CAN you see the old man behind his rows of cages? In them are many poor
little birds. They cannot fly about in the pure sweet air. The old man
sells them. That is the way he earns his money.
Then why does he look so displeased? The young man, with the empty cage
in his hand, has just bought a bird and laid the money on the counter.
The young man loves birds so well that he bought one on purpose to set
it free.
The old man is wishing he could get the bird and sell it again. He
thinks it foolish to throw away money. And he tells the young man so.
"Not thrown away, my friend," says the young man. "It is well spent if
it gives pleasure even to the smallest creature."
"'Twas only a bird," insists the old man.
"But God made the birds. And not one falls to the ground without his
notice. I think we shall have to give an account of the way we treat his
birds."
"Well, I wish I had that one again."
"And I wish I could open all these cages."
[Illustration: ONLY A BIRD.]