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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 6, 7 November 1890, Page 31

Tbe Confraternity of the Church of tbe Bergamasohi (Sta. Maria della Pieta), whose centenary is being celebrated with due solemnity during these days, asked the new administrators of the Confraternity to let them have all the votive off wrings which belong to the Madonna, many of which are valuable jewels, to decorate the picture with on the occasion of this feast. All the votive offerings were taken away by the authorities last year under the pretext of their not being safe in the Church. The demand to have them back was signed by SOO private signatures, and many more wou'd have been added had there been time. An answer came back from the present administrators of the Operepie to tbe effect that they did not fiod it convenient to do so. All these jewels and off -rings presented to our Lady in gratitude for some grace that she conceded to the donors will very likely now be buried in the unfathomable strong box called tbe Tesoro Segreto, and never seen again.

Tbe first article written for the Pilot by John Boyle O'Reilly was a description of tbe Fenian raid on Canada, in the issue of June 11, 1870. His next, in the following number, was a touching note on the death of Dickens. The words be wrote will well apply to him* self : — " Every family has lost an idol, every solitary reader a loved companion. Kings might have died, and emperors have gone to their last account, calling forth, but a passing word of regretful praise, perhaps of deserving condemnation. Not so with him who is dead to-day. His was a diadem of more than kiagly riches, and his death will cause more sorrow than th loss of all the kings of the world. We cannot estimate now our deep cause for grief ; we cannot realise the truth that the great brain, ever teeming with living and loving creations, is still forever— that tbe mind of tbe peerless word-painter has flown from eartb. Struck down in the midst of his living friends was tbe matchless writer ; but oh I what a host of the friends of hii own creation can we imagine sorrowing over the grave of their beloved master 1"