The Black Swans 



home at all — just a mere place to stay 

 and vegetate until you can get settled 

 by an open fire, and so get in touch at 

 last with all the Universe ? 



The woodman who brings not hick- 

 ory to me is not my friend. I know it 

 is becoming scarce and that it should 

 not be burned at all in these belated 

 and berated conservation days, but I 

 ask for so very little, just enough to 

 get the snap and a certain flame I love 

 to watch on evenings when it's dark 

 and wet and drear out there beyond 

 the window-sills! In fact, your true 

 fire-worshipper's enjoyment of his fire 

 begins with the selection of the proper 

 materials for it. This service he should 

 always render himself, if he wants 

 things as they should be, for there are 

 a million different kinds of fires — one 

 to fit every conceivable human mood; 

 and who knows quite so well as I 

 myself what may be on my mind to- 

 night, and just what type of fire com- 

 panionship I want? You can no more 

 [24] 



