hundred and thirty francs, the amount of the
sum unlawfully dissipated.

"It is nearly all I possess in the world,"
said the old man, "but by the grace of God,
you will change your habits, you will work
diligently, and some day, my friend, you will
return me this money, which indeed belongs
more to the poor than to me."

It would be impossible to describe the
young soldier's joy and astonishment. He
pressed convulsively his benefactor's hand,
and after a pause, said:

"Monsieur, in three months, my military
engagement will be ended. I solemnly pro-
mise that, with the assistance of God, from
that time I will work diligently." So he
departed, bearing with him the money and
the blessing of the good man.

Much to the sorrow and indignation, of
Nanette, her master continued to wear
through the ensuing winter, his old threadbare
suit, which he had intended to replace
by warm garments; and his dinner
frequently consisted of bread and soupe maigre.

"And all this," said the dame, "for the
sake of a worthless stroller, whom we shall
never see or hear of again!"

"Nanette,!"said, her master, with tears in
his eyes, as he showed her the massive ingot,
whose value was three thousand francs,
"never judge hardly of a repentant sinner.
It was the weeping Magdalen who poured
precious ointment on her Master's feet; it
was the outlawed Samaritan leper who
returned to give Him thanks. Our poor
guest has nobly kept his vvord. Next winter
my sick people will want neither food nor
medicine; and you must lay in plenty of
flannel and frieze for our old men and women,
Nanette!"

"CAPE" SKETCHES.

A WORD or two on the labour resources of
the colony as existing in the ABORIGINAL AND
NEIGHBOURING RACES, will show what kind
of European labourers are most in demand.

There is perhaps no British colony in which,
so many varieties of the human race are to be
constantly seen as at the Cape of Good Hope.
Hottentots, Mozambiques, Kafirs, and Fingoes,
Negroes, Bojesmans, Bechuanas,Griguas, and
Malays, are to be seen every day; and
although the uninitiated European might be
contented to class them all together as
"coloured people," they have each distinctive
traits of character, colour, language—and in
fact, almost every sign which marks a nation
or a race. There is as much difference
between the personal appearance of' a Kafir and
a Hottentot as between the latter and a
Malay; and far more than between a German
and an Italian. Yet the country of the
Hottentots and that of the Kafirs border on each
other. Of the eight varieties I have
mentioned (for I reckon Kafirs and Fingoes as one
race), seven have perfectly distinct languages.

Probably the most hideous language in the
world, and the least articulate, is that of the
Bojesmans. It is more like the chattering of
apes than the tongue of man. Next to it, and
only a few degrees better, is the Hottentot.
It is, however, rarely spoken, or even
understood by the Hottentots themselves, who have
all learnt Dutch or English from their
masters. The Kafir tongue is positively
beautiful, as far as the sound is concerned,
and is dignified and expressive at the same
time. Yet the Kafirs themselves are very
bad linguists for although the Fingoes have
been settled in the colony for the last fifteen
or twenty years. I never met one who could,
hold a conversation freely in Dutch, and
scarcely one who even, understood a single
word of English.

The Hottentots are the principal domestic
servants (of all descriptions) in the colony—
especially in the eastern province. They are
a most eccentric race—a most extraordinary
mixture of good and evil qualities. In fact,
nearly every Hottentot is a kind of living
paradox. He is a drunkard and a thief, and
yet he will practise wonderful abstinence, and
never rob his master. He will serve you for
two or three months in sobriety and honesty,
then he will give you warning, pocket his
wages, walk off to the nearest canteen, and
never be sober for a month, or for whatever
time his money may last. While in your
service you may intrust him with anything,
and he will never be tempted to "pick and
steal." After he has left you, he will as soon,
appropriate your Wellingtons (if he calls to
see his successor in office) as wear his own
untanned shoes. He is a very dirty fellow,
and will neither clean your room, your boots,
nor your knives and forks, unless you are
eternally driving him to the work; yet he
will wash his hands with the utmost care
before he touches the food he is preparing for
your dinner; though, he has the greatest
natural antipathy to the contact of cold water,
and if he wears any linen, at all, never changes
it till it is worn out and in rags. He is
consequently by no means a pleasant valet, nor
are the women of his race by any means agreeable
as cooks or housemaids. Unless your
olfactory nerves are unusually obtuse, it is
advisable never to go into any room which a
Hottentot damsel has been putting in order
for at least half an hour after her departure.

The Malays generally live by fishing or
acting as carriers; some of them are men of
considerable property. They follow the
Mohammedan religion, are very clean in
their persons and houses, very temperate and
very industrious. Indeed, they are by far the
best and the most civilised of the coloured
races. Very few of them go into service.
Some in Cape Town act as grooms, and are
clever in their treatment of horses, and
excellent riders. The religious festivals of the
Malays are great sights. These people at the
Cape by no means deserve the character of