ter. The other woman is carrying a lamb in her arms.

2. The people of Egypt have changed but little since the days of Moses.
The men have brown faces, white teeth, and bright black eyes. Most of
them wear beards and shave their heads.

3. The women wear long dark cloaks. If they are well-to-do they cover
their faces with a veil. They think it wrong to let their faces be seen
by any men except their husbands.

4. I think Kate would like to hear something about the children. Those
who have rich fathers wear beautiful clothes, and have a very happy
time. Poor children wear few clothes, and are nearly always covered with
dust.

5. Many of the boys go to school, and are taught just as you are. They
read the same kind of books that you read.

6. The children of Egypt always obey their parents, and are never rude
to them. I think they have very good manners.

7. All the people of Egypt love singing. Their voices are soft and
sweet. The boatmen on the Nile sing as they row. The fruit-sellers sing
as they cry their wares in the streets.

8. Many of the boys in the chief city of Egypt are donkey drivers. In
Egypt donkeys are far more used for riding than horses. The donkeys are
beautiful little animals, and they trot along very quickly.

[Illustration: {A boy with two donkeys}]

9. Each donkey has a boy to run after it with a stick, and to shout at
it to make it go. The donkey boys are very jolly little fellows. They
always smile, however far they have to run.

10. Most donkey boys wear a white or blue gown, and have a red cap, or
fez, on the head. If a donkey boy sees an Englishman coming, he runs to
him and says, "My donkey is called John Bull." If he sees an American
coming, he says that his donkey's name is Yankee Doodle.

11. Sometimes the donkey boy will ask the rider,--

"Very good donkey?"

If the rider says "Yes," he will then ask,--

"Very good donkey boy?"

"Yes."

12. "Very good saddle too?"

"Yes."

"_Then me have very good present!_"

13. Now let me tell you something that will surprise you. The people of
Egypt in the old, old days thought that their cats were gods.

14. They prayed to them and built temples to them. When the family cat
died, all the people in the house shaved their eyebrows to show how
sorry they were.--Best love to you all. FATHER.

* * * * *

7. THROUGH THE CANAL.

1. MY DEAR CHILDREN,--I have just sailed through a very wonderful can