St. Alban's Abbey.

time of the Reformation , came forward and purchased the Abbey Church , which he then presented as a parish church to the town . Since his time much damage has been done b y mistaken zeal , neglect , and bad taste ; but we still have remaining a structure which , from the admirable details of its various parts , will form a constant object of admiration to those who take a genuine interest in our English Ecclesiastical architecture .

Beatrice.

BEATRICE .

BY THE AUTHOR OF THE " OLD , OLD STORY , " ADVENTURES OP DON PASQUALE , " ETC . CHAPTER X . THOSE were days of much excitement at Cayley when we used to meet and talk over what was doing , what was going to happenand what would

, actually be the upshot of everything . I am afraid that our little gatherings sat long , and were all but interminable in their consumption of small talk and cigarettes , in their " outcome " of tobacco-smoke and cooling liquids . There is nothing which so " wets " burning " moral indignation" as plent y of company , sympathy , and creature comforts ; there is " au contraire " little that so stamps out everything sentimental as silence , solitude , the bare board ,

and short commons . This , though apparently a paradox , is the truth ; at any rate it is in matters that concern the " sayings and doings " of us all , the hopes and dreams of wayward youth , the associations of societ y , and the personal longings and aspirations and rights and wrongs of humanity—both the abstract and the concrete in those pett y affairs which make up , nevertheless , the "bone and the marrow" of this sublunary scene . I hope that I have expressed myself correctly , and not laid myself open , above all , to the learned reproofs of Dr . Dryasdust , or the caustic criticism of Professor Cockroach !

We were all sitting round a little table in the best room of the " Royal Oak , " in much curiosity if in high spirits . Twamley , as usual as he said was intent on developing of science , and proving the value of natural history by expatiating on the sanitary influences of tobacco , when Brummer came in in the greatest state of excitement in which I ever beheld my worthy friend , or probabl y ever shall behold him . Good old Brummer , despite queerness of manner and verbiageand habits and opinionshad a warm heart withinand he was fairl

, , , y now roused , and his whole identity pervaded by a sense of intolerable wrong . " Oh , my friends , " he said , sharply , half in English and half in German , " Clinker is come , and is of opinion dat it is a very bad case . I have therefore telegraphed at once to the ' little gentleman in black ' I once mentioned to you ; not de Teufel , let me observe , for I see that infamous fellow Twamley is grinning , but a very useful and important member of society . Besides , as

Clinker tells me , Grogwitz is here himself ; they are either on the eve of success , or contemplating some great villany . De female Grogwitz and de little jackhal are generally enough , but when they stick fast , as they sometimes do , in de mud , den de great Grogwitz comes himself . " " Ah , " but said Twamley , " I wish I knew what you mean to do . Grogwitz I suppose will say it ' s all fair and ' special agency , ' etc ., and what can we do ? nay , for the matter of that , how can the police interfere ? " " Ah , veil , my friend , " replied Brummer , " dere are tings not known of in your philosophy . Wat we are to do is—this , to get these worthies out of