was thrown open to all the world; the restrictions as to marriage and Holy Orders were withdrawn; some fellowships were suppressed and professorships founded out of the surplus revenue; the number of demyships was increased and an "Exhibition Fund" was created for the benefit of poor and deserving scholars.

The increased number of commoners made new buildings necessary, and in 1884 a new quadrangle (St Swithuns) was completed, reverting to an older style with tall chimneys and massive buttresses, and not offering such a glaring contrast to Waynflete's incomparable work as the Palladian pile of building erected in the previous century.

The reforms mentioned above owe much of their practical success to Dr Herbert Warren (the present president), who succeeded Dr Bulley in 1885, and who had previously done excellent work as a College tutor. It would be impertinent to do more than allude to his high qualifications for

accomplished scholar and man of letters, as well as the Professor of Poetry, but has shown a remarkable capacity for business, both as President of his College and Vice-Chancellor of the University. Under his rule the College has flourished exceedingly; it has largely increased in numbers; it has taken a good position in the class-lists, and has become the favourite resort of public school men and athletes. In all respects, Magdalen does more than maintain its great traditions of the past, and the solemn aspiration of the Founder that "by divine favour the benefits conferred on that age might be continued down to future generations for ever" has been amply realised.1 The generations come and go; the "flying terms" follow one another all too rapidly; in every few years the undergraduate element has completely changed; but the good old stock never seems to fail:

IT is possible-though not, perhaps, likely-that had Cai obeyed his first impulse and pursued 'Bias down the valley, to overtake him, the two friends might after a few hot words have found reconciliation, or at least have patched up an honourable truce. As it was, 'Bias carried home a bitter sense of betrayal, supposing that he had left Cai master of the field. He informed Mrs Bowldler that he would dine and sup alone.

"Which the joint to-day is a goose," protested that lady; "and one more difficult to halve at short notice I don't know, for my part."

"You must do the best you can." He vouchsafed no other reply.

Mrs Bowldler considered this problem all the rest of the morning. "Palmerston," she asked, as she opened the oven door to baste the bird, "supposin' you were asked to halve a roast goose, how would you begin?"

"I'd say I wouldn't," answered Palmerston on brief reflection.

"But supposin' you had to?"

Palmerston

reflected for many seconds. "I'd start by gettin' my knee on it," he decided.

Mrs Bowldler, albeit much vexed in mind, deferred solving the problem, and was rewarded with good-luck, as procrastinators too often are in this world.

Dinner - time arrived, but Captain Hocken did not. She served the goose whole and carried it in to Captain Hunken.

"Eh?" said 'Bias, as she removed the cover. "What about-about Cap'n Hocken?" "He have not arrove."

'Bias ground his teeth. "Havin' dinner with her!" he told himself, and fell to work savagely to carve his solitary portion.

Having satisfied his appetite, he lit a pipe and smoked. But tobacco brought no solace, no charitable thoughts. While, as a matter of fact, Cai tramped the highroads, mile after mile, striving to deaden the pain at his heart, 'Bias sat puffing and let his wrath harden

down into a fixed mould of

resentment.

Dusk was falling when Cai returned. Mrs Bowldler, aware that something was amiss, heard his footsteps in the passage and presented herself. "Which, having been detained, we might make an 'igh tea of it," she suggested, "and venture on the wing of a goose. Stuffing at this hour I would 'ardly 'int at, being onion and apt to recur." But Captain Hocken desired no more than tea and toast.

Mrs Bowldler was intelligently sympathetic, because Fancy had called early in the afternoon and brought some enlightenment.

"There's a row," said Fancy, and told about the sale of the parrot. "That Mrs Bosenna's at the bottom of it, as I've said all along," she concluded.

"Do you reelly think the bird has been talking?"

"I don't think: I know." Mrs Bowldler pondered a moment. "Ho! well a widow."

time, broke down and fairly blubbered.

