oman of resources
to keep it.

* * * * *

The Damsel did not go away from the cave, as was her custom. She
continued to draw geometrical figures in the sand. Presently she called
to the Sage once more.

"Come out again, dear Sage! Listen, I have something more to say."

He unfastened the window and stood leaning on the sill.

"Well?" he said, sternly. "Well?"

"A Ring Dove once was owned by a man. It was the sweetest and most
gentle of birds, besides being extremely beautiful. It adored the man
and lived contentedly in its cage. The perches, which the man had had
prepared especially for it, were endeared to it from association with
the happy hours when it had been caressed by the man. Altogether to it
the cage appeared a palace, and it lived content.

"The man was a brutal creature, more or less, and at last he cruelly
ill-treated the Ring Dove, and exalted a Cuckoo in its place. This
conduct greatly saddened the sweet Dove, but it over and over again
forgave its tormentor, so great was its love, and even saw the Cuckoo
advanced to the highest honors without anger, only a bleeding heart. How
long things would have continued in this way no one knows; but the man
suddenly gave the Cuckoo the Ring Dove's cage, and let the Cuckoo sleep
on the perches which the Dove was accustomed to consider its very own.
This overcame the gentle Dove. Its broken heart mended, and it flew
away. Tell me, Sage, why did this action cure the Dove of its great love
for the man, when it had borne all the blows and cruelty without
resentment?"

"That is an easy question to answer," replied the Sage. "The Dove was
really growing tired and seized this as a good opportunity to be off."

"Oh, how little you know of the female sex, even of Doves!" laughed the
Damsel. "I can give you the true reason myself. It was the bad taste of
the man in giving the Cuckoo the cage and perches of the Ring Dove,
which he had consecrated to her. That cured her, and enabled her to fly
away."

And the Damsel curtsied to the Sage and sauntered off, laughing and
looking back over her shoulder.

* * * * *

_An action committed in bad taste is more curing and disillusionizing to
Love than the cruelest blows of rage and hate._

* * * * *

A man would often be the lover of his wife--if he were married to some
one else.

* * * * *

Th