A Lesson To A King

An ancicnt Persian fabulist tells the 8tory of a king who, having hanged Lis general because he had lost a battle, resolved, in bis rage, to kill the widow and children of the unfortunate offioer also. The wholo country was in distress because of this cruel and unjust resolution, and numerous petitions were sent in. But all this was in vain. The despot became all the more implacable as bis sense of bumanity wasappeoled to. One day the kiog's Cbief Counselor threw himself at the fcet of his maeter, nd asked for justice. Ho was aceompanied by his daughtar, a woman of unparalleled beauty. "Ruler of tho world," be said, "your physician, seeing thát my daughter surpasses his daughter in beauty, as the sun surpasses the moon in glry, bas, in a fit of jealousy, deformed my chiid by throwing a caustic fluid over her face." Having said theso words, he unveik-d his daughter's face. Aa ugly black spot was exposed, which terribly dhfigured the otlierwise beautiful countenance of the poor girl. The king, roused to anger by the ■igbt, immediately sent for tho p'hysician. "Why have you done this to the woman ?" ho asked. The physician ga?o no reply. "By the sun and til his hosts," cried the king, "with thy head shalt thou pay for tliia offense." He beokoned to the Captain of the guard, who at once stepped forward to exeoute tbe verdict. But the physician produced a sponge from his bosom, and, dipping it in a pail of water, with ooe troke thoroughly washed away the black spot. "What ii this ?" osked the King. "Kuier of the world," the counselor answered, "you baye sentenced mj friend, the pbyeician, to dcath because he only disfigured a girl's faco by a stain whióh could be washed oif easily ; but what sentence wi'l the Etsrnal Judge have to cast upon you, if you cast such a staia upon your conscience as you purpo c - 3 stain which all the water of the occan cannot wash away ?" _ The King, deeply struck by the questioD, abandoned hu cruel intention, and sent tbe widow and children of tho deceased General home, onriched with tokens of his prinoely munifioence.