trick for getting his dinner. Some of the diving brotherhood who feed under water stir up a great deal that floats, and the shoveler, preferring to take his provision from the surface, follows his diving neighbor to the feeding-place, and while the feeders below stir up the inhabitants, he swims around on the surface and catches whatever floats.—Olive Thorne Miller, "The Bird Our Brother."
(2299)
PARASITISM
Some of the intruding insects that come
from oak galls are not harmless. They are
the ones called parasites. They live in the
houses not for the sake of the protection or
the food furnished by the house, but in
order to eat the actual dwellers in the house.
Often and often not a single real gall-insect
comes out in the spring from many of the
little houses, but only a little swarm, or
sometimes just two or three, or even one,
of these insect-devouring parasites that has
eaten up the rightful owners of the house.—Vernon
L. Kellogg, "Insect Stories."
(2300)
PARDON
In the Isle of Man is an old, gray, ruined
tower in which was formerly hanged one of
the best governors the island ever possest.
He had been accused of treachery to the
king during the time of the civil wars, and
received sentence of death. Intercession was
made for him, and a pardon was sent; but
the pardon fell into the hands of his bitter
enemy, who kept it locked up, and the governor
was executed.
(2301)
Pardon, Conditional—See Mercy, Limitation of.
PARDON FOR A CHILD'S SAKE
The following incident is related by Mrs. Pickett, widow of General George E. Pickett, of the Confederate Army, of her first meeting with President Lincoln after the war:
I was in Richmond when my Soldier
fought the awful battle of Five Forks, Richmond
surrendered, and the surging sea of
fire swept the city. The day after the fire,
there was a sharp rap at the door. The
servants had all run away. The city was
full of Yankees, and my environment had
not taught me to love them. With my baby
on my arm, I opened the door, and looked
up at a tall, gaunt, sad-faced man in ill-fitting
clothes. He asked: "Is this George
Pickett's home?"
With all the courage and dignity I could muster, I replied: "Yes, and I am his wife, and this is his baby."
"I am Abraham Lincoln."
"The President!" I gasped. I had never seen him, but I knew the intense love and reverence with which my Soldier always spoke of him. The stranger shook his head and replied:
"No; Abraham Lincoln, George's old friend."
The baby pushed away from me and reached out his hands to Mr. Lincoln, who took him in his arms. As he did so an expression of rapt, almost divine tenderness and love lighted up the sad face. It was a look that I have never seen on any other face. The baby opened his mouth wide and insisted upon giving his father's friend a dewy infantile kiss. As Mr. Lincoln gave the little one back to me, he said:
"Tell your father, the rascal, that I forgive him for the sake of your bright eyes."
(2302)
Pardon through Intercession—See Sacrificial Mediation.
Parentage—See Life, Source of.
PARENTAL CAUTION
On the plain of Troy are dotted many
Turkish villages. Thousands of storks make
their nests on the roofs of the cottages.
When Dr. Schliemann was digging in the
ruins of the hill of Hissarlik, and discovering
the remains of cities, he had two
comfortable nests made for storks on the
roof of his hut. But none would take up
their abode. The hill was too cold and
stormy for the little storks and the parents
instinctively knew it.
(2303)
Parental Mal-influence—See Politeness.
Parental Religion—See Religion, Family.
PARENTAL SACRIFICE
D. L. Moody told this story of missionary self-sacrifice:
A good many years ago I was stopping
in a house in the West, and saw there a
bright boy of thirteen who didn't bear the
name of the family he was living with, and
yet was treated like one of the family. In
