MARCH 245 



often would-be recruits are rejected on the ground of 

 bad teeth. It is no better with officers, and cases are 

 common in which candidates after an expensive prepara- 

 tion have failed to pass their 'medical' on account of 

 deficient dentures. In an examination of 10,000 of 

 British children of an average age of twelve years, eighty- 

 five per cent, required operative treatment. One more 

 example that the ordinary food of the present day is not 

 conducive to the health of the human race. Improve- 

 ment in teeth and gums is one of the most marked and 

 satisfactory symptoms experienced by people who take to 

 the health-giving food recommended by Dr. Haig. 



. I find among my old letters this anecdote of a young 

 mother trying to give religious instruction to a delicate 



little girl of two and a half : * M is a sweetly good, 



dear child and in better spirits than usual, which is a good 

 sign. I was trying the other day to convey some notion 

 of a Creator to her mind. She started with pure Atheism 

 that nobody made the trees, etc. Having made her 

 understand her clothes must be made, and dinner pre- 

 pared by somebody, she seemed to accept the notion of 

 " God " with a long-drawn " Oh ! " And when I said He 

 was a long way off, in the beautiful sky, she said quickly : 

 " What a bore ! " I asked : "Why ? " She answered : " Me 

 like to see God, mamma." In short, she caught up some 

 notion of a good fellow who made everything that was 

 good and beautiful, and has told me ever since : " Dod 

 made the trees, the sun and the moon, and all the pitty 

 things." So I flatter myself she is on the fair road to 

 Deism. Christianity must dawn upon her mind by very 

 slow degrees, poor little infant ! But she is so loving and 

 gentle she is no bad exemplification of "Of such is the 

 Kingdom of Heaven," and I am very dotingly fond of her.' 

 I think if this fond mother had given the love without 

 attempting the instruction, merely teaching the child to 