"There's a boy!" exclaimed the elder woman. "Mention a little hard work and he begins to cry."

"I don't believe he's cryin' for that at all," spoke up Fancy. "Are you, Pammy dear?"

"Nun - nun - No-o!" sobbed Palmerston.

"He can't abide quarrellin'that's what's the matter.. Ah, well!" sighed Fancy, and fell back on her favourite formula of resignation. "It'll be all the same a hundred years hence; when we mee-eet," she chanted, "when we mee- eet, when we mee-eet on that Beyewtiful Shore! And in the meantime we three have got to sit tight an' watch for an openin' to teach 'em that their little hands were never made. No talkin' outside, mind!”

“As if I should!" protested Mrs Bowldler, and added thoughtfully, "I often wonder what happens to widows."

"I reckon," said Fancy, "if these two sillies are goin' to fall out over her and live apart, you'll be wantin' extra help. Two meals for every one I hope they counted that before they started to quarrel."

"I'll not have another woman in the house," declared Mrs Bowldler, and repeated it for emphasis after the style of the great Hebrew writers. "Another woman in the house have I will not! What do you say, Palmerston?"

Palmerston, who had been on the edge of tears for some

'They marry again, mostly." "I mean up there on the Beautiful Shore, so to speak. They don't marry again, because the Bible says so: but how some contry tomps is to be avoided I don't see.'

Chiefly through the loyalty of these three, some weeks elapsed before the breach of friendship between Captain Caius Hocken and Captain Tobias Hunken became a matter of common talk. Mr Rogers must have had an inkling; for the pair consulted him on all their business affairs and investments, and in two or

your joker can't never face a joke that goes against him. I met Philp, just outside, with a carpet-bag and I no sooner asked what he was carryin' than he bolted like a hare." "There's no secret about it, either," said John Peter. "He tells me that, for occupation, he has opened an agency for the Plymouth Dye and Cleanin' Works."

"And you've given him some clothes to be cleaned? Well, I don't see why he need be ashamed o' that.'

"Well, I haven't, to tell you the truth. For my part, I like my clothes the better the more I'm used to 'em. But my sister's laid up with bronchitis." "Miss Susan? . . . Nothin' serious, I hope?"

"She always get it in the fall o' the year. No, nothing serious. But the doctor says she must keep her bed for a week-and now she's got to.

There'll be a rumpus when she finds out," said John Peter resignedly, "for she don't like clean clothes any better than I do. But one likes to oblige a neighbour; and if he'd taken my trowsers 'twould ha' meant the whole household bein' in bed, which," concluded John Peter with entire simplicity, "would not only be awkward in itself but dangerous when only two are left of an old family."

Cai agreed, if he did not understand. He reclaimed his musical box-needless to say, John Peter had not yet engraved the plate and carried it home, promising to return it when that adornment was ready.

For the next night or two it soothed him somewhat while he smoked and meditated on the public duties soon to engage his leisure. For he had been co-opted a member of the School Board in room of Mr Rogers, resigned; and in Barber Toy's shop it was understood that he would be a candidate not only for the Parish Council to be elected before Christmas, but for a Harbour Commissionership to fall vacant in the summer of next year.

The notification of his appointment on the School Board reached him by post on the last Monday in September. Now, as it happened, the Technical Instruction Committee of the County Council had arranged to hold at Troy, some five days later, an Agricultural Demonstration, with competitions in ploughing, hedging, dry-walling, turfing, the splitting and binding of spars, &c.

Behold, now, on the morning of the Demonstration, Captain Caius Hocken, School Manager and therefore ex officio a Steward, taking the field in his Sunday best with a scarlet badge in his buttonhole, "quite," declared Mrs Bowldler, "like a gentleman of the French Embassy as used frequent to take luncheon with us in the Square."

The morning was bright and clear; the sky a pale blue and almost cloudless, the season

"Not yet on summer's death, nor on