ead a life of charity. He never thought of
himself, but lived wholly for others; and every one loved him, and all
that were in distress came to him for comfort.

One day he died, full of years, and, taking with him his wonderful
sack, he started for the gates of Paradise.

St. Peter opened the gate. But when he saw that the new-comer was St.
Christopher, who had slighted his counsel, he refused to admit him.

The Celestial City, blazing in splendor, stood on the top of a high
mountain; the sound of music and the odors of flowers came through the
gate as it was opened, and the saint with a heavy heart turned away
from all the ravishing beauty, and, hardly knowing what he did, went
down the mountain, until he came to the gate of the region where bad
souls dwell.

A youth at the gate said to him,--

"Come in."

The gate opened, and the Evil One saw him.

"Shut the gate! shut the gate!" said the Evil One to the youth.

Far, far away the Holy City beamed with ineffable brightness, and up
the hill again with a still heavy heart went St. Christopher.

"If I could only get my sack inside the gate, I could wish myself into
it; and once inside the gate I could never be turned out."

He came up to the gate again, and called for St. Peter.

The saint opened the gate a little.

"I pray you in charity," said St. Christopher, "let me listen to the
music."

[Illustration: REVOKING THE EDICT OF NANTES.]

The gate was set a little more ajar. Immediately St. Christopher threw
into the celestial place the wonderful sack; he wished, and in a
moment he was in the sack himself,--and he has remained in the region
of light, music, flowers, and happiness ever since.

* * * * *

The Class went by rail to Rennes, one of the old capitals of Brittany.
It was hardly interesting to them, but a pleasant ride took them to
Vitre, where the boys visited the residence of Madame de Sevigne.

Nantes, the ancient residence of the Dukes of Brittany, is situated on
the river Loire, about forty miles from the sea. It is one of the
largest and most beautiful of the provincial towns of France. In the
old castle Henry IV. signed the Edict of Nantes, giving freedom of
worship to the Protestants in France.

This famous Edict was published April 13, 1598. The Reformers, or
Huguenots, had at this time seven hundred and sixty churches. It was
revoked by Louis XIV. in 1685, under the influence of his prelates,
who per