Thus two or three days were spent in Frankfurt, and then the party proceeded down the Rhine. On the morning of starting, Walter remarked,

"This is my birthday, the 14th of August.” "Ah!" said Mr. Tenant; "how old are you?"

“Well, I hardly know. We have been about the country so much, and the months have come and gone so fast, that I must count up and see.” "What a boy! don't know how old he is!" cried Minnie.

"Yes, I do. I was eleven years and about eight months old when we left home, and so I must be thirteen now, as we have been away one year and about four months."

"You have grown since you left home, and have become much changed.'

"How?"

"You look more manly, and you have more color in your cheeks."

"I am almost eleven," said Minnie, " and I guess mother will think we have both grown.” "She will think you have grown very

"Bah! bah!" exclaimed Minnie, putting her hand over Walter's mouth.

"The carriage is ready to take us to the cars," said Mr. Percy, entering the room.

They were soon conveyed to the depot, and entering the cars, rode to Castel, where the steamer was to be taken on the Rhine. There is nothing at Castel worth the trouble of stopping for, and travellers hurry at once into the boat, or sit a while on the pier waiting for her to get up steam.

"There is a large city opposite us," remarked Walter, as they stood on the landing looking about.

"Yes," replied his father, without paying much attention to what the boy was saying. "What is it?

"Mayence, and it has thirty-six thousand inhabitants."

"What could be seen there ? ”

"Not much."

"Do you think we had better pass so large a city without seeing it?"

"I think so. What time we have remaining will be as well spent elsewhere. There is one monument, however, that I would like to have pointed out to your sister."

"What is it, pa?" shouted the child.

"Have you ever heard of Heinrich von Meissen."

"No, sir."

"Have you, Walter?"

"No, sir."

66

“Who was he?" asked Minnie, “ and what of him?"

"He was an ecclesiastic, and a very great favorite with the ladies - he was called the ladies' minstrel.”

"Poets are always favorites with the ladies," remarked Mr. Tenant.

"Not always," answered Minnie; "here is an exception. But about this ladies' poet,

pa?"

"When he died, eight ladies supported his bier."

"What! carried it?"

"Yes."

“He must have been a favorite.”

“They also poured wine, mingled with their tears, upon the coffin."

"Silly women."

“I think so too; but it shows how popular he was."

"What else is the city noted for?" asked Walter.

"St. Boniface once lived here."

"What saint was he?”

"An Englishman, who, in the eighth century, came into Germany, converted thousands of Germans to the Catholic faith, and for many

years

labored with much devotion as a real friend of the people."

A band now struck up a lively air, close by, and the children ran to hear the sweet strains that sounded wildly over the winding Rhine.

"What does that remind you of, Walter?" asked Minnie.

"I don't know."

"It reminds me of something." "Of what?"

"Of home."

"FATHER

CHAPTER XI.

ON THE RHINE.

ATHER, let me purchase the tickets," said Walter, as the time arrived for them to start.

"You may get your own, my son." "Where shall I buy it for?

"For Cologne."

So Walter went and purchased his ticket through to Cologne, and paid for it twenty-four francs; and soon all were on board, sailing down the river. The children went from one end of the boat to the other, looking at every thing they saw on the banks. They had not gone far when the boat began to lessen the speed, and soon a man went along the deck, shouting, —

"Wiesbaden! Wiesbaden!"

The vessel drew up to the landing, and about twenty persons came on board, and as many went ashore.

"Wiesbaden!" said Minnie to Walter; "I have heard of that place; I must find Mr. Tenant, and have him tell me what there is there."