4. Why do you suppose these men live so far up among the mountains, which are covered with snow throughout the whole year, exposed to such severe cold, and to so many hardships of different kinds? I will tell you.

5. High as these mountains are, and dangerous as it is to pass over them, in order to reach the country beyond, many persons every year make the fearful journey, or perish in the undertaking.

6. Many dangers beset the poor traveler on his way over these mountains. If he steps out of his path, he is liable to become so much bewildered that he never finds it again. Suddenly, and when he least thinks of it, a great avalanche, or snow-slide, may come furiously down the sides of the mountain, and overwhelm him.

7. One misstep may cause him to plunge down a frightful precipice, or a terrible snowstorm may come, drifting and sweeping around him, until, overcome with cold, blinded with the snow, and completely bewildered, he sinks down to die.

8. For many years monks have lived in the convent of Saint Bernard, for the purpose of rescuing from danger travelers who may be

passing over the mountains, and to give rest and refreshment to any who may be able to reach their door.

9. The monks of Saint Bernard have trained large and strong dogs to go out in storms in search of travelers who may need help.

10. Each dog has, when he goes out for this purpose, a warm cloak strapped around his body, and a flask of brandy under his throat.

11. These dogs show a wonderful faculty of tracing out the path in the severest storm, and of finding travelers, even when buried under snow, or at the bottom of the steepest precipices.

12. If they find any one they will carry him upon their backs to the convent, or if the poor man is unable to do anything for himself they will hasten to the monks, and by signs which these good people well understand, they will let them know that their help is needed, and guide them to the spot where the poor traveler lies.

13. One of the dogs of St. Bernard was the means of saving so many lives that, when at last he died, his skin was stuffed, and sent to the Royal Museum in England, where he may

now be seen, looking so much like life that one would hardly be surprised to see him leap from his place with the loud, deep bark for which these dogs are famous.

THE DOGS OF ST. BERNARD.-CONTINUED.

1. Among the many stories which have been told of travelers saved from death by the faithfulness of the noble dogs of Saint Bernard is the following:

2. An English nobleman, with his family, was once passing over the Alps when a violent snow-storm came on. In the midst of it one of the horses, upon which rode a little son of the nobleman, with a servant to take care of him, made a misstep, and was hurled down the steep side of the mountain to the gulf beneath.

3. The poor father, distracted with grief, gave them up for lost, and with the rest of

his family, hastened to the convent to tell his sorrowful story.

4. The kind monks told him to be of good courage, for they would go in search of the missing ones. So they took one of their dogs, and tied to him some food, a flask of brandy, and a roll of strong cord, and went towards the spot where the poor travelers had fallen.

5. The snow was blowing so furiously that they could see nothing, and the sides of the mountains were so steep and slippery that no one could go down.

6. At length they thought they heard faint cries; immediately the dog ran down to the spot whence the sound proceeded, and they lost sight of him.

7. After waiting in vain a long time for the dog to appear, they feared that he too might be lost, and one of them returned home to get more help.

8. When he came in sight of the convent he saw the noble dog standing at the door, with the little child, safe and sound, clinging to his shaggy neck.

9. Perhaps

picture of it.

and beautiful.

some of you have seen the
I have, and it is
I have, and it is very touching

The dog looks up with such

a satisfied look in his great dark eyes, and the child clings to him with so much love and gratitude upon his little pale face!

10. The good monks immediately returned with other dogs and strong cords, which they managed to let down to the servant, and soon they drew him up half dead with cold and fatigue.

11. He afterwards told how, when the dog found them, he first poured some brandy down the poor child's throat to revive him, for he seemed almost ready to perish, and then, after they both had taken some food, he tied the little boy to the dog's back with a strong cord, feeling quite happy to think that, even if he should die there, his little master would in all probability be saved.

12. Happy hearts must have been in the old gray convent that night, and I doubt not that fervent prayers of thanksgiving ascended to the good Father who had thus watched over them in the hour of peril, and had changed their mourning to rejoicing.