Though his manner of taking Rails was rather risky,

Yet his Courage was undeniable.

He proved excellent at Water,

And his method of taking the Fox from the Hounds was novel and entertaining.]

* * * * *

TOLD IN TAGS.

We have recently been favoured by a communication from a firm of Publishers, which informs us that, in a story sent for review, “by an oversight of the binder,” the Epilogue was omitted, and inclosing that interesting document.  We have perused the four pages with so much pleasure, that we suggest that, instead of writing the whole story, novelists, in future, should only publish the final chapter, which might be beneficially compressed into a few lines.  As a lead, we print a few conclusions, to serve as models:—­

Specimen of a Happy Ending.—­And so there was nothing more to do but to get married, and consequently EDWIN led no happier bride to the altar than his much persecuted and greatly tried ANGELINA.  So the bells of Tinkleton rang out their merriest chimes as the sun went down on the stately towers of Castle Sympleton.

Specimen of an Unhappy Ending.—­So, at peace with all the world, still holding the hand she loved so well, and smiling a smile that brought tears into the eyes of the good old Colonial Bishop, FLORA faded away into the Golden Dream she knew so well!

Specimen of a Mysterious Ending.—­And so HUGH, carrying a lamp in his right hand, and grasping the blade of his sword in his left, entered the cave of which he had heard so much.  Will he ever return?  Who can tell?

Specimen of a Comic Ending.—­“So it was you, after all!” cried the Cheesemonger, with a shout of laughter.

EGERTON SWELLINGTON smiled an assent.

“Then all I can say,” continued the worthy trader, “is, that a miss is as good as a mile.”

And, for once in his life, Mr. DOUBLECHIN was absolutely right!

Specimen of the Poetical Ending.—­So with the blue-bells sighing soft music, and the stars chanting their soothing lullaby, the sweet soul of MARIA realised the truth that—­

  ’Tis better to have loved and lost,
  Than never to have loved at all.

Specimen of the Shocker’s Ending.—­And with a gasp and a reel, Sir RALPH fell back, back, back, down the precipice, and an hour later was found by the patrolling coast-guardsman a quivering mass of senseless humanity!

Specimen of the Christmas Ending.—­And so, linked hand in hand, father and mother, son and daughter, husband and wife, nephew and niece, bowed their heads beneath the holly and mistletoe, and wished one another, with a heartiness that told volumes, “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”

* * * * *

QUERIES FOR CAMBRIDGE EXAM.  PAPER.—­

1.  If the Vice-Chancellor’s authority to punish immorality within the bounds of the University town of Cambridge is to be done away with, will he still retain the then quite superfluous title of Vice-Chancellor?