allowance, which is continued to be paid till the expiration of the apprenticeship. come by supplying them with their dinner. The Rothschild Orphanage is situated in the house of 2. To establish evening classes for apprentices and the larger of the above-mentioned schools, and the workmen. 3. To take the superintendence of the industrial school they have instituted. 4. To find situations for boys who have left the prison, to assist in their maintenance, and to place them as apprentices. 1 5. To assist workmen in finding employment, and to purchase for them what tools or materials may be necessary. 6. To take the superintendence of the farm school, to which young prisoners are sent after they leave the prison. The other great Jewish institutions in Paris are their schools, which, as a rule, are very efficient. Some of them are maintained solely by private charity, while others receive considerable assistance from the Government. Many of these schools are of considerable magnitude. In the two we visited, the first, including the infant school, had no fewer than 750 children, and the other 500. There are several smaller charity schools, containing from 50 to 100 children. The Jews, both in Paris and in London, are exceedingly anxious that all the children of their creed should be well educated, justly considering that the social and moral position of every community is greater or less in proportion to the degree to which education is carried among them. So particular are they on this point, that neither in Paris nor in London can a poor Jew receive the slightest charitable relief unless he is able to show that he sends his children to school. And the parents have certainly no excuse for neglect. Education in both cities is provided gratuitously for poor children. The managers go still further, and not contenting themselves with insisting on the parents sending their children to school, they frequently tempt them to dinners for the children are cooked in its kitchen. There are several other Jewish charitable institutions in Paris, well worthy of honourable mention. There is a higher school (Talmud Torah), to which boys who may have distinguished themselves in the lower schools are sent as a reward. They may remain in this school, if they please, till they have obtained their degree of Bachelor of Arts. In the Talmud Torah, profane and sacred literature are both taught; and, to young men aspiring to the profession of a Rabbi, it is generally the first step. There is also the Israelitish seminary, or Paris Rabbinical school, in which young men are trained for the priesthood.. This is the principal Jewish religious college in France. Until lately, it was at Metz, but has now been removed to Paris, and placed under the management of the Grand Consistory. These, and many kindred institutions, all tend to prove the great zeal of the Paris Jews in the maintenance of their religion, and the close affinity which exists between their religious doctrines and the practice of good works. A feature well worthy of notice in the philosophy of Jewish philanthropy in Paris is the marked difference which exists between it and the Roman Catho-lic, especially as regards women. The Jewish religion teaches that the first of their good works should be the strict observance of their domestic duties. Marriage is encouraged among them, yet by the Jewish matrons the principal dispensation of the charity of their community appears to be performed. They attend personally to the wants of the sick and needy, visit them in their homes, and administer kindly to their necessities, at the same time fulfilling to the utmost their duties to their own families. WILLIAM GILBERT. THE STORY OF OSRIC THE SHEPHERD. In the olden times, when there were fairies on the earth, Osric the shepherd was watching his flocks by the source of a mountain stream. The ground was blue with violets and hyacinths, for it was the sweet spring-time; while tufts of fern and a few mountainashes overhung the rivulet, and looked at themselves in the water. It was a beautiful spot, and the shepherd knew it well, and loved it. He was a sprightly young fellow of twenty, and, as most young men are, was full of dreams about raising himself from his present humble station. "Ah, now," he said aloud, "what a thing it is that I have always to stop here and watch sheep! I wonder why I could not have been born a master instead of a man; or why I could not have a good horse and a glittering suit of armour, like the knight I see yonder on the road-going to some grand tournament, I'll be bound, where he'll be admired by all the ladies, and perhaps get a purse of gold or a thousand acres of prime meadow land by a single blow. If I had only the chance!" The words were scarcely out of his mouth when he heard a slight rustling among the ferns at his back, and, turning his head to see what it was, he perceived a figure that startled him not a little. It was