Amabel Vaughan.*

" He means the pump , aunt , " Mabel explained , very much diverted at her relatives remark , and her own superior knowledge of the meaning of her cousin ' s phraseology . " " Oh , indeed , Miss Griss said grimly , " I am not used to this enigmatical language . " " Well , " Fitz continued , " I suppose we had about half a two-penny loaf for breakfast , and a basin of sky-blue , about three quarters full . " Then for dinner at 1 o ' clock the rule was , if I remember right , mutton on

Monday—a slice about the size and thickness of the palm of your hand , and two or three potatoes , so judiciously steamed in their jackets that very often the boys couldn ' t eat them , they were so waxy and only par-boiled , and a piece of bread , half as much as one had for breakfast , and some small beer , that was so weak and so bad that the boys couldn ' t drink it , so it was at last discontinued—but we got nothing better instead , t the waterand that was good and cheap

excep , . ' ¦ At supper ( we had no tea ) , which was at 6 o ' clock , we had bread and cheese one night , and bread and butter another—the allowance of bread being the same as at breakfast—the cheese , single Gloucester I fancy , mostly what the boys called " waxy , " and the butter in summer often rancid .

" We could have the beer if we liked for supper , too , brought up in big wooden "jacks " by the boys , who always wait on themselves—but , as a rule , they much preferred water . On Tuesdays for dinner the boys had rolly-polly currant pudding , which was not bad—but as one only had a thin slice of it with a little bread and butter ( half the breakfast allowance ) and no meat or vegetables , we felt rather hungry afterwards . Wednesday it was mutton again . Thursday boiled beef , I fancy . Friday , T think ,

mutton , and Saturday , pea soup and bread and butter , and no meat at all . " Sunday it was hot roast beef with potatoes in winter , cold in summer with salad . " But we never had enough , and it was , as a rule , very badly cooked , and worse carved . At the public suppers in Lent ;—then held on Sundays , but afterwards on Thursdays—a sight , hy the way , very well worth seeing—we had the same as on other occasionsonly the candles on the long tables were decoratedthe butter was served to

, , us in delicate little pats , and no doubt the British public thought the boys were having a little light refreshment before going to bed , having had a hearty dinner like most people do on Sundays . " "Well , I . think , " Mr . Brig remarked gravely , "thatgrowing boys ought to have plenty of food , but I suppose , according to their age , they did have a regftlated allowance . " . ¦"

" Not at all ; " Fitz answered " the hoy of ten and the boy of fifteen fared alike . I helieve , after that age , those boys who still remained in the school as mathematical hoys or Deputy Grecians , had a double allowance of bread , and the Grecians , of whom there were twelve ( out of the one thousand ) who are the head hoys , and remain till they are twent y or twenty-one sometimes , and until they go to College , and who are young princes amongst the boys , have pretty much what they like . "

" However , I must add , " Fitz said , thinking of the possible advent of Mr . Brig ' s relative , young Dawson , in the blue coat , black velveteen breeches , and yellow stockings , of a Blue Coat boy , " I believe it is very different now to what it was in our days . There is less fighting , the boys are much better fed , they are drilled now , they have a splendid band ( I heard them play the other day , ) they have a cricket ground , and are cared for more in every other way than when I was there . "

" Had I a hoy myself , I should be very glad to get him into the School , which is one of the most glorious institutions of its kind in England , hut I can't help saying that it ought to be removed into the country , the masters ought not to he non-resident , the Wead Master ought to be the real head of the school , and it might be modernised with advantage in many ways . " "I learnt LatinGreekand French hadlwhilst I thereHistory

, , y , was . was certainl y read , but it was not taught . In geography we had about two lessons in the la « year out of a book about the size of a lather thick tract , and of natural science we ""'ere taught absolutely nothing . Singing T was taught by Mr . Cooper , our organist ( he * as organist also to the Chapels Royal , I think ) , and drawing I also learnt . "