ers of the people; he might have thought that there never had
resided one in the Ban de la Roche, if he had seen the state of the
inhabitants when M. Stouber went thither to take possession of the
cure in the year 1750. He, who entered upon it with a determination
of doing his duty like a conscientious and energetic man, began first
by inquiring into the manner of education there; and asking for the
principal school, he was conducted to a miserable hovel, where there
were a number of children "crowded together without any occupation, and
in so wild and noisy a state, that it was with some difficulty he could
gain a reply to his inquiries for the master."

"There he is," said one of them, as soon as silence could be obtained,
pointing to a withered old man, who lay on a little bed in one corner of
the apartment.

"Are you the schoolmaster, my good friend?" inquired Stouber.

"Yes, sir."

"And what do you teach the children?"

"Nothing, sir."

"Nothing!--how is that?"

"Because," replied the old man, with characteristic simplicity, "I know
nothing myself."

"Why, then, were you instituted schoolmaster?"

"Why, sir, I had been taking care of the Waldbach pigs for a great
number of years, and when I got too old and infirm for that employment,
they sent me here to take care of the children."

* * * * *

PLANTING.

A custom prevailed in the neighbouring parts of Germany, where no farmer
was allowed to marry till he had planted and was "father of a stated
number of walnut trees, that law being inviolably observed," says
Evelyn, "for the extraordinary benefit which the trees afford the
inhabitants." What the Germans thus provided for by a wise law, Oberlin,
a pious pastor of Waldbach, required as an act of religious duty,
bringing that great principle into action on all occasions. Late in
autumn he addressed his parishioners thus:--

"Dear Friends--Satan, the enemy of mankind, rejoices when we demolish
and destroy; our Lord Jesus Christ, on the contrary, rejoices when we
labour for the public good.

"You all desire to be saved by Him, and hope to become partakers of His
glory. Please him, then, by every possible means, during the remainder
of the time you may have to live in this world.

"He is pleased when, from the principle of love, you plant trees for the
public benefit. Be willing, then to plant them. Plant them in the best
possible manner. Remember, you do it to please