44 THE HOUSE I LIVE IN. 



out the same way, to bring it back. You may 

 wonder that I should talk about blood in the 

 bones. But there is blood in them, though 

 not a great deal. This blood, and the nerves 

 and membranes of the bones, together with the 

 marrow and liquid matter which they contain, 

 amount to many pounds ; for after the bones 

 of any animal have been dried several years 

 in the air, they become almost twice as light 

 as before. The bones, when perfectly dry, 

 weigh from eight to twelve pounds. 



When they appear entirely dry, if you burn 

 them in a hot fire for a long time, you will 

 lessen their weight a great deal more ; I be- 

 lieve about one half. What burns out, in 

 these cases, is animal substance principally 

 gelatine. The half which remains is mostly 

 carbonate of lime, or chalk. So that a person 

 carries about with him, every day, from four 

 to six pounds of lime ; perhaps more. 



The great purpose which the Creator doubt- 

 less had in view, in giving us such a frame- 

 work of strong bones was, that it might support 

 the soft and fleshy parts. Suppose, now, that 

 there were no bones ; and that the whole body 

 \vas a mass of flesh. Would not the legs bend 



