Oh, no," said Damocles, "but if I could enjoy for one day what you enjoy, I should think myself the happiest man in the world."

"Very well," said Dionysius. "To-morrow you shall be king in my place, and I will be Damocles."

They helped His breakfast

The food

That night Damocles slept in the king's bed. When he awoke in the morning the room was filled with soft music, and handsome slaves stood about. him to put on the king's rich clothes. was placed before him in dishes of gold. was the most delicious he had ever tasted. There was nothing one could imagine which he did not have for the asking. For a few minutes he thought that no one could possibly be happier than he.

But in a moment all this was changed. He looked up to the ceiling and saw a sword hanging above his neck by a single horsehair. At any moment it might fall and kill him.

Instead of being the happiest, he now became the most unhappy man in the whole kingdom of Sicily. He sent for Dionysius, and pointing to the sword, he said:

“It might fall at any minute and kill me.”

"That is true. But did you not know that I live with a sword hanging over my head? You yourself know there are many who long for a chance to kill me."

"I

"Take back your kingdom," said Damocles. would rather live in my mother's little cottage among the mountains. I will never again say that you are the happiest man in the world."

I was sitting near my window one bright spring morning working away as busy as a bee. The window was open, and I could hear the birds singing in the trees as if they were trying to split their little throats. I kept saying, "Yes, yes, yes! I know there never was such air, such a day, such a sky! I know it - I know it!' But they would not be pacified. They kept telling me over and over. It seemed as if their little throats must have been made of fine gold.

Just inside my window there was a small box of string, but for several days, no matter how many pieces I put into it, the next time I looked they were gone. And while I sat there wondering who in the world could have taken them, a beautiful little bird flew down from one of the big trees and stood on my window-sill a minute or two and looked at me timidly. At first she did not know what to think about coming in when I was sitting there, but it did not take her very long to make up her little bit of a mind. She turned her saucy little head and winked her bright little eye. And then without so much as saying "If you please" she dipped her little beak into the string box and flew away with a piece of pretty pink string.

I sat as still as a mouse to see whether she would dare come back again. But the next time she came she gave a little hop, skip, and jump and looked me squarely in the eye and took another piece of string without being a bit afraid.

Then how busily she began to build her nest! She had found a nice, safe place for it on a bough high out of reach of cats and naughty small boys. This little carpenter had no hammer or nails. Claw and bill were

the only tools she used.

But she did not build it entirely of strings. All

All

those long black hairs which hold the nest together are from the tail of our dear little pony, Black Beauty. those short brown hairs once belonged to our dear old cow, Buttercup. And those yellow hairs were part of baby's yellow curls. We could spare but two curls from his precious little head, and we hunted everywhere for this one to send to grandma!

At last the cozy little nest was done. It had a soft, fleecy lining of lamb's wool and feathers; and one morning when I looked into it I saw five little eggs cuddled close together. But I did not get a chance to see those precious little eggs very often. The little bird would leave them only just long enough to get her breakfast and a drink of water, for she feared that they would get cold if she did not keep them under her downy wings.

The other birds were having fine concerts on the fences and splendid picnics in the berry patches. But this dear little mother bird sat there through all the long days and the warm, still nights, and she did not mind it not a bit.

Very early one morning I was awakened by such a chirping and singing, such a fluttering and flying! I knew in a minute that five little birds had come out

of those five little eggs. The happy mother bird could hardly wait for me to dress. Why don't you get up?"

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