g the day
before, he had noticed on the side of the inclined plane; he went down
that way, while the rest of the party availed themselves of the car. He,
boy-like, did not mind the extra labor and longer time which that choice
involved, so long as he found out that there were five hundred and
twenty-two steps.

As they descended the mountain from the half-way house Reuben gathered
for a souvenir some of the beautiful laurel which, in full-bloom, was
then adorning its sides.

A few days later after the promised ride to Old Hadley, three miles
distant, which was extended four miles to Amherst to give Reuben a sight
of the college where his papa graduated, Mrs. Tracy and her son returned
to Salem. Mr. Tracy was highly entertained with Reuben's account of what
he had seen, and felt more than ever that his money had been well
invested. The rest of the vacation soon passed, the boy's active mind
being profitably engaged in the interim of active, healthful sports.

And it is highly probable that by this time the geography class, with
Ned Bolton as spokesman, has discovered that "Reuben Tracy knows more
about a mountain than the geography itself!"

* * * * *

GEMS FROM THE EASY CHAIR.

Christmas. There is nothing in the deepest and best sense human which in
the truest and highest sense is not also Christian. The characteristic
feeling about Christmas, as it is revealed in literature and tradition
and association, is the striking and beautiful tribute to the
practicability of Christianity.

Sermons. It is doubtless very unjust to the clergy to suppose that they
turn the barrel of sermons to save themselves the trouble of writing new
ones. Nothing but the levity of the pews could be guilty of such a
suspicion. The preacher knows that one squeezing does not take all the
juice out of an orange; and how much jucier a fruit is a good sermon!
Moreover, the pews are so pachydermatous, so rhinoceros-skinned, that
nothing but an incessant pelting upon the same spot makes an impression.

America. Whoever has seen a self-possessed and sagacious orator handling
a tumultuous meeting as Phoebus-Appollo handles his madly plunging
steeds, has seen the symbol of popular government, and understands why
the sole fact of numerical force and brute power does not explain it. He
who watches the ocean rising into every bay and creek in obedience to
celestial attraction, sees in outward nature the law that gover