emember,
don't you, having the guide point out London Bridge to you, from the
top of St. Paul's, day before yesterday? That's the oldest bridge, you
know, for it seems to have existed as long ago as we know anything of
London itself. But legend has it that before there was any bridge over
the Thames, people crossed in a ferry which was run by a certain John
Overs. This man naturally became rich, as very many people were always
paying him for taking them across the river, but he was a great miser.
The ferryman had one fair daughter about whom he was as miserly as he
was with his money,--keeping her shut up out of reach of her lover.
One day, John Overs thought he would like to save the cost of
providing food for his household, so he pretended to be dead. He
expected that his servants would fast in consequence, as was the
ancient custom; but so great was their joy when they thought their
master dead, that they all began to dance, to make merry together, and
to feast upon all they found in the house. The old miser stood this
just as long as he could, and then he sprang up to lay hands upon
them. The servants fled, believing that it was something
supernatural--all except one, who, more daring than the rest, killed
his master with his weapon. So old John did die after all, but in an
unexpected way.

"Part the second of my story tells of how the monks of a neighboring
abbey finally consented to bury the body; when the abbot returned,
however, he was very angry at what they had done, and gave the friars
some orders. They dug up the body of the poor old boatman, tied it to
the back of an ass, and turned the animal loose. The body was finally
thrown off at the place of public execution (directly under the
gallows), and there it was buried and remained. Meanwhile the
daughter, Mary, was having more trouble. Immediately upon the death of
her father, she had sent for her lover, but in coming to her, he had
been thrown off his horse and killed. This was too much for the
unfortunate girl, who decided to retire to a nunnery, leaving her
entire fortune to found the church of 'St. Mary Overy.' That is the
real name of the church now known as Southwark Cathedral, which stands
just across London Bridge. Now, how do you like that story?"

[Illustration: "YOU REMEMBER, DON'T YOU, HAVING THE GUIDE POINT OUT
LONDON BRIDGE?"--_Page 86._]

"Great!" exclaimed John. "Whoever thought that up had a vivid
imagination, all right!"

"Why, don't