a beautiful morning, cool and still. The world of sunlight all
seemed to be above the trees, an over-sea of gold, of which the long
arcades of intermingling boughs afforded but glimpses.

Near the wayside resting-place was a field bordered with trees. A
speck of a bird rose from it out of the grass uttering a few notes
that attracted the boys' attention. Up, up it went like a rocket, and
as it rose higher and higher its song became sweeter and sweeter,--a
happy, trilling melody, which made every boy leap to his feet, and try
to find a place where he could see it through the openings in the
trees.

"The bird seems to have gone straight up to heaven," said Wyllys Wynn.
"I can hardly see it; but I can hear its melody yet."

"That is an English skylark," said Master Lewis, "so famous in
pastoral poetry. You now understand Tennyson's meaning when he says,--

"'The lark becomes a sightless song.'

I am glad you have seen it. I wish we might see more of common sights
and scenes.

"I have here a letter from George Howe and Leander Towle, which
greatly pleases me. My object is to take you to historic scenes.
George and Leander have different tastes from yours, and expect to
follow different occupations. They are making their journey a study of
common life and its pursuits, as I would have them do."

"Will you not read their letter to us?" asked Ernest.

"That was just what I was about to do," said Master Lewis.

Caen, Normandy, July.

Dear Teacher:--

I begin my letter here in this city, which I suppose has
an atmosphere of old history, but which is interesting
to me because it is the centre of the "food-producing
land" of France, as Lower Normandy is well called. All
of this part of the country through which I have passed
is a scene of thrift, productiveness, and plenty. The
people are all busy and happy. Occupied minds are always
happy, I believe.

How did we get here?

We rode a part of the way to London on what is called, I
think, Parliamentary trains. This is not a train of
grand coaches for the use of members of Parliament, but
a sort of slow-coach train which Parliament has enacted
shall carry cattle, produce, and commercial necessities
for a fixed rate a mile. Or this is the way in which the
running of these cheap trains was explained to me.

It would have been a hard ride, had not new sc