that of a lady, old, ugly, and blind of an eye; but her bearing was stately, and, by her green robes and exceedingly small stature, Osric immediately guessed that she was a visitor from fairy-land. "Do not tremble so, mortal," she said to the frightened youth; "I wish to serve and not to harm you. My name is Queen Fortune, and my power considerable. I appear to most men once in their lives, at any rate; but it is usually when they are much older than you. However, by good luck, you | had seated yourself within earshot when you began complaining so bitterly; and I am come to give you your chance now. What is it you would like best?" The delighted Osric fell on his knees before the benevolent spirit and, after pouring out his thanks, began murmuring wishes for gold and fame and wisdom and all kinds of grand things. "Stop, stop," exclaimed the queen, laughing; "I did not say I would give you these things, young man; all that I shall do is to put you in the way of getting them for yourself, and that only on certain conditions. Now, listen." Osric pricked his ears. enough, too, when I make you such an offer. Is it a bargain, Osric ?" What could be easier, the latter thought, than to be put in the way of success on such terms? "Agreed," he cried, and, taking the pebble, ran to the precipice in such haste that he was out of breath when he reached it. Marking where the pebble struck, he found the loose stone as the fairy had said; but for a long time his utmost efforts to effect an entrance were in vain. At last a lucky side-push both sent the rock flying back into the recess within, and carried Osric after, rather more quickly than he liked. When he rose from the earth, however, he saw before him the mouth of a spacious cave, which you may be sure he lost no time in penetrating; though, as he did not know the ground, he took care to proceed very cautiously, for fear of falling into some deep pool or abyss. He had not gone far when he caught sight of a magnificent bay horse, ready saddled, and with a splendid coat of mail, a sword, spurs, and helmet, all hanging from the saddle. The charger was easy to be seen, standing as it did not far from the entrance, and where the light of day was still struggling, so to speak, with the darkness within. "This is what she meant, no doubt," he cried, exultingly. "Why, I never saw such a horse and armour in my life; they are better, I do believe, than Sir Leopold's!" the Sir Leopold in question being the mighty baron who lived in the great castle hard by. Then Osric in his excitement set up such a 'hurrah!' that the spirited horse bounded out of the cave at once. The youth followed in haste to catch his prize, and, having accomplished this, pro- || ceeded to examine the rich trappings more in detail. The more he saw of them the better he liked them; but as he looked, the fact suddenly struck him that the horse had no bridle. די "Dear me," he said, "that is a pity. But perhaps he never had a bridle-it certainly has not dropped! off since I drove him out. And, after all, I fancy it! does not matter much: I can use a piece of rope or anything till I get home, and there is a bridle there. Aye, and I see the door of the cave is closed again, so that I suppose I cannot go back if I wished!" However, he did not think it worth while to try the door, but putting on his armour, sprang to the saddle and thought himself at least a prince already. Then, in his impatience to try the pace of his new servant, he struck the spurs into its sides and (as he might have expected with a spirited creature like that, and no bridle) was off its back in a twinkling. "Go to the foot of the precipice you see yonder," continued the other, " and fling this pebble against the rock. Remove the stone against which the pebble strikes; you will then sce a cavern before you-the Cave of Reflection is our name for it-from which I The fall in his heavy armour would have been a expect you to bring me without fail every several serious thing, but Osric fortunately lighted where the thing you find within. Everything there is yours, ground was soft, and although he was covered with and is absolutely necessary for your equipment. But mud when he got up, he was not much hurt. Still, remember this: for each time you have to return to as he knew the danger of being thrown in this way fetch what you leave in the chamber, I shall exact | often, he determined not to remount just yet, and, twelve years of your life as a penalty-and little partly driving the horse before him, partly dragging it on by the mane, succeeded in getting it to the place where the flask lay, and he thought it must have where the fairy was standing. "This steed, Osric," said she, "is heavenly-born, and will carry you nobly in every danger. His dam is one of the undying coursers of the Sun, and from that we call him Fire. The sword, too, which you are brandishing about in that dangerous way, is of such matchless strength