Meanwhile the French gentleman rode slowly off in the direction indicated by the ostler, keeping his horse to a walking pace for fear he should overtake Fairy, who, after a little while, he discerned as a little speck of white some way in front of him. He paid no heed to the ostler’s directions now; where that speck of white led he would follow, but at a safe distance, lest he should frighten or annoy her if discovered. Keeping well in the rear, he saw Fairy finally turn into the field in which the shepherd’s cottage stood, and as soon as she was out of sight he put his horse into a canter, and rode past, taking a good survey, as he passed, of the house of the shepherd’s Fairy, whom he had traced to her home. (_To be continued._) [Illustration] HINTS ON PRACTISING SINGING AND PRESERVING THE VOICE. BY AN EXPERIENCED TEACHER. [Illustration] PART I. WHAT TO AVOID. It will most likely surprise my readers that I should begin this article by telling them when _not to practise_. I think this a very essential point, although not often spoken of by teachers. I heard, a short time ago, of a young lady desirous of having singing lessons, whose instructor said it would be best for her to practise three times a day for ten minutes. The girl, being engaged in teaching most of the day, found it difficult to manage her time, but contrived, by having the first ten minutes before breakfast, to fit in the three intervals. No wonder her throat got bad and her health suffered! If, among my readers, there should be one similarly occupied, believe me, it is not wise to take lessons during the term, as talking for so long a time is sufficient exercise for the throat and chest. Wait till the holidays, and then begin. If you tire the vocal chords and the surrounding parts, you weaken instead of strengthening them, and injure the purity of tone. We will suppose you have had your first lesson, say, of forty-five minutes; and on reaching home feel inclined to practise, to impress on your mind your teacher’s corrections. Yet you must not do so; as you have already sung enough. By all means, look over the music you have used and mark anything you may be likely to forget; also start a note-book, and make memoranda of the hints received from time to time. Say that your lesson takes place in the morning; probably in the afternoon you will be able to take a quarter of an hour in which to practise. In this way, you will have done far more good than if you sat straightway down to the piano when you were excited and heated after your first lesson, when you might have been tempted to try over your songs, to settle which to take the next time, and have gone from one thing to another, till, to your great surprise, it is lunch time, and, it may chance, instead of your usual good appetite you have none. An artistic temperament is often very excitable, and if this is your case you will perceive how much you would have taken out of yourself in that one morning.