uage, and of bearing, as each drew near, took a
paper, read a few lines, thanked the donor, and then went off reading as
they walked, or with reflecting gaze, or simply astonished.

Hundreds of soldiers came to the window, sometimes a dozen of them at
once, and these all asked for their 'Empereur.' This meant the special
copy of the well-known periodical 'British Workman,' which was translated
into French, and had a very large and well-done woodcut of Napoleon III.
on its broad first page. The generosity of some good men supplied funds
to give one of these Emperor papers to every soldier, policeman, and
public employe; and much additional interest was attached to the paper
because it was actually printed before their eyes at a press in the
centre of the building, and because the press itself had borne off a gold
medal for excellence of workmanship. {110}

Priests came often, and even returned to get tracts for their villages in
distant parts of France. Germans asked for papers in "Allemand," and
numerous Italians and Spaniards asked for them in their languages. Two
Russians came, but we had then no books in Russ; and at length four grave
Mussulmen stood before me in turbans and flowing robes, with a suppliant
but dignified air, while their interpreter said they wanted to buy a
"dictionary to learn English from." Now they will easily get these
dictionaries in the "Beaconsfield Library" of Cyprus.

Although in frequent tours in foreign lands we had been accustomed to see
minglings of the people from many nations, the sight at this window was
more varied in the components of the constant flowing stream of human
beings for hours and hours than we ever saw before.

Some years ago, travelling in Algeria with an Arab guide, I put up for
the night at an old semaphore station, where was a French soldier in
charge. It was far from any houses, and on a high hill, and he had a
visit only every fortnight from his friends, who brought him provisions
on mules' backs. He willingly let me in, and spread a mattress for me on
the floor alongside his own. The Arab he kept outside, and the poor
fellow had to sleep coiled up on the doorstep.

The Frenchman was courteous and intelligent; but he had only one thing to
read for many weeks, a vapid French novel. He said he would willingly
read something better if he had it. At the next French town I searched
for some better book, and this caused me to find the agent of the Bible
Soc