and temper that nothing, whether flesh or stone or iron, can resist it long. But," she suddenly asked, with a look of surprise, "but where is the bridle?" "Why, I thought I could get one on the road," replied the blushing youth. "I did not miss it till I was out of the cave.' sure: The fairy's answer was in a tone of high displea"And did you imagine, young man, that a horse like this, an immortal's progeny and a spirit's gift, could be held by any make-shift thing a mortal like you might choose to put in his mouth? Rest assured Fire will submit to no bridle but his own. I have a great mind to have nothing farther to do with you." Osric, however, begged pardon in such humble terms that Queen Fortune relented, and allowed him to return for the bridle. "I'll leave nothing behind me this time, for I'll have a light," he said to himself as he went towards the cave. He knew that there was always a Light burning in the little chapel on the hill-top, and that he could be supplied with an excellent lamp there; but, as the road was steep and difficult, he preferred borrowing a common rushlight at the house of a good-natured old man who lived near. Having procured the light he went forward to the cave, and, knowing the way to open the door, got in with much less trouble than on the former occasion. Then he lighted his candle, and, advancing slowly into the place, found the bridle very easily, for it was hanging in a dark corner close to where the horse had been. Encouraged by this discovery, he went on examining the floor for a considerable distance, till he had quite lost sight of day; but the chamber he was in was so gloomy and immense, and had so many side-passages branching out of it in all directions, that at length he began to be afraid. "Why, it is a place," he said aloud, for he was glad to break the unearthly silence, even with his own voice, "where a man might roam about for hours and lose his way, and perhaps never get out again at all. I don't like such work; and I cannot think yon good kind lady would wish one to go groping about for a week in such a dark, dangerous hole: I have no doubt she would place all her presents near the entrance with the rest. In fact, I cannot conceive what else I can want. Just let me think: I have got horse, armour, spurs, helmet, sword, bridle-oh yes; I am certain there is nothing more; and what time I am losing!" So with this he made his way back towards the entrance; but, as he went along holding the candle close to the ground, he fancied he saw something sparkle at his feet, and, stooping down, found a flask nearly buried in some mud which was thereabouts. There was the print of a hoof directly above the spot fallen off in some of Fire's caperings, and so have been trodden into the ground. Otherwise he could not understand why he had not seen it before; for, when he drew it out, it was covered with diamonds of such size and lustre that they would have been easily visible, even in the darkest part of the cave. When he got outside he thought that the best way of carrying the bridle was to put the reins over his head, and in doing this he happened to touch his chin. It was strangely rough, and on feeling at his face he found himself by some extraordinary means in possession of a huge beard and moustache. "Well, this is amusing at any rate," he cried, with a burst of laughter; "when I set off from home this morning I had not a single hair on my chin, and here I am with a beard that might grace a patriarch. How the folks at home will stare!" He afterwards remembered that he was to be twelve years older every time he had to return to the cave, and he laughed again. What were twelve years at his time of life? "There!" he shouted, as, holding the flask on high in triumph, he approached the fairy. "I am sure now there is nothing left; for I got a candle this time and looked very carefully." "Do you not think, Osric," replied she, with a smile, "that it would have been wise to light the candle the first time you went to the cave? But I am glad you have found the flask. It is full of a sovereign remedy and, whenever you are wounded or disappointed, a single drop of the essence it contains will heal you completely, its curative properties are so wonderful. "But," continued the fairy, noticing that the other was hastily fastening Fire's bridle in his eagerness to be off, "but there is One thing still needful before you can start with any chance of success: it is in the cave, Osric; why have you not brought it ?” The shepherd's heart sank within him. "What, more yet?" he exclaimed, bitterly; "you might have told me so." "It was not my business to tell you what there was in the cave; I never inform any one what he will find there. But I told you to bring every thing." "I never saw a knight in my life who carried anything beyond what I have got here." "Very likely, Osric," she answered; "but my knights must be differently equipped from ordinary |