It seemed like an endless number to him each other only by signs. The Lapp's 



and he amused his uncle by asking if animal was a very swift one and Alex's 



this Lapp didn't own about all the deer deer tried to keep up with it, so there 



there were in Lapland. was not so much lurching of the sledge 



Mr. Polaski pointed out the owner's and he had but two upsettings. 

 brand by which each deer was branded How they sped over the snow! Alex 



and explained to Alex that by that mark could hardly believe his sight when the 



a deer that had strayed away from the settlement came in view. When dinner 



herd could be known and returned to was over, the droshky stood ready at 



its owner. the inn door and Alex invited the Lapp 



The rest of the day was spent by Mr. to ride with him. The carriage and the 



Polaski in sorting and bargaining for three horses were a great attraction to 



reindeer pelts, and Alex was told to the Lapp and no doubt he would have 



amuse himself. Left to his own devices, liked very much to have accepted the 



the boy's curiosity kept him busy until invitation, but he pointed in the direction 



everything worth seeing had been ex- they had come and gave Alex to under- 



amined. stand that he was to start back for home 



"Well, how would you like to live at once, 

 here, young man?" The driver of the droshky was given 



"Russia is good enough for me Uncle, all the details of the trip and was in- 



The reindeer driving is all that I care formed that reindeer went far ahead of 



about. Everything is so queer! The horses. When Alex reached home, he 



people look so odd ^nd are bundled up was the envy and admiration of his com- 



so they don't seem like folks, and the rades. To their minds, a boy that had 



huts don't look a bit like our houses, been to Lapland, ridden in a sledge after 



I'm sure I shouldn't like to live here all a reindeer, and eaten and slept in a Lap- 



the time." land hut, had an experience that was 



The next morning Alex was put in worth boasting about. Always after 



charge of one of the Lapps to be taken that, his uncle's journeys to Lapland 



back to the settlement, while Mr. Po- had a much deeper meaning for Alex, 



laski resumed his journey. The return and Mr. Polaski was greatly pleased 



drive was not quite so enjoyable to Alex that the boy had gained so much from 



for he and the Lapp could understand the trip. Martha R. Fitch. 



FOREST VANDALISM 



Daily the axe is doing its quota in beneficent to man and essential to the 



leveling our forests; removing the fa- best results of vegetable Hfe. 

 miliar giant growths throughout our The breath of the forest is no imag- 



farm-lands, about our homesteads. inary element of interest, but a factor 



Vast tracts of timber-lands are annu- among nature's forces as truly as are 



ally devastated, no vestige of past con- the winds upon which it is freighted, 

 ditions remaining; even the smaller The living tree inhales and exhales 



growths being utilized as a commodity through its leaves; it takes from the air 



of commerce, or annihilated throughout and from the soil elements which, with- 



the clearing as refuse to meet the fire in its marvelous laboratory not only 



brand. build up its own structure but enable 



Over such arias new attitudes toward it to give back to the earth and air its 



the general preservation of nature's breath and the principles of vegetable 



equipoise throughout the states prevail life in its fallen leaf, 

 and tend by just so much to disarrange The higher the .development of tree 



a harmony which has proved in the past formation the more pregnant its influ- 



