Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 46676-h.htm or 46676-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46676/46676-h/46676-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46676/46676-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See https://archive.org/details/springinshropshi00gask Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). The oe ligature is represented by the letters oe. In the advertisements at the end of the book, a symbol similar to an upside-down asterism is represented by [symbol] and a small pointing hand by [hand]. SPRING IN A SHROPSHIRE ABBEY ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: WENLOCK ABBEY IN 1778. _From an Engraving after a Drawing by Paul Sandby, R.A._ _Frontispiece._] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SPRING IN A SHROPSHIRE ABBEY by LADY C. MILNES GASKELL Author of "The New Cinderella," and "Old Shropshire Life." With Eighteen Illustrations London Smith, Elder & Co., 15, Waterloo Place 1905 (All rights reserved) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Limited, London and Beccles. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _I dedicate this book to dear Mrs. Boyle (E. V. B.), in affectionate and grateful memory of many charming talks that we had together one sunny winter in the far South._ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS CHAPTER I _JANUARY_ PAGE