AND SIGHTS IN CHOLON

There was so little sight-seeing to be done in Saigon that the tired
tourists did not hurry themselves in the morning; for breakfast was not
served till nine o'clock, and they went to the tables at their own
pleasure. The Nimrods had risen at an early hour, and had taken a long
walk before any others came from their rooms. They were the first to
take the morning meal, and they had earned an appetite before the
regular hour for it. At half-past ten a number of vehicles had been
gathered by the landlord for the use of his guests.

Mr. Froler was in attendance as soon as breakfast was _ready_, and the
young _men_ took their meal with him. He seemed to have taken a fancy to
Louis when he learned that the Guardian-Mother was his college, and he
took pains to inform him in regard to the affairs of the city and the
country.

"How did the French happen to settle here in the beginning?" asked Louis
when they were seated at the table.

"England, Holland, Spain, and especially France, began to take an
interest in the countries of the East at a very early date; and France
entered the race for Oriental territory as early as 1787, and agreed to
assist Annam in its troubles. Two years later the French Revolution
broke out in the destruction of the Bastille, on the fourteenth of July,
which is still celebrated. It is our 'Fourth of July,' Mr. Belgrave."

"I was in Paris on that day a few years ago, when I was a smaller boy
than I am now, and I wondered that no fire-crackers were let off,"
replied Louis.

"They are not permitted in Paris. France had her hands full after the
Revolution began, and was unable to keep her agreement in full with
Annam; but missionaries were sent there, and some commercial relations
in a very small way were continued until 1831. Then the king died, and
was succeeded by one who did not believe in the missionaries, French and
Spanish, settled in Annam, as the whole country east of Siam was then
called. The new king wanted to drive away the bearers of the gospel to
the natives, and killed or persecuted them.

"Twenty years later, France found it necessary to interfere, which she
did by sending a small army to subdue the country. The fortifications
which had been built by French engineers held the soldiers back to some
extent. When the persecutions of the Christians were believed to be
ended, the French soldiers returned home. They were again renewed; and
France and Spain sent out