Sheltering

Wings

                                              It was extremely cold. Heavy sleds 

                                                  creaked continuously as they scraped over the dry, trampled snow. The signs above shop doors shrieked and groaned as they swung helplessly to and fro, and the clear, keen air seemed frozen into sharp little white needles that stabbed every living thing that must be out in it. The streets were almost forsaken in mid-afternoon. Business men hurried from shelter to shelter; every dog remained at home; not a bird was to be seen or heard. The sparrows had been forced to hide themselves in crevices and

holes. The doves found protected corners and huddled together as best they could. Many birds were frozen to death.

    A dozen or more doves were gathered close under the extending roof of the porch of a certain house, trying with little success to keep warm. Some small sparrows, disturbed and driven from the cozy place they had chosen, saw the doves and came flying across to them.

    "Dear doves," chirped the sparrows, "your bodies look so large and warm, won't you let us nestle near you?"

    "But your coats are frosted with cold. We cannot let you come near us, for we are almost frozen now," murmured the doves, sadly.

    "But we are perishing."

    "So are we."

    "It looks so warm near your broad wings, gentle doves. Oh, let us come. We are so little and so very, very cold."

    "Come," cooed one dove at last, and a trembling little sparrow fluttered close and nestled under the broad white wing.

    "come," cooed another dove, and another little sparrow found comfort.

    "Come," echoed another warm-hearted bird, and another, until at last more than half the doves were sheltering small, shivering sparrows beneath their own half-frozen wings.

     "My sisters, you are very foolish," said the other doves. "You mean well, but why do you risk your own beautiful lives to give life to worthless sparrows?"

     "Ah! they were so small and so very, very cold," murmured the doves. "Many of us will perish this cruel night; while we have life, let us share its meager warmth with those in bitter