and tokens of distinction home to his
lodgings.

One day after the Examinations, as he was diverting himself at a
coffee-house with two friends--(Did I tell you that in his bag, every
Saturday night, he found just enough to pay his bills, with a guinea
over, for pocket-money? Didn't I tell you? Well, he did, as sure as twice
twenty makes forty-five)--he chanced to look in the Bosforo Chronicle,
and read off, quite easily (for he could spell, read, and write the
longest words now), the following:--

'ROMANTIC CIRCUMSTANCE.--One of the most extraordinary adventures that
we have ever heard has set the neighbouring country of Crim Tartary in a
state of great excitement.

'It will be remembered that when the present revered sovereign of Crim
Tartary, His Majesty King PADELLA, took possession of the throne, after
having vanquished, in the terrific battle of Blunderbusco, the late
King CAVOLFIORE, that Prince's only child, the Princess Rosalba, was not
found in the royal palace, of which King Padella took possession, and,
it was said, had strayed into the forest (being abandoned by all her
attendants) where she had been eaten up by those ferocious lions, the
last pair of which were captured some time since, and brought to the
Tower, after killing several hundred persons.

'His Majesty King Padella, who has the kindest heart in the world,
was grieved at the accident which had occurred to the harmless little
Princess, for whom His Majesty's known benevolence would certainly have
provided a fitting establishment. But her death seemed to be certain.
The mangled remains of a cloak, and a little shoe, were found in the
forest, during a hunting-party, in which the intrepid sovereign of
Crim Tartary slew two of the lions' cubs with his own spear. And these
interesting relics of an innocent little creature were carried home
and kept by their finder, the Baron Spinachi, formerly an officer in
Cavolfiore's household. The Baron was disgraced in consequence of his
known legitimist opinions, and has lived for some time in the humble
capacity of a wood-cutter, in a forest on the outskirts of the Kingdom
of Crim Tartary.

'Last Tuesday week Baron Spinachi and a number of gentlemen, attached
to the former dynasty, appeared in arms, crying, "God save Rosalba,
the first Queen of Crim Tartary!" and surrounding a lady whom report
describes as "BEAUTIFUL EXCEEDINGLY." Her history MAY be authentic, is
certainly most romantic.

'The personage