There is the same difficulty in France, of course, as with us, in keeping children at school after they are old enough to earn a few centimes by cattle-keeping; and the Ministry of Education had shortly before addressed questions to every schoolmaster in the country, asking what remedy each could suggest.

My present friend had replied, that if the Government would give the education gratis, something might be done; but he had expressed his opinion that nothing short of an actual subsidy to parents of children beyond eight or nine years of age would ensure a general improvement.
Having given me this information, he observed that it was every man's business to learn, though he and I might be teachers also, and therefore he was sure monsieur would pardon him if he asked what those black patches on monsieur's hands might mean,--pointing to certain large areas of Epsom plaster which covered the tokens of many glacieres.

When his mind was set at rest as to this phenomenon, the maire called a halt, and took his turn of talking.

He began to tell me about himself and his wealth, Rosset backing him up and putting in the most telling parts.

He had very extensive property, and the more level parts of it were certainly valuable, consisting of 200 _journaux_ of good arable land: the forests through which we walked were his, and he possessed three _montagnes_ and chalets higher up on the mountain.