One of the best trips out of Boston is the westward run to South Framingham. The distance is not great, and the country which the rider passes through is as fine as any in the vicinity of Boston, or, for that matter, anywhere in the East. Start from Copley Square, with Public Library on the left. Go through Dartmouth Street (macadam road) to Commonwealth Avenue, turn to left, and follow this Avenue to Beacon Street Boulevard; bear to left out this boulevard, following electric-car tracks direct to Chestnut Hill Reservoir. Fine residences all the way. Finely macadamized road. Some hills and good coasts, which must be taken with caution on account of cross-roads. Shortly after crossing railroad bridge on Beacon Boulevard keep to extreme left-hand road; it usually has the best surface and gives the best shade. At the Reservoir Electric-Car Station turn to right up short steep hill; at top turn to left, pass through stone gateway, and take delightful spin around reservoir, keeping water on left till Beacon Street is reached, then turn to right on Beacon and up long hill, which is followed by two excellent coasts into Newton Centre. Good macadam road. Keep on Beacon Street (now good gravel road, small hills followed by level stretch), which crosses railroad at Waban Station and brings one to Great Sign Boards, then turn to the left, and follow Washington Street up long hill, then good coast towards Newton Lower Falls, good gravel road to Wellesley Hills. Keep to right on Worcester Street, cross railroad, then first left, thus entering Wellesley by way of Linden Street. Here it will pay to run out Washington Street to Wellesley College, see the fine grounds and Lake Waban, on the shores of which are famous residences, notably that of the Hunneywells, with extensive Italian gardens terraced from hill-top to the water's edge. Leaving Wellesley, follow Central Street to East Central, comparatively level way, to Natick. Keep direct road, passing Long Pond on the right and Cochituate Reservoir on the left. Good gravel road. Follow West Central Street into South Framingham, distance about twenty miles. Old Colony House a good place for dinner. Returning, follow same route to Great Sign Boards. To vary trip, instead of turning to right keep direct road, vi Washington Street, to Auburndale, past Lee's Hotel, one of the most popular suburban hostelries. Road in this region is excellent and well shaded. From Lee's keep direct road across railroad, then bear to the right and keep straight way into Newtonville, which we pass, keeping railroad on the right into Newton. After passing the station take first turn to right, and follow direct way to Oak Square. This brings one on to Cambridge Street, which is followed to Union Square, here turn to right, and follow Commonwealth Avenue to Dartmouth, then turn to right to Copley Square. Round trip about forty-three miles. If one desires, a short run of a little over a mile from Lee's will bring him to Riverside, on the Charles River, where are the Boston Athletic Club's summer quarters and those of the Newton Boat Club. Canoes and boats to let. Good place to spend an hour or so.

Life on a South African Farm.

As your readers seem interested in letters from other lands, I will write a little about life on a South African farm. Our farm was in the Little Karroo, the principal produce of which was ostrich feathers and mohair. I dare say you will have heard how much we suffer from drought in parts of the Cape Colony, and how comparatively useless the rivers are owing to their steep descent towards the coast. During these droughts it often becomes necessary to feed the ostriches with prickly-pear leaves, which are cut up in a machine. Our goats are fed on a prickly shrub which is burnt with an inflammable bush called "kers bosch" (candle bush) until the thorns are off, when the stock rapidly devour it.

After the rains the water is preserved in large dams, and the ostrich cocks often become very vicious and prove dangerous to people on foot, as I know to my cost. In such a case the best weapon is a thorny branch with two prongs. In the prongs you catch the long neck. The animal is far too valuable to kill, or this could easily be effected by a blow with a stone or stick on the head. The ostriches have great strength in their long legs, which are their only means of attack.

My own experience was this: One day, while after cattle in the veldt, a vicious bird attacked me, and compelled me to get into a tree, where he kept me for half a day, until a native boy on horseback came to my assistance. During my imprisonment he made every effort to kick me down, and as the tree was none too large he nearly succeeded. If any of your readers would like to open a correspondence for exchanging stamps I am ready, and would be able to send them Cape Colony, Natal, British Bechuanaland, and Transvaal stamps in exchange, as well as some others. They should let me know what sort they want.