see that if a cart or a carriage tried to pass along the roads, it would stick in the snow. How, then, can people in these countries move from place to place? I will tell you.

When snow has lain long on the ground, it grows quite hard and smooth. You can walk along it without sinking into it.

The wheels of a heavy

cart would sink in it, but if you removed the wheels and laid the body of the cart on the snow, it would not sink in the snow. Now this is just what the people in the countries of which I am speaking do. They form flat machines, such as you see in the picture, without any wheels, and they harness to these machines the dog or the reindeer, and these creatures easily skim along the surface of the snow, dragging the machine after them. Such machines are called sledges, and are much used in all northern countries.

To protect them from the cold, travellers in these sledges wrap themselves in warm furs, and it is a curious thing, that animals having furs are most plentiful in those regions where they are most needed.

Sledges generally have bells fixed to them, and it is a pleasant sound in the woods and prairies of Canada to hear the tinkling of the sledge-bells in the clear, calm, dry winter evenings.

WORD LESSON :

har'-ness

ma-chines'

pre-vents' sur'-face

im-pos'-si-ble plen'-ti-ful re-mov'-ed tra'-vel-ling

Before all Lands.

BEFORE all lands in East or West,
I love my native land the best,

With God's best gifts 'tis teeming ;
No gold nor jewels here are found,
Yet men of noble souls abound,

And eyes with joy are gleaming.

Before all tongues in East or West,
I love my native tongue the best,
Tho' not so smoothly spoken,

Nor woven with Italian art,

Yet when it speaks from heart to heart, The word is never broken.

Before all people East or West,
I love my countrymen the best,
A race of noble spirit;

A sober mind, a gen'rous heart
To virtue train'd, yet free from art,
They from their sires inherit.

To all the world I give my hand;
My heart I give my native land;
I seek her good, her glory;
I honour ev'ry nation's name,

Respect their fortune and their fame,
But love the land that bore me.

LESSON XL.

Hospitality; or, The Three Wishes.

PART I.

dis-guise', a dress put on to
conceal, a mask, false ap-
pearance.
ex-cur'-sion, journey, ramble.
hea'-then, pagan.
hos-pi-tal'-i-ty, kindness to
strangers.

Ju'-pi-ter, a heathen god.
man'-sion, grand dwelling.
re-kin'-dling, lighting again.
sol'-i-ta-ry, lonely.

sur-vey'-ed, examined nar-
rowly.

wel'-com-ed, received gladly.

AMONG the stories of the olden time which cannot be believed, but which it is sometimes entertaining and useful to read, is one that I am about to tell you.

It is said that Jupiter, whom the heathen called the father of the gods, occasionally amused himself by wandering in disguise upon the earth, and looking at the ways of men.

Once, in an excursion of this kind, night overtook him in a solitary place. He continued travelling, but found no shelter. At length through the dimness he descried two dwellings on opposite sides of the road; one was large and lofty, the other lowly and rude.

Approaching the spacious mansion, he said to himself, "A rich man must be the owner here; it will not put him much about to give lodging to a stranger." So he knocked at the door. Then a

window suddenly opened, and a gruff voice inquired

Who are you?

What do you want?” "I am a traveller, and ask only a night's rest under your roof. It grows late, and I am weary."

The master of the house, holding up a light, surveyed him from head to foot. Perceiving that he wore coarse garments, and was not likely to have money in his pocket, he replied in the same harsh tones

'I cannot receive you. My chambers are full of herbs and seeds, which I have stored to dry. There is no room that you can have. Verily, if I were to give a night's lodging to all who ask it, I might as well take the beggar's staff myself, and traverse the country."

Then he shut the window with a great noise, and the stranger turned to the little hut across the way. Even before he had time to knock, the poor man opened the door and invited him to come in. "It is dark," said he; "you are tired; you must go no further to-night."

The wife of the poor man welcomed him also, saying, "Be content; abide with us. We have not much to refresh you with-that is true-but the best that the house affords we give you gladly, with all our hearts."

Rekindling her small fire, she put on some vegetables to cook, and went and milked her goat the second time. With quick hand she spread

the table, and the coarse fare tasted good, because their smiling faces beamed with hospitality and kindness.

When the hour of sleep drew nigh, the woman said privately to her husband, "Shall we not let the weary traveller rest upon our bed? We can sleep very well for one night upon straw." And the poor man answered, "Yes, with all my heart. It is a good thought in you, my wife; for he has been travelling all day, and is way-worn."

But the guest refused their proposal, until they persisted so long and so earnestly that he found it would trouble them unless he consented. So he yielded to their entreaties, and all had a blessed repose.

Early in the morning the poor people arose and prepared for him a plain breakfast, the best that was in their power.

The guest again partook of their humble repast, and giving them thanks, arose to pursue his way. Lingering a moment at the door, he said, "Wish for three things, and they shall be granted to you." Then spake the meek old man : What have we to desire but eternal life, when these bodies die? and also that, for the little time we have to live, we might be in health, and find our necessary bread day by day.”

Then the wonderful stranger asked if they would not like a better abode; and while he was yet speaking, the narrow walls spread themselves out,