A CHAPTER FOR MARRIED PEOPLE 559 



"Yes." 



''On this account you are willing to take the life of 

 this unborn babe?" 



''I must get rid of it." 



''I understand that you have already borne three 

 children, and that you do not think you are able to care 

 for more. Four children are, you think, one too many, 

 and so you are willing to destroy one. Why not de- 

 stroy one of those already born?" 



"Oh, that would be murder!" 



"It certainly would, but no more murder than it 

 would be to kill this unborn infant. Indeed, the little 

 one you are carrying in your womb has greater claims 

 upon you than the little ones at home, by virtue of its 

 entire dependence and helplessness. It is just as much 

 your child as those whose faces are familiar to you, 

 and whom you love. A¥liy should you be more willing 

 to take its life than that of one of your other children? 

 Indeed, if one must die because there are too many, 

 there are several reasons why one of those already 

 born should be sacrificed instead of the one unborn. 

 Your other children you are acquainted with. Some 

 of them have serious faults. None of them have very 

 marked mental ability or give very great promise of 

 becoming specially useful in the world. This one that 

 is unborn may, for aught you know, be destined to a 

 career of wonderful usefulness. It may be a genius, 

 endowed with most remarkable gifts. It may be a dis- 

 coverer of some new truth or new principle, which 

 will be of great service to the world. It may be of all 

 your children the most talented and the most lovable, 

 and in every way the most desirable. Again, you can- 

 not destroy the life of this innocent child whom you 

 have never seen, without endangering your own life 



