Gerard Montagu:

The little maid replied , some say a little sighed , " But what shall Ave have for to eat , eat , eatl Will the love that you ' re so rich in , make a fire in the kitchen 1 Or the little god of Love turn the spit , spit , spit % "

When Montagu rose to go , he said—• ' Good-bye , Mrs . Beverley . Baby has taug ht me a lesson to-night . I shall not forget it . " A month afterwards I received a letter from his great friend , Dr . Evans , Avhich shocked us all very much . It ran as follows :

Darlington . 31 st Aug , 1870 . My dear Mr . Beverley , I am sure you 'will be very grieved to hoar that our mutual friend , Montagu , is

no more . He died on the 2 Sth of this month , in the Lunatic Asylum at York . I had long feared that his brain was becoming affected , and Avarned him not to overtask his strength , but it was unavailing . Almost immediately after his return from the

South , a marked change Avas observed in him . It began by his fancying that he was ahvays followed about by a man whom he Avas instrumental in bringing to justice some years ago in a higlnvay robbery case . Then be got a scheme into his headand

, Avent about for signatures to get an act of Parliament passed about some estate near Ipswich , Avhich he said Avas his . The poor felloAV had been prosecuting his

claims for some time , and it Avas thought he Avas approaching a successful issue , Avhen his lawyer discovered that although he Avas the undoubted heir , the last purchaser had about a hundred years ago , suspecting some flaAv iu the title , protected himself by a special Act of Parliament . Montagu

had paid something like £ 1000 to this man , and all to no purpose . Then , poor felloAV , it appears he hael formed an attachment to a young lady iu the South , living somewhere near you I understood , and horn Avhat transpired during his stay at

Weston , he gathered that his hopes Avere & t an end in that quarter . This , together Avith the losses in business ' had recently sustained , preyed upon his

mind to that extent , that fearing he would do violence to himself , we took him to York . Strange to say , when Ave got to the Asylum he was to all appearances as sane as you or I ; so much so indeed , that the doctorturning to us said pleasantly ,

, after a pause , " Ancl which , gentlemen , is the patient 1 " Then he laughed in our faces , accused us of conspiring to shut him up ; and we were obliged to take him home again . Soon , however , he had a recurrence of the attack , he was removed to

the Asylum , greAV rapidly Avorse , and succumbed at last . I have lost a good friend in poor Gerard Montagu , Avho was universally liked ancl respected here , and as you may suppose , his death has made a most painful impression in this

neihg bourhood . I should add that I found amongst his papers a little packet , which I enclose , addressed to Lady Muriel Mandeville . As I do not knoAV her ladyship ' s address , may I beg you to give it to her .

Your s truly , Geo . Lloyd Evans . Mildred could not help crying when she heard the distressing neAvs , and I Avas also very much cut up . Ethel ( AVIIO Avas her mother ' s almost

constant companion ) seeing the tears iu her eyes crieel too , out of sympathy , as children do ; but poor little thing she cannot understand Avhy her kind friend never eomes UOAV , ancl she often asks her mother when " good Midcler Montadu , " as

she called him , is coming again . It is a trite saying but a true one , that misfortunes never come singly . My dear friend Falconbridge never seemed himself after Muriel left , ancl I Avas alarmed to find him in a fit one ni ght , when I strolled in to

have my accustomed cigar with him . We telegraphed immediately for Lady Muriel , Avho came late the next evening , too late , hoAvever , to see him alive . Poor little clear , she Avas dreadfully distressed Avhen she found her dear guardian

Avas no more . My Avife thought she Avould be really ill ; it seemed to have such an effect upon her . It Avas not for some days that we dared to break to her the neAvs of Gerard ' s sad fate . She bad a kind , Avarin heart , and