Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-02-19
Ghildrem's department.
GOrlginal.]
TANTALUS.

rul whether any man bearing that name, and
the characteristics assigned to him, ever had
an actual existence. Old neurological wri.
ters had a way of relating what might be
called moral truths, that makes them in this
matter of fact age, appear like falsehoods.
Tantaus is said to have been the son of Ju-
ptcr, and nymph by the name of Pluto.
At some time or other, he is represented as
being king of Lydia, an exceeding rich coun'
try in Asia Tantalus is represented as being
very rich, ambitious and unscrupulous. He
was in great favor with the gods, and at one
time made great feast to which all the di-
whites were invited. He had son whose
name was Pelops, and daughter by the
name of Niobe In order to test the discern
ment of the divinities, he killed his son, Pc
lops, and had his body cooked up for dinner
for the gods All the deities made the dis
covery except Ceres and refused to eat
Ceres, who at the time was in great distress
about the loss of her daughter, Proserpina,
took and eat one of the shoulders of the boy
Pelops. Jupiter, says the legend, ordered
Mercury to take all the remaining parts and
put them into the caldron aud boil them.
This DONE Pelops was taken out of the pot
perfect, with the exception of shoulder.
To supply this defect, an ivory shoulder was
made which was better than the original, for
it possessed the power of removing all kinds
of diseases simply by the touch. To punish
Tantalus for this crime, he was placed in the
lower regions in a pool of water which came
up to his lips. His thirst was excruciating
but every time he attempted to take mouth
full of water, the precious fluid sank. His
hunger was intense, and over head there hung
all abundance of luscious fruits; but every
time he attempted to pluck it, a breeze re-
moved the branch beyond his reach.
According to another legend, Jupiter hung
huge rock over the head of Tantalus, which
kept him in continual terror, lest it would
fall and crush him into atoms.
There are several other legends concerning
Tantaus. When Jupiter was little babe,
it seems that he was nursed by goat named
Amalthea. This goat was guarded by gol-
den dog. Pandareus stole this golden dog
and gave it to Tantalus for safe keeping.
Mercury was sent to recover the dog; but
Tantalus, like most other men who have sto-
len property in their possession, denied that
he knew anything about the dog. To punish
him for this lie, Jupiter threw mountain
upon him.
The word Tautalus is derived from the
Greek word thallo, which means to flourish.
Foolish and absurd as the legends concern
ing this imaginary individual may, at first
sight appear, they teach, in rather round
about way, some very interesