'I will, Nancy, but not for the sake of the yellow shillings. I promise, that if your brother William is a good boy, and learns to read and write, Dapple shall come back to you and carry him every morning to the post-office with my letters.' , Not till then?' cried Nancy, as tears sprung to her eyes.

Not till then, because neither Dapple nor he will be of any use as errand-goers till he can read and write.'

'I will learn, that I will,' cried the poor fellow most courageously; but the next moment he clung round Dapple's neck, and cried heartily.

The following week William went to school willingly, and being a sharp, clever lad, soon conquered his first difficulties; after which he became so fond of reading, that he frequently wished for more time than his father could allow him.

Meantime Dapple's easy pace and steady conduct had done wonders for the delicate Julia, and when Christmas came, in which William took his writing-piece to the Hall, and proved that he could read a chapter well, and say the multiplication-table perfectly, many sorrowful looks were exchanged, for the promise of their father had been frequently mentioned.

'Put a new bridle on the ass tomorrow and take him down to James Hobson's; when there, deliver him to the youngest boy,' were orders given that evening to the groom.

'But we are all grown so fond of him,

'Yes you can, my dear, for I have bought you a very pretty pony.'

But why should she, or any of them, part with the animal, since they are so fond of it, father?' said young Townsend, we can undoubtedly make the boy or his father a suitable present, and keep this darling Dapple.'

'Not so, Henry, my promise was conditional, and, beyond my expectation, has poor William fulfilled his medium of purchase; and it would ill become me to shrink from mine, more especially when I look on Julia, and remember that this very creature has been the medium thro' which a merciful Providence has preserved her to me-to us all. Ask your own hearts, my children, if you would part with it even for a large sum of money? how then can money make up its loss to those who must be waiting for it?'

It could not make it up to us, because we are not poor.'

Neither will it to the Hobsons, altho' they are poor, for it was not sold for money, humble as their situation is, but yielded in pity to Julia's situation, and in gratitude to me for kindness long past, and on my part forgotten. The whole affair bespake kind and even noble feelings on their parts, and they ought to be met, on the side of the gentleman, with at least a corresponding sense of justice and liberality.'

You are right, dear father, perfectly

I

right; for I can clearly see even a slight injustice may become in some cases a great oppression. I did not mean to be cruel, but I was misled by my desire to please my sister Julia.'

'It was natural, Henry, that she should interest you, but I am sure she is the last person who ought to forget the claims of others in this case. The poor, toiling from day to day for the bare necessaries of life, have few pleasures; it is therefore the more necessary that the rich should protect their possession of them, and where they are not only harmless but exercise the best feelings of our common : nature, they should not only be secured but bestowed. Never may I, nor mine, dare to neglect or abridge the injunction, I which saith, Never turn away thy face from the poor man,' for it adds, ' and then the face of the Lord shall not be turned from thee.'

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'And I may give William the letterbag?' said Edward.

Fulfil all your kind wishes, my dear children,' said the gratified father; and in the bustle of preparation, and the pleasure of preparing suitable gifts, all sorrow was forgotten at the Hall; whilst in the cottage the joy with which Dapple was received, from the eldest to the youngest, proved how intensely the sensibility of the poor can be exercised, and therefore ought to be appreciated. The subject of their exultation, by appearing to recollect both place and persons, might be said, on this important change, to behave with great propriety. But it is certain, that although he found his hay as sweet as before, he did not at first appear to relish his habitation; but the liberty afforded by his shed, soon made it more acceptable than his late sumptuous lodgings had ever been.

Dame Barret, to her great satisfaction, partook the many good things brought from the Hall; it was therefore no wonder she was proud as well as happy, and said that between her and the writingmaster, William was set up for life, seeing 'the squire never forsook a good servant.' But the boy maintained 'that Dapple had done every thing for him; and henceforward he would provide every thing for Dapple.'

'So you shall, my lad,' cried James Hobson, for the Bible says, the merciful man is merciful to his beast, and why should not a child feel grateful to even an ass, especially when we remember how that poor miserable creature has been dis-

wonders are not found in one vast panorama as here. Now stretching away in the distance in one unbroken chain, and now rent asunder to give place to frightful chasms or green smiling vallies; now presenting huge and shapeless masses of rocks, and now piercing the deep blue of heaven with their summits of eternal snow; these mountains exhibit to the eye one of the strongest earthly proofs of His power, who made the land and the sea, and spread out the starry sky. The principal mountain ranges in Switzerland are the Jura and the Alps. The Jura, forming various elevations and vallies, extends from the Rhone to the Rhine. This chain is less in height and in wildness than the Alps, which are a branch of that vast chain of highlands, that in a curving form extends from the Mediterranean to the Adriatic sea; and although the Alps are only a small portion of these highlands, they are some of the highest and most remarkable of the whole chain. Mount St. Godard, in the south central part of the country, although not the highest, yet from its situation may be considered the principal chain of the Swiss Alps, for from this most of the other chains diverge. These branches are broken by numerous vallies through which the Rhine and its tributaries rush on to the ocean.

One branch, forming for some distance the boundary between Switzerland and Italy, extends towards Mount Blanc. Another forms the Bernese Alps, and passes off towards lake Leman. These two branches form the largest valley in Swit

zerland. The course of the Rhone, from its rise to lake Leman is through this valley; hence it is called the Valley of the Rhone. The mountains of which I have spoken are the most important.

The principal rivers take their rise in the St. Godard, or some of its branches. The Rhine has three sources, Vorder, Mittel, and Hinter Rhine, which words signify front, middle, and rear. This river has many tributaries which receive their waters from 20 cantons. The Rhone has its source in the Farka, a mountain on the west of the St. Godard. The other principal rivers, are the Aar, whose source is in Finster-Aar-Horn glacier ; the Daubs, passing from the Jura into France; the Tessur, from the St.Godard into Italy; and the Inn, from the valley of Engadin into Austria.

The principal lakes are, Leman, about. 45 miles long by 15 wide, and forms most of the boundary between Geneva and Vaud on one side and Savoy on the other; lake Constance, about 50 miles long, and 15 wide, separates parts of St. Gall and Thurgovie from Wurtemburg. Lake Neufchattel, 27 by 6 miles, is in the canton of the same name. The lake of Zurich in the cantons of Zurich, St. Gall and Schwytz, 30 miles long and 3 broad. Lake of the four forest cantons, between Lucerne, Schwytz, Uri and Unterwalden, 27 miles long and 9 broad.

Statistics are not very lively; but my young readers will remember that correctness in this department is absolutely necessary. Adieu, CHARLES.