224 THE FACE OF THE FIELDS 



have not, for the things we are relieved of, the 

 things we escape, for our conveniences, that 

 we are thankful nowadays. Life is summed up 

 with us in negations. We tally our conveniences 

 only, quick-detachable-tired, six-cylindered, sev- 

 enty-horse-powered conveniences. To construct 

 eighteen-million dollars' worth of destruction in 

 the shape of a gunboat ! to lay out a beautiful 

 road and then build a machine to " eat it " ! to 

 be allotted a span of time and study how to an- 

 nihilate it ! O Lord, we thank Thee that we have 

 all the modern conveniences, from cucumbers at 

 Christmas to a Celestial Creche ! Heaven is such a 

 nice, fit, convenient place for our unborn children ! 

 God is their home. The angels take such gentle 

 care of them ! Besides, they are not so in the way 

 there ; and, if need be, we have the charity chil- 

 dren and other people's children ; or we have the 

 darling little sweet-faced bull-terrier pup. 



For myself, I have never had a little cherub- 

 faced bull-pup, but at this present writing I am 

 helping to bring up our fourth baby, and I think 

 I see the convenience of the pup. And I am only 

 the father of the baby at that ! 



To begin with, you can buy a pup. You can 



