wife’s well-laid plans, Monsieur le General went tofileepz. “ I don’t care,” muttered Peggy, whom objections made dogged ; I’ll go to London somehow, If I have to sw‘w-im." “ Iâ€"erâ€"I hopeâ€"I trust that mademoiselle will not think I wish 3150 be impertinentâ€" l have indeed no such intentionâ€"but if I might presume to lend mademoiselle the amount neceBSary_â€"” The General walked very 'slowly the short distance which lay between him and his ho- tel. His wife, who had heard of his caprice, met him in consternation. But he laughed off her fears with a. new indifl’erence to his ailments, and she began to understand that the relations between herself and him were changed since the afternoon. He gave no explanation of his expedition, no reason for the fancy he had to sin up until the mid- night boat had left the harbor for England. Then he went 01f to bed, still reticent, but satisfied, for he knew that the poor little lady whom he had helped that tvening was safe on her way to the young lover in whom his own wife took such an unaccountable and undesirable interest. "77s'1§é"wiu find him out,” he thought to himself composedly, “ and he will marry her and have no time to attend to other wo- men’s affairs. He need not have been afraid. Peggy had scarcely got: an inkling of his 1ne.ming when she made a. frantic effort to embrace him on the open quay ; and clinging to his arm, with the tears running down her cheeks, she blessed and thanked him vague- ly but affectionately, While he took out his pocket book and put five sovereigns into her hand. ' “ English money will be the most useful,” he explained, as he put it; carefully into her shekjng made fingeys. “Ishafn’t: want it all," said Peggy, “ I daresay.” “ Too much is better than too little.” said the General. “ When will you start?" “ To-night, of course.” “ And what will you do with yourself in the mean time 2” “Go to Gerald’s pastrycook’s and have some tarts.” “You ought to have something more solid.’ “No, no, I’m 3.11 right, monsieur; I could livg upop air: now." And the tiny creafiure raised her weird eyes to his, and showed him a. face trans~ figured. into loveliness by the change from anxiety and despair to energy and hope. “(Mod-bye, Agood-bye, “filonsieufl You have been a fairy godmother to me, and I wig love»yo_u all n1y_1i_fe for it." She seized one of“ his hands and printed two or three quick, passionate kisses on in ; then, like a. spirit of the evening mist, she fled away so quickly that, before he could even return her farewell, she was out of his sight. (To BE CONTINUED.) HE Annml meeting of the Nort merican Lila Assurance Compmy was held a: 5 a Head 0mm 01 Lhe Company, 22 to 28Kiuz street west, Toronto, on Thurs iny, the 27th day of January, when the an- nual xeport was aubxnitted as follows : REPORT. In submitting their annual report the directors have much pleasure in seating that In every depart- menb ttnding to the Company's :ubstantinl prozresa and prosperiny, the year's opentions have been most gatisj‘czory. During the year 1,578 applicanons for $2,420,050 were received, upon which were issued 1,315 policies for $2,294,550, the rest being unaccept- able, and 7 policies in $10,035, which had lapsed for non-payment of premium, were revived. The accom- panying revenue account and bdnnce sheet show that the reserve fund has been increaseu by $104,826, and that fund now amounts to the handsome sum of $416.51}. The addition to the Company's assets is larger in nxcees of I.th of any former year, amount- ing to Si2u,503,89, being over fifty per cent. of the whole income 0! the year. All the reserves and re- sources of the Company axe invested in Canada, throughout nearly all the Provinces, and are thus utilized in building up and extending Canadian 1n- teresbs. Every documentary security held bv the Company has been examined and verified independ- ently by the Auditors and the Commute ot the Bond. ALEXANDER. MACKENZIE. Toronto, Jan. 26. 1888. President. NURTH AMERICAN LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY. Income for the year 1887 . . . . A . . . . . . . . . . . s Expgmjifute (includimw payments to policy 'holders 0| 335.623 17) ........... ‘ 127,124 88 Assets (including uncalled guarantee fund 737,660 81 Liabilities to policy-holders . . . . . . . . . . . 425,511 00 Surplus (or security of policy-holders. . .. 362,149 87 WILLIAM McGABE, Managing Director and Actuary. We have examined the Books, Documents. and Vouchers re resenting the foregoing Revenue Ac. count, and a so each of the securities (or the Property in the above Balance Shéetfiflgiéeififs to their cor- rectness. J AMEs A , . . . w. u. CASSELS, }A“d“°m Toronto, Jenner Bra. 1888. We concur in the toregoinz Certificate and have personally mode on independent examination of said Boole quarterly, and also of each of the Securities representingfaid Property. Bis. HUGH‘ES.’ WM. GORDOE }Aud1t1ng Com. 0: Board. The President then said, in moving the adoption 0! the report : I have very great pleasure in making the usual formal motion to adopt the report. printed copies of which you have in your hands. Year by gear, since the commencement of this Company, lthu een my pleasing duty to take the chairet our annual general meeting. and to make some remarks on the gantlon oi the Company and its progress, but never, its history, have we had such a splendid showing as that ior 1387 which has just been read. The state- ment is so iull, clear and concise, that it seems to me almost unnecessary to make any remarks thereon. It is said, "nothing succeeds like success," and this may be the reason that, year by ye sr, our success has in- creased until toâ€"day we meet you and say that we can show a statement with over hair a million oi accumu- lated assets in the short period oi a few years, to- gether with a handsome surplus. The actual increase n our assets during the past year has amounted to the large sum oi $120,508.b9, while our Reserve Fund has been increased by 8104 826, now reaching the handsome sum oi $116,511. These grand results have been accomplished mainly by hard, persistent work on the part oi our active agents on the field. The splendid investment and other plans oi insurance oi- iered by this Company, all oi which have stoodthetesi oi time, and have been endorsed by the highest authoriJes on this Continent, have been widely ap- proved by leading proiessional men and others do- siring to protect themselves by the s;iegusrds 0! life insurance combined with an investment. The appli- cations of the year have been of an unusually good character. it is gratifying to observe that so many farmers, canstituting as they do the largest industrial interst in this country, are availing themselves so largely of the great advantages or life insurance. The Government Official report shows that, in the amount of our income, accumulated iunds, new busi- hess insurance in force and addition to assets, we are again considerably ahead oi our chfei homo competi- tors at the same period in their history. and what is of more importance, the cost oi our business is still kept within remonahle limits. Competition, both from the United States, and also iron: the British companies, was never keener than during the past year, and in many instances, prices were paid for the business, which we consider excessive. One word about the excellent character oi our assets. Our Finance Committee have been very careiul in the selection of investments, and it is a great source oi congratulation to know that so successful have they been in this respect, that there is not a single invest- ment on the books about which we have the_slight- 7*. Specialty â€"» PLUMS in larg .ul supply. Dealers lulled out on liberal terms at the HALTON N U RSE RI ES. Burllnzton. Ont" H H. HURD Gt SON, Proprietors. A] 0 can offer a fewcara Red and Yellou (Tobe Unions eat anxiety that the Company will lose a single cent. Tue interest has b.en wonderfully well paid, and the income from that source has now reached a very handsome fi.ure, being in cash 323718372. and due and accrued 86,016.23, which would have more than paid the losses of the year in the general branch. As regards our Company, I (eel the utmost confidence in recommending it to the consideration of every one contemplating insurance, as I fully believe there Is no company doing business in Canada to dAy that is bet- ter prepared or more able to meet its contracts than thig Companv. _ Hon. Alexmder MorrisNice-President, said: lheve much pleasure in seconding the motion of my old and tried friend, the President. for the adoptionfioi the re~ port. The able address of thePresideut has lemme very little to do. It is impossible for any one to read and study this report without feeling intensely gratified. Here is :1 home institution that trusted itself to the publicI that endeavoured to meet the wants of the people, and the people hive nobly ra’lied round it. They have shown appreciation of the eflorts of those who desire to make life insurance a. home word and a. home institution. They have shown that they be- lieve in the benefits of life insurance. and the most gratifying feature of the report alluded to by the President, is that the farmers, upon whom everything in this country rests in so great a degree, hnve begun to realize the benefit] of life insurance, and are large- ly taking advantage of it, and 'of the opportunity nfl'o ded them of making provision for their families. _,V_ .. ,3- 0n recean 3-! éiéfdofi m f exp-teas to any address. an English made double barrei breach-loading shot- gqp, yvith croyeg 9nd took 9_9mplgte. I W. GBAILUI & 00., 283 Yonge St” Toronto, dealers in Allkiuds Baud and Orchestra Instru- - ments. both New and Second-Hand. Vocal and Instrumental Music. Music Books, etc. In. atruction Books for every Instrument. Agents for Carl Fischer's Bum 8: 02. 6mm Mum. Bend for Catalogues, Importer of fine Guns, Rifles, Amunition rand sports- mqu’s goods of everv dgscxjption. uuu ueu unem un urnnuas ylvvr)luu .u. on“. .. Dr. Thorburn. who gives the utmost attention to the examination of all applications received, and we have the advantage. in addition, of the matured wisdom oi the President, who, I ma state, isin daily attendance at the office. and gives a 1 attention in his power to this business; and also one 0! the best life insurance men in Canada, your managing director, Mr. McCabe, and then you have the quiet, energetic application and long and successful financial experi- ence of a gentleman whose merits are not fully known to you; I reier to my colleague in the vice-presidency, Mr. Blaikle. I had no intention to delay you so long, but as I look around the room I cannot help but re- mark on the good appearance of the Company's agents. As a. director. I thank the agents again for their efficient services in the put, and would simply say to you that the North American Life Assurance Company expects every man to do his duty as he has done in the past. . .. . .u . "4.; Lb...- “fiffifiafifi: Medical Director, presented his re- port. On motion 0! Mr. J. L. Blaikie, seconded by MLA. H. Campbell, it wag‘ydogtecli _ l- - . _. , #u- “amlnt, Vocal and lnetrumex «truci Age! UBB‘I' n. u. untuyvvu, .u u... wv -.._. m. ,. Mr. J. N. Lake and Mr. Wm Gordon were appoint- ed scrutineere when the poll was opened. The scru- tineers reported the result of the election. The meeting then adjourned, whereupon the new Board met, and re-eleoted the owners or last year. ABSTRACI OF REVENUE ACWUET AND BALANCE sum. w'. MCDOWALL. “'IIALEY, BOYCE d' ('0., w. MCDBWALL, 51 King‘ sereet East, Toronto (successors to) 8239.792 84 y , 127,124 88 1 737,660 81 ‘ 425,511 00 . 362,149 87