"Yes! I knew it I Of course it is! The bird flew off, and I walked on, thinking of a story I read many years ago. It was, I believe, an Eastern allegory. That story has often helped me; perhaps it will help you. I will tell it briefly. The King of a great country had many singing birds. They were to him as children, he loved them so. They were quite free to fly about the palace, or in the beautiful gardens of the palace, and when the King walked amongst them, they rested on his shoulder, or on his hand, when he held it out to them. There was one especial favorite--a little brown bird. It had not gay plumage like some of its companions, but its song delighted the King, and often he said: ’Sing--sing always.’ One day the servants discovered the little brown bird was missing. Some one had stolen it from the palace. Word was brought to the King, and he quickly sent messengers all over his kingdom to discover where the bird was. It was not long before the place of confinement was known, and, to the surprise of everyone, the King left his little favorite in captivity. But he strictly commanded his messengers to watch over it, that no harm could come to it. Not a feather was to be ruffled. "In partial darkness, beating its wings helplessly against the bars of the cage, the little brown bird yet remembered the King’s command, ’Sing, sing always’; and every day it poured forth the song which the King loved. Strangers came from far to listen to the wondrous song of the little captive bird. Then, one day, the little bird looked up joyfully, at the sound of a well-known voice. The King himself had come to set the captive free. The cage door was quickly opened, and the bird flew forth, and rested on the King’s shoulder, pouring forth such a song of joy as no one had ever heard before. "’My priceless treasure!’ the King exclaimed--the one note that was missing has come into your song.’ And great was the King’s joy as he carried the little brown bird back to his palace. "I remember, when I read that story as a girl, being sorry that it ended there. I wanted to know that the wicked men were punished for stealing the bird, and that it was never separated again from the King who loved it so. But now I understand the story better, and the lesson it teaches. If the little bird had not been obedient to the King’s command to sing always,--even when it was in captivity, it would never have learned that one missing note. And so, dear Carol, we have to learn under all circumstances and at all times that we are bidden to rejoice. The words are: ’Rejoice--again I say rejoice.’