- Yery neat little story that was wafted to me from the County Offices. The Chairman, who had been recently elected, was very properly anxious to signalise his term of office by sticking into busi ness, and read the councillors a well deserved lecture upon the desirability of meeting, punctually at the appointed time. Then followed the "Mackenzie Clause," so called from its introducer, who was also very eloquent upon the advantages of punctuality. The clause was to the effect that for the future any councillor who did not!turn up sharp at the moment should forfeit to the Council his honorarium for that particular day—a matter of two guineas to most of them. Well, at all the adjournments which followed, the effect was electrical, each councillor appearing to be surrounded with a positive halo of punctuality, and looking for all the world as if he had never known what it was to be a moment late in his life. Indeed, one unfortunate member who had been kicked by a horse, and had a game-leg in consequence, having only 15 seconds to make his way from the Post Office to the Council Chambers, was seen painfully hopping on one leg with his watch in one hand and his hat in the other, and, when a passing friend stopped to make a kindly enquiry after the state of his health, had only j time to tell him to "go to the d -I," or I something to that effect. -So far, all was well, and punctuality reigned supreme. But the next meeting of the Council only took place a few.days ago, and punctually at two o'clock (the appointed hour) all the councillors had assembled round the tub'.e except the virtuous Chairman and the eloquent author of the clause, who both arrived a clear five minutes too late. The Chairman knuckled down at once I'm told. He had come 25 miles, and had pushed along as well as he could, but he was late, and there was an end of it. His companion in misfortune, however, was not so easily got over. His " clause," i he remarked, was an excellent clause, but I somehow it had mistaken its proper. I functions on this occasion. 