lamentations in being compelled to embark in what was so distasteful to her.

Will you let your girls help me to sell? Lady Anne has promised to come, and several others; but, you see, we shall want relays.”

"I confess," said Mrs. Eversley, "that I always have set my face against such a thing; but, under the present circumstances, I do not like to refuse, if they are up to it, and you think they will be of use."

"That I am sure they will be. And during the intervening time, they would be such a help to me in unpacking and pricing the goods that are sent."

When Mrs. Eversley told them at dinner of Mrs. Sinclair's request, both Alice and Evelyn declared they should be too glad to do anything for Mrs. Sinclair. "She is always thinking of what she can do to give us pleasure."

From that time, the Bazaar was the great subject of conversation in most houses in the town.

Mrs. Sinclair began by saying she would try to cover her stall with useful things; and she asked her friends for special articles. But, alas! when the boxes of goods began to pour in, there was the usual amount of absolute trash-there is no other word for it

Pin-cushions, needle-boxes, flimsy screens, useless penwipers, and smart cushions; besides which, there is always a great interchange of goods amongst regular Bazaar promoters. The refuse of one is passed on to another, to be sold for whatever it will fetch. True, there were some really good and useful articles; and much kind and liberal feeling was shown by the tradespeople. All who could, sent some contribution. The Cathedral carver sent a box of his own carving; the school children, from the schools the Bishop was in the habit of visiting, worked kettleholders and knitted muffatees.

"Really," said Mrs. Sinclair, one evening, when she had been looking over her stores, "I think I shall begin to change my mind about Bazaars, when I see the good it draws out on all sides."

Some of the original promoters of the Bazaar were called in, the last few days, to help to price each article. What a trouble that is! And people are so affronted if what they have sent is marked below what they consider its value; and what fetches one price in London, will not sell for half the sum in a country town.

The Lent Assizes had taken place, and the High

Sheriff's wife selected a sketch of Mrs. Sinclair's, and presented her with a twenty-pound note for it; and other private purchases were made by country people on the same scale.

Mrs. Sinclair put all these sums together, and divided the whole equally amongst all the stall-holders, saying to each, that it never would do for one to produce so much more that the others.

"Well," said some of these ladies as they talked this division over together, "we must say this is not like most stall-holders. I am afraid I have always gloried in my receipts being larger than my neighbours'. How selfish we are, even in matters of charity!"

On Easter Monday, the whole day was occupied in arranging the various stalls. Mrs. Sinclair's occupied one end of the large Town Hall. Lady Anne presided over one-half, Mrs. Sinclair over the other; and there was an able staff of young ladies to assist at both ends.

Norhambury was, happily, so far behindhand in the world's ways, that the evils attending London Bazaars were unknown here. Even an innocent raffle for expensive foot-stools and cushions, as the afternoon drew on, was a good deal questioned by a party of

influential Quakers; but they at last compromised the matter, even with regard to their own goods, in this

way

"You see, friend Alice, if thou wilt have this cushion from us, we will not ask what thou dost with it; and we should not like to have it left on our hands."

There was some anxiety, as the day closed, to know what the total receipts were, as a test of whether the change of time had damaged or benefited the Sick Poor Society.

The Nonconformists had courteously acquiesced in the change, but in their inmost hearts they predicted it would prove a total failure; and if the funds did suffer, they would have had the consolation of saying, "You see, we were quite right."

But the sum-total was one-third more than it had ever been before; and, as they loved their work more than their own way, they tendered their thanks to Mrs. Sinclair and her staff with heartfelt gratitude.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE NEW CANON.

AFTER the Bazaar was over, Norhambury seemed to sink into a state of repose. The Bishop and Mrs. Sinclair went for the Parliamentary season to London. And what a difference their absence made in the Precinct world! Most of the county families were also in town; so it was a rare event to see a carriage come through the gateway.

One afternoon, Lady Anne Oakham came in, as she often did, to Mrs. Eversley's five-o'clock tea.

"I have just heard," she said, "that old Dr. Salmon is sinking fast. Poor old man! How sad to think how few will miss him! And then, one cannot help thinking of the great change it will make to us for I believe there is no doubt that Lord Chester promised