hound?" growled the purveyor.

"Do you mock us?" continued the abbess, as the cook stood trembling
and silent.

"Do you mock us?" echoed the purveyor, with as much dignity as he
could impart into his thin, meagre figure.

"Speak!" said the abbess in a loud voice, while the cook cast his eyes
around as if seeking aid against the excited throng the room
contained,--"speak!"

Thus urged, the cook proceeded to explain--as far, at least, as he was
able. He declared that he had cut up and cooked the sturgeon,
according to the directions he had received from the purveyor, and
that, when dinner was served up, he had sent them up dressed in the
manner that official had directed.

The abbess and her nuns were much puzzled how to explain this
extraordinary occurrence, and each busied herself in conjectures
which, as usual in such cases, never approached the fact. At this
juncture the aged fisherman entered the room.

"My lady," he said to the abbess, when he learnt what had occurred,
"it is the judgment of Heaven. Even now I saw the fish in the river. I
knew them well, and I'll swear to them if necessary. They floated
away, swimming down the stream, and I am a much mistaken man if ever
ye see them any more."

The pleasurable anticipations of the day that the sisters had
entertained were completely annihilated; but it would have been well
for them if the consequences of their avarice and gluttony had ended
with that hour. Never more did the sturgeon make their appearance, and
the part of the stream which pertained to the convent thenceforth
ceased to produce fish of any kind whatsoever.

People say that the Reformation had the effect of wooing the finny
tribe back to their old haunts. At all events, whatever may have been
the cause, it is the fact that there is not at present a less
plentiful supply in this spot than there is in any other part of that
rich river.

SAINT ANDREW'S NIGHT.

It is commonly believed in Germany that on St. Andrew's night, St.
Thomas' night, and Christmas and New Year's nights, a girl has the
power of inviting and seeing her future lover. A table is to be laid
for two persons, taking care, however, that there are no forks upon
it. Whatever the lover leaves behind him must be carefully preserved,
for he then returns to her who has it, and loves her passionately. The
article must, however, be kept carefully concealed from his sight, for
he would otherwise remember the torture of superhu