this gateway was left
standing, as an ancient and venerable relic. The principal street
leading from the West End to the city passes through it under an
archway; and the sidewalks, through smaller arches, are at the sides.
The great gates are still there, and are sometimes shut. The whole
building is very much in the way, and it will probably, before long, be
pulled down. In America it would be down in a week; but in England there
is so much reverence felt for such remains of antiquity that the
inconvenience which they produce must become very great before they can
be removed.

Mr. George and Rollo took a cab and rode towards the city. Just after
passing Temple Bar, Mr. George got out of the cab and went into an
office. Rollo got out too, and amused himself walking up and down the
sidewalk, looking in at the shop windows, while Mr. George was doing his
business.

When Mr. George came out Rollo had got into the cab again, and was just
at that moment giving a woman a penny, who stood at the window of the
cab on the street side. The woman had a child in her arms.

When Rollo first saw the woman, she came up to the window of the
cab--where he had taken his seat after he had looked at the shop windows
as much as he pleased--and held up a bunch of violets towards him, as if
she wished him to buy them. Rollo shook his head. The woman did not
offer the violets again, but looked down towards her babe with an
expression of great sadness in her face, and then looked imploringly
again towards Rollo, without, however, speaking a word.

Rollo put his hand in his pocket and took out a penny and gave it to
her. The woman said "Thank you," in a faint tone of voice, and went
away.

It was just at this moment that Mr. George came out to the cab.

"Rollo," said Mr. George, "did not you know it was wrong to give money
to beggars in the streets?"

"Yes," said Rollo; "but this time I could not resist the temptation, she
looked so piteously at her poor little baby."

Mr. George said no more, but took his seat, and the cab drove on.

"Uncle George," said Rollo, after a little pause, "I saw some very
pretty gold chains in a window near here; there was one just long enough
for my watch. Do you think I had better buy it?"

"What was the price of it?" asked Mr. George.

"It was marked one pound fifteen shillings," said Rollo; "that is about
eight dollars and a half."

"It must be a very small chain," said Mr. George.

"It _was_ sma