oper time.

THE TWO WISE CART-HORSES.

Cart-horses, though heavy-looking animals, are more sagacious that their
more gracefully formed relatives.

A cart-horse had been driven from a farmyard to the neighbouring brook
early one morning during winter to drink. The water was frozen over,
and the horse stamped away with his fore-feet, but was unable to break
the ice. Finding this, he waited till a companion came down, when the
two, standing side by side, and causing their hoofs to descend together,
broke through the ice, and were thus enabled to obtain the water they
required.

What one person alone cannot do, two working heartily together may
accomplish. We shall find no lack of thick ice to break through. The
thickest, perhaps, is the icy opposition of cold, stubborn hearts to
what is right and good. Let us beware that our hearts do not freeze,
but take care to keep them warm by exercising them in the service of
love and kindness.

THE AUTHOR'S HORSE BECOMING HIS GUIDE.

I was once travelling in the interior of Portugal with several
companions. My horse had never been in that part of the country before.
We left our inn at daybreak, and proceeded through a mountainous
district to visit some beautiful scenery. On our return evening was
approaching, when I stopped behind my companions to tighten the girths
of my saddle. Believing that there was only one path to take, I rode
slowly on, but shortly reached a spot where I was in some doubt whether
I should go forward or turn off to the left. I shouted, but heard no
voice in reply, nor could I see any trace of my friends. Darkness was
coming rapidly on. My horse seeming inclined to take the left hand, I
thought it best to let him do so. In a short time the sky became
overcast, and there was no moon. The darkness was excessive. Still my
steed stepped boldly on. So dense became the obscurity, that I could
not see his ears; nor could I, indeed, distinguish my own hand held out
at arm's-length. I had no help for it but to place the reins on my
horse's neck and let him go forward.

We had heard of robberies and murders committed; and I knew that there
were steep precipices, down which, had my horse fallen, we should have
been dashed to pieces. Still the firm way in which he trotted gave me
confidence. Hour after hour passed by. The darkness would, at all
events, conceal me from the banditti, if such were in wait--that was one
consolation; but then I could