The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-06-01

crevlce OF the wood, and could not fly
away. 1T shall be. my adopted child
said the King, tenderly stroking the
feathers, land the playmate of little
Agnar"
He took the bird home, and Vaulundur
made beautiful cage for it. How
childish the King isl" said one of his
most faithful warriors, who disapproved
OF his. giving any time or thought to so
small thing as bird. AT the moment
when war is at the door, he finds time to
save little bird, and takes care of it
himself. Does he not carelessly run into
his own misfortune?' Poor Rhoud r.
said all the warriors, he will surely fall
victim to the vengeance of the con-
spirators.
Meanwhile their desire for vengeance
never slept. The death of Rhoud was
decided upon. He had discovered the
secret of the conspirators; Che had their
destiny in his hands, and he must soon
die. They had secretly sworn his death:
and by promise and threatening had
brlbed the two slaves that waited on the
Kings bed-chamber, promising them
liberty and greaS wealth if they helped
In the Kings destruction. If they re-
fused, their blood should wash the image
of the goddess in the wood The slaves
knew too well the meaning of this threat,
by the horrors they had already wit.
messed.
One day when the King was hunting
with his men, an oaken plank was loos-
ened in the ceiling of the Kings bed
chamber over his head, and by some in
genious contrivance they had made it
keep its place until some one could lower
it down from the second story with a
rope and let it fall The King could
thus be crushed on his couch, and the
whole be thought terrible accident.
People would say, the ceiling was weak
over his head and had fallen in the night.
The King returned at night late and
weary, and went to bed. He soon was
sound asleep, and would probably never
have risen again, had not the little bird,
by its screaming, suddenly awakened
him. He sat up in bed and, collecting
his thoughts, perceived Immediately that
he had forgotten that day to give the lit
tie creature water and food, and at even
ing was so overcome by fatigue that he
had not thought of it then He sprang
from his couch, saying, Oh, thou poor
little creature did I save thy life only
to let thee perish ?" With these words
he poured water into the little glass and
put grain in the little box.
Just then the plank fell from the cell
ing with tremendous noise, and striking
the bed crushed it fiat to the floor.
There was a great commotion in the
palace yard, the warriors awoke and
seized their swords, the frightened SER
wants rushed in with torches shaking in
their trembling hands. "The King is
killed ! is killed !" they cried liking.
Rhoud is crushed to piecesw
But there stood the King unhurt and
smiling, with the bird cage in his hand
and he cried out to them, DO not fear
my friends God has kept his hand over
me-"
When Earl Reign heard how every
thing had happened, how the plank had
fallen and what had saved the King, he
stood long speechless. Then fixing his
fearful eyes on the King, he said: al
shall never again doubt Divine Provi-
dence"
Rhoud, smiling, answered: "Then you
can see, Reign, one should not scorn lit
tie folks. Can King save bird? then
the bird can also save the kingl"