LE LONG DU SENTIER 



bestowed; in better taste perhaps than 

 many of our sentimentalities. 



If increasing and multiplying brings 

 a definite resultant of happiness, it 

 might be thought that the tendency 

 would be reversed when a family was 

 broken up through accident or misfor- 

 tune. Yet this is not clear. Coming out 

 of the woods to a tiny settlement where 

 the people were very poor, it was plainly 

 to be seen that a sorrow had fallen on 

 the community. The usual cheery greet- 

 ings were subdued, groups stood about 

 in sober talk, .Crusty mourning was car- 

 ried by those who had it, the work of 

 field and farmyard was abandoned. Ma- 

 dame, questioned, told us of a neigh- 

 bour's sudden passing. He had taken 

 out of the world with him all that the 

 family had to depend on his power to 

 labour. When debts were paid there 

 would be nothing, less than nothing. 

 " There are children?" 

 " Ah yes, sir, nine of them." 



234 



