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The best way to see the lake is to go on it in a steamer. The Russians think that this lake is even more beautiful than any of the Swiss ones.

Further north is lake Omega.

The lakes look beautiful in smooth weather. But sometimes they are visited by violent and dangerous storms. But in all northern skies there are beautiful clouds and colouring, which, when reflected in the lakes, make them look like molten gold. There is an island in lake Ladoga, where some monks or priests live, and where there is a big church. This church contains a silver statue of a famous saint, and many Russians go there on that account, for their religion (which is that of the Greek Church) teaches them to pay much honour to saints.

It will take

The old capital of Russia is Moscow. us about 20 hours on the railroad to go from St. Petersburg there, but it is worth while, for Moscow is a pretty and curious city, containing many things worth seeing. There is a big tower there, 270 feet high, which contains 34 bells,-a fine noise they make, when they ring on Sundays and feast days. There is one bell besides, which is very big indeed, which has only just been dug out of a pit, where it had been buried for a hundred years. The Russians are very proud of this bell, which weighs 443,772 lbs., but it is cracked, and so quite useless. It is called the "great bell of Moscow."

The Kremlin is a curious palace, or rather collection of buildings. There is a great treasury there, which contains, amongst other things, the Emperor's throne (or rather we ought to call him the Czar).

This throne contains numbers of precious stones. There is also an arsenal, or place for keeping guns and all sorts of war implements; a picture-gallery; and many other things worth seeing.

Are the Russians a happy people? Not very ; they have been too much oppressed. The poor are little better than slaves, though they have more freedom now than they had years ago. Still the knowledge that there is a chance of being sent to Siberia for some small fault, to live, and perhaps die, in misery, does not let the Russians have very peaceful lives. And if you are afraid of wild beasts, you would not care to stay long in some parts of Russia. But you had better make up your mind on that point after reading the next chapter. Principal Rivers.-Volga, Ural, Dnieper. Lakes.-Ladoga, Omega.

Mountains.-Ural, between Russia and Asia.
Towns. St. Petersburg, Moscow.

Government.-A Czar, or Emperor.

Religion.-Greek Church, very like the Roman Catholic in doctrine, but the priests are not under the Pope.

THE FAITHFUL SERVANT.

MANY years ago, a Russian nobleman was travelling with his wife and little child across one of the large forests of Russia. Their carriage was drawn by four horses. On the coach-box sat the nobleman's servant and the driver. The night was very dark, and as the carriage rolled quickly on, a strange noise was

heard. The little girl was frightened, and asked her father what it was.

"Only the wind," said he; "try to go to sleep."

But the noise grew louder and louder, and sounded nearer and nearer, for it did not come from the wind, but from a pack of wolves. At last the nobleman spoke to his servant on the box, saying:—

"The wolves will be upon us directly; load your pistols, and, as soon as they are within shot, fire and try to hit the leader of the pack, and I will aim at the second."

The howls of the wolves got nearer and nearer, at last they were close upon the carriage. The nobleman and his servant both fired their pistols. Two wolves fell dead, and the rest of the savage creatures stopped to eat them up, while the driver urged his horses to greater speed. In vain! wolves run faster than horses, and soon the pack were again close to the carriage. Once more the nobleman and his servant fired; but although again two wolves fell, others joined the pack, and rushed violently after the carriage. The travellers were still some way from the inn, which they hoped to reach that night.

"There is nothing for it," said the driver, "but to let a horse loose for the wolves to eat."

They stopped, unfastened the harness, and the leader cantered off into the wood, pursued by the wolves. They either eat him or he escaped, but it was not long before the pack were again surrounding the carriage. With sorrow and pain another horse was set loose! and then a third !

The travellers were now not far from the inn; but the carriage was heavy, and the one remaining horse, though urged by the driver, and terrified by the howling of the wolves, could hardly get along.

"Sir," said the servant, "I see only one thing to be done. I will jump down, and keep the wild beasts off you for a time.”

"You!" said his master. cannot think of such a thing."

"You are mad! I

"Sir," said the servant, "we shall all die otherwise. I have neither wife nor child. Let me die for you."

And, before his master could say more, the noble servant had sprung off the carriage.

The one remaining horse tore on as fast as it could. The travellers heard the howls of the wolves and the report of two or three shots, and then there was silence. They reached the inn, put fresh horses to the carriage, took with them men armed with guns, and hastened back to the place where the noble and faithful servant had been left. Nothing was to be found but his pistol, for the wolves had devoured him.

On the spot where the hero died, his master put up a cross, on which was engraved this verse:"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

POLAND.

POOR little Poland! Part of it the Russians took, and part of it the Germans! So, though a separate country, it is not now a separate kingdom. As you read in the last chapter, every now and then the Poles try to get back their independence; but, so far, they have always failed. They fight bravely, too. In one battle I heard that a young soldier, though mortally wounded, refused to be carried to a hospital. For two days he lay in a ditch; and when he died, the reason of his refusing to be moved was found out, for underneath him were his colours, and if he had been moved they would have fallen into the enemy's hands.

The Russians are trying as hard as they can to turn the Poles into Russians. Even in the schools, Russian, and not Polish, is the language taught.

The Poles are rather dirty people. For one thing, I think that they must have lost all heart to clean up; and for another they have a stupid idea that dirt is wholesome.

Warsaw is the capital of Poland. It is not a very fine city. It has been too often taken and retaken by soldiers to have much beauty left. Many of the buildings are of wood.

In one part of Poland there is the largest mine in the world. You have read about our coal mines in England, but the Polish mine of which I am going to tell you is a salt mine. You go down into the mine by steps cut in the salt rock, or here and there Some of the salt is very bright and

by wooden ones.

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