The oldest building in London, built long before the Great Fire, is one which from its name sounds like only part of a building. It is called the “Tower.” In the times long ago the Tower was a prison in which were put many famous people. Even princes and queens were put in this prison, and some of them were put to death. It is now a museum where are kept many interesting curiosities of those days—the steel armor that soldiers and their horses, and even their dogs, wore; the block and ax with which prisoners’ heads were cut off; and wonderful jewels which the kings wore in their crowns—huge diamonds and rubies as big as walnuts. The Queen’s crown is there on a white satin pillow. It is studded with jewels and a huge diamond called the “Koh-i-noor,” which means “mountain of light.” This stone was supposed to bring bad luck to any man who owned it, so a woman now owns it—the Queen. The guards of the Tower are called “Beef- Eaters” and should any one break into the cases in which are the jewels, the doors and gates of the Tower would automatically clang shut and the thief be caught a prisoner.

Did you ever collect stones or stamps, butterflies or coins? Well, grownups have collected treasures and curiosities from all over the World and brought them together in a wonderful museum, and the largest It is called the British Museum.

It is said that if all the streets in London were strung out in one line they would reach round the World. No one could ever know the names of all the London streets, not even the London policemen, who are called “Bobbies” and who are supposed to know everything. They may have to look for a street in a little book which they carry in an inside pocket. But every one knows the names of some of the streets—they are either so famous or so funny. There is Threadneedle Street and Cheapside. There is Pall Mall and Piccadilly, where are fine houses, hotels, clubs, and palaces. There is Fleet, Strand, Regent, and Bond Streets, which are shopping streets. There is Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus, but there is no “circus” there. A circus is simply a big open space where streets cross, and which we should call a Square or a Circle.