“Where did you imbibe such ideas as you often express on this subject?” asked her father, a great pride in her springing afresh in his heart.
“From the stars, I guess, or from the angels. Or maybe they were born within me. I never could reconcile myself to the generally accepted idea of gratitude. To thank God for blessings we enjoy that are not accessible to others, to me is nothing else but blasphemy.”
“Then you cannot say with the poet,—
“‘Some hae meat, and canna eat,
And some would eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit!’”
said Mrs. Benson, who had been looking on in silence.
“Indeed I can’t!” exclaimed Jean. “But we’ve all heard just such prayers and praises through all our lives.”
“Nobody in normal health has any right to be thankful for anything unless he earns it,” said the Captain; “and then he has nobody to thank but himself.”