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s yet unascertained。 Still the plain straightforward question why a child of normally healthy parents and seemingly a healthy child and properly looked after succumbs unaccountably in early childhood （though other children of the same marriage do not） must certainly； in the poet's words； give us pause。 Nature； we may rest assured； has her own good and cogent reasons for whatever she does and in all probability such deaths are due to some law of anticipation by which organisms in which morbous germs have taken up their residence （modern science has conclusively shown that only the plasmic substance can be said to be immortal） tend to disappear at an increasingly earlier stage of development； an arrangement； which； though productive of pain to some of our feelings （notably the maternal）； is nevertheless； some of us think； in the long run beneficial to the race in general in securing thereby the survival of the fittest。 Mr S。 Dedalus' （Div。 Scep。） remark （or should it be called an interruption？） that an omnivorous being which can masticate； deglute； digest and apparently pass through the ordinary channel with pluterperfect imperturbability such multifarious aliments as cancrenous females emaciated by parturition； corpulent professional gentlemen； not to speak of jaundiced politicians and chlorotic nuns； might possibly find gastric relief in an innocent collation of staggering bob； reveals as nought else could and in a very unsavoury light the tendency above alluded to。 For the enlightenment of those who are not so intimately acquainted with the minutiae of the municipal abattoir as this morbidminded esthete and embryo philosopher who for all his overweening bumptiousness in things scientific can scarcely distinguish an acid from an alkali prides himself on being； it should perhaps be stated that staggering bob in the vile parlance of our lower class licensed victuallers signifies the cookable and eatable flesh of a calf newly dropped from its mother。 In a recent public controversy with Mr L。 Bloom （Pubb。 Canv。） which took place in the mons' hall of the National Maternity Hospital； 29； 30 and 31 Holles street； of which； as is well known； Dr A。 Horne （Lic。 in Mdw。； F。 K。 Q。 C。 P。 I。） is the able and popular master； he is reported by eyewitnesses as having stated that once a woman has let the cat into the bag （an esthetic allusion； presumably； to one of the most plicated and marvellous of all nature's processes； the act of sexual congress） she must let it out again or give it life； as he phrased it； to save her own。 At the risk of her own was the telling rejoinder of his interlocutor none the less effective for the moderate and measured tone in which it was delivered。
Meanwhile the skill and patience of the physician had brought about a happy accouchement。 It had been a weary weary while both for patient and doctor。 All that surgical skill could do was done and the brave woman had manfully helped。 She had。 She had fought the good fight and now she was very very happy。 Those who have passed on； who have gone before； are happy too as they gaze down and smile upon the touching scene。 Reverently look at her as she reclines there with the motherlight in her eyes； that longing hunger for baby fingers （a pretty sight it is to see）； in the first bloom of her new motherhood； breathing a silent prayer of thanksgiving to One above； the Universal Husband。 And as her loving eyes behold her babe she wishes only one blessing more； to have her dear Doady there with her to share her joy； to lay in his arms that mite of God's clay； the fruit of their lawful embraces。 He is older now （you and I may whisper it） and a trifle stooped in the shoulders yet in the whirligig of years a grave dignity has e to the conscientious second accountant of the Ulster bank； College Green branch。 O Doady； loved one of old； faithful lifemate now； it may never be again； that faroff time of the roses！ With the old shake of her pretty head she recalls those days。 God； how beautiful now across the mist of years！ But their children are grouped in her imagination about the bedside； hers and his； Charley； Mary Alice； Frederick Albert （if he had lived）； Mamy； Budgy （Victoria Frances）； Tom； Violet Constance Louisa； darling little Bobsy （called after our famous hero of the South African war； lord Bobs of Waterford and Candahar） and now this last pledge of their union； a Purefoy if ever there was one； with the true Purefoy nose。 Young hopeful will be christened Mortimer Edward after the influential third cousin of Mr Purefoy in the Treasury Remembrancer's office； Dublin Castle。 And so time wags on： but father Cronion has dealt lightly here。 No； let no sigh break from that bosom； dear gentle Mina。 And Doady； knock the ashes from your pipe； the seasoned briar you still fancy when the curfew rings for you （may it be the distant day！） and dout the light whereby you read in the Sacred Book for the oil too has run low and so with a tranquil heart to bed； to rest。 He knows and will call in His own good time。 You too have fought the good fight and played loyally your man's part。 Sir； to you my hand。 Well done； thou good and faithful servant！
There are sins or （let us call them as the world calls them） evil memories which are hidden away by man in the darkest places of the heart but they abide there and wait。 He may suffer their memory to grow dim； let them be as though they had not been and all but persuade himself that they were not or at least were otherwise。 Yet a chance word will call them forth suddenly and they will rise up to confront him in the most various circumstances； a vision or a dream； or while timbrel and harp soothe his senses or amid the cool silver tranquillity of the evening or at the feast at midnight when he is now filled with wine。 Not to insult over him will the vision e as over one that lies under her wrath； not for vengeance to cut off from the living but shrouded in the piteous vesture of the past； silent； remote； reproachful。
The stranger still regarded on the face before him a slow recession of that false calm there； imposed； as it seemed； by habit or some studied trick； upon words so embittered as to accuse in their speaker an unhealthiness； a flair； for the cruder things of life。 A scene disengages itself in the observer's memory； evoked； it would seem； by a word of so natural a homeliness as if those days were really present there （as some thought） with their immediate pleasures。 A shaven space of lawn one soft May evening； the wellremembered grove of lilacs at Roundtown； purple and white； fragrant slender spectators of the game but with much real interest in the pellets as they run slowly forward over the sward or collide and stop； one by its fellow； with a brief alert shock。 And yonder about that grey urn where the water moves at times in thoughtful irrigation you saw another as fragrant sisterhood； Floey； Atty； Tiny and their darker friend with I know not what of arresting in her pose then； Our Lady of the Cherries； a ely brace of them pendent from an ear； bringing out the foreign warmth of the skin so daintily against the cool ardent fruit。 A lad of four or five in linseywoolsey （blossomtime but there will be cheer in the kindly hearth when ere long th