AFTER a time wood became scarce. In some parts of the country it could hardly be had for love or money. Then what? Ah! the Lord always provides, as he did the lamb in place of the lad Isaac, you remember. Some men were looking about one day among the hills of Pennsylvania, and they found a piece of a—wood house, sticking out of the ground with a bit of wood in it, though it looked no more like wood than a stone painted black does. But it shone so brightly that somehow they took it home and somehow, I can’t just say how, they got it to burn. Then they went back to the “wood house” and began to dig, and the more they dug the larger the wood house grew, until they could find no limits to it. Then many of the neighbors went at it with pickaxes and spades; then nearly all the people of the country—and now how many think you are getting wood there? A hundred? Ten thousand? Guess again. And can you guess what sort of wood it is; do you know of any one that knows how many cords of wood are in this house, and who piled it away there, and when?

It does seem as though an army of children would have starved or frozen to death but for that fuel; found just at the right time, you see.

But then, the great and loving Heavenly Father had such a wonderful Christmas present to surprise the world with, something better and cheaper than this black wood.

Some say there is no God to take care of the poor working men and women, and they think one of the ways of doing it is by burning up the property of the rich, by strikes, and such things. Meanwhile the blessed God, whom these persons deny, often by one little word or act, opens up millions and millions of treasures for the poor workers, and alas! so many never thank him for it. “What was the treasure?”

I was just going to tell you. Another big wood house bigger than all the barns, meeting-houses, opera-houses and mills in your country!

The logs must be chopped and hauled; the coal must be mined and carried on the cars, but this new fuel just comes, and comes faster than the fastest train you ever heard of! All that is necessary is to bore into the earth in certain places from one hundred to fifteen hundred feet and place an iron tube into the hole, long enough to reach your—fireplace, and touch a match to the open end of the tube; then look out for one of the hottest fires you ever warmed your fingers at. But be careful lest a lot of this new wood gets out into your room and away goes the top of your house and—yourself with it. However, I guess your pa will see that a first-rate plumber puts in the fixtures. After that, no danger need be feared from an explosion.

Right in the hearth will come the little flames, by turning some screws and touching a match. There are broken pieces of stone lying in the fireplace. These will become hot, from red to white. Then you’d better not handle them.

Now bring your cold fingers and feet, or go to the kitchen stove and see how beautifully your dinner is being cooked by this wonderful wood.

There it is, too, heating all the stores, banks, schools, churches, and everything that will give it a chance to come through the iron tube. Now what say you? I guess this is gas.

Yes; I knew you’d ask that: Who found it first, and what does it cost, and how does it look and smell, and when will it be all used up, and how far will it travel? However, if I should tell you all I know about it, that would save you the trouble of finding out yourself, one of the very best things for you, trouble besides the joy of finding out some things without bothering any one to tell. Now see if you can answer those questions yourself. This, I will say: that Pittsburgh, Penn., knows a great deal about this gas. Ask it.

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