When she did not so choose she put the whole thing out of her
mind, and fed her heart with the other babies.
Let me see--with us, children--minors, that is--constitute
about three-fifths of the population; with them only about one-
third, or less. And precious--! No sole heir to an empire's throne,
no solitary millionaire baby, no only child of middle-aged parents,
could compare as an idol with these Herland children.
But before I start on that subject I must finish up that little
analysis I was trying to make.
They did effectually and permanently limit the population in numbers,
so that the country furnished plenty for the fullest, richest life for all
of them: plenty of everything, including room, air, solitude even.
And then they set to work to improve that population in quality--
since they were restricted in quantity. This they had been at work on,
uninterruptedly, for some fifteen hundred years. Do you wonder they
were nice people?
Physiology, hygiene, sanitation, physical culture--all that
line of work had been perfected long since.
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