repairs or alterations, to induce you to
part with it into Mr Newton's hands? I doubt not he had an eye to it
eventually.'

Poor Bab--what a blow to her vanity! She could only murmur something
about the watch being very dear to her, because it had belonged to her
deceased mother, and that she always wore it round her neck.

'And I don't think that Bab would part with it out of her hands to any
one,' said Cary, 'if we except ourselves, save to Edward Leslie; but
he is such a careful soul, that one would not mind intrusting him with
the most precious treasure on earth.'

Bab blushed very deeply at this speech, because she saw a covert smile
on Miss Ward's speaking countenance. That lady, notwithstanding her
amiability and philanthropic character, rather enjoyed the
consternation and confusion of Mrs and Miss Combermere, who retreated
more humbly than they had entered, having received a lesson which, it
is to be hoped, they profited by for the remainder of their lives. The
pearl necklace and diamond bandeau were not recovered, though a reward
was offered by the enraged Mr Combermere for the apprehension of the
thief; yet Miss Bell with tears declared, that she would far rather
lose her pearl necklace than give evidence against one whose
attractive qualities she could not cease to remember.

Very shortly after this affair, Barbara had another short trip to the
sea-side, and with a companion whose happiness equalled her own: it
was the honeymoon excursion, and Edward Leslie was Bab's companion for
life. After this second sea-side sojourn, the bride returned to a
pretty house of her own, quite near to Charles and Cary; and Barbara
was never heard to complain of finding it dull or stupid, though
summer does not last all the year round with any of us.

MR JERDAN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

The first of a series of volumes, designed to contain the literary,
political, and social reminiscences of Mr Jerdan during the last fifty
years, has just seen the light. It will be found to be one of the most
amusing books of the day, and also not without a moral of its own
kind. We presume it is of no use to debate how far it is allowable to
bring before the public matters pertaining to private life, and about
which living individuals may feel a delicacy. The time for such
questions seems past. Assuming so much, we at least feel pretty sure
that the lives and characters of living men could scarcely be in
gentler or more genial hands t