out to me a little distance below. It was the highest human habitation on that side of Mont Blanc, a cabin rudely but comfortably constructed for the summer, for it would not be possible to abide there in the winter, and used as a sort of mountain dairy for the bestowment of the rich productions of their herds, tended there in their mountain pasturages. I entered the cottage and partook, with great relish, of a bowl of milk and black bread set before me by the kind mother of the family. When I rose to depart, on taking my purse to make some recompense for their kindness, I found it unexpectedly empty. Thereupon, it being very questionable whether I could visit the mountain family again, I entered into an agreement with a sweet little girl, who had brought me a drink of cold water from the spring, that she should pick me a basket of strawberries and bring them to me the next day at my hotel at Chamouny; and so in their debt I bade them good-bye. The next morning, as I was sitting with some friends at tea, came in an enormous bowl of the richest mountain strawberries. My maiden of the chalet had performed her promise, and I performed mine by rewarding her.

I met them again several times upon the mountains, and entered into another strawberry treaty with them. But after some conversation, the mother had a very serious suspicion of my soundness in the faith. I could not make her understand what Protestantism was, or rather, finding that she was perfectly unaware of there being any faith

but her own, I endeavoured simply to dwell upon the necessity of prayer with the heart, and of Christ as the Saviour. She had at first concluded that I and all my friends in America were Roman Catholics like themselves, and she took a deeper interest in me because, as she said, she had a son in America, and just so it was with the sisters on account of their brother. I being the only American they had ever seen, they were perhaps delighted to find that their beloved absent brother, so far away across the ocean, was not amidst savages."

DROPS OF RAIN AND RAYS OF LIGHT.

HE drops of rain and the rays of light
Are small themselves, but when all unite
They water the world, and they make it bright.
Then do not say, 'Of what use am I?'

We may each do good if we will but try;
We may soothe some grief or some want supply.

We can lend to the poor a helping hand;
We can cheer the sick as we by them stand;
We can send God's word to a heathen land.

We can speak to others in tones of love:
We can dwell in peace like the gentle dove;
We can point the weary to rest above.

O! how sweet to think that in life's young days,
We may live to show forth our Saviour's praise :
And may guide some feet into wisdom's ways.

THE

A VISIT TO AN ENGLISH BATTLE-FIELD. THE School-boy who reads his "History of England" carefully cannot fail to notice that from the invasion of Julius Cæsar, before the advent of the Redeemer, and

downward for about seventeen hundred years, England, in one part or other, was often the scene of many a dreadful contest; and if he feel as he should do he will be thankful to God that now for nearly two hundred years no such

"Rude alarms of angry foes"

have disturbed the land in which we so peacefully dwell.

Many of the places where some of the old battles were fought in our country are now unknown, but the places where the later battles were fought are well known, and some of them have pillars, like that in the picture, erected on them to mark the spot.

Two summers ago, being in the neighbourhood, the writer went with a party of friends to see the field near the village of Naseby, in Northamptonshire, where the battle was fought between the army of King Charles I. and the army of the Parliament in the year 1645.

It is not my intention to tell you much about how this battle was fought, or who was to blame for all the slaughter and suffering of that dreadful day. In all quarrels, great or little, there are mostly faults on both sides. And here again the good old Book, as it always does, tells us truly how it is, when it says that all wars and fightings come of men's evil desires. It is so among boys, and it is so among men, and among nations. If only on each side, when there is a dispute, there were a desire to listen to reason and do right, there would be no need to fight.

Beside fighting never proves which is right or which is wrong in any quarrel.

On coming near the village we alighted from our carriages to look at the pillar or monument which had been erected on a hill, not far from the field, to mark the spot.

Naseby, which must have been only a poor little village at the time of the battle, appears to have been much improved of late years. There is a fine old parish church with a spire on the tower, which may be seen at a great distance, and there is also a neat Wesleyan chapel in the village.

After partaking of refreshment at the house of a friend, we engaged an "old inhabitant" to be our guide, who led us down the turnpike-road, westward from the village, for about a mile. He then conducted us northward through a gate into an old and very wide green lane. This seemed to be a solitary and unfrequented spot, for there was no road or footpath. Snakes and other vermin seemed to claim it as their own undisputed possession. We saw several snakes dart like lightning from the middle of the lane into the old banks and hedges on either side; and our guide pointed out to us the tracks they had made along the grass by frequent use, as sheep track a walk on a common.

At the top of this long old lane was another gate, which some of our party had no little difficulty in getting over, for it was made fast, and fenced with thorns. We now found ourselves in a large pasture field, with the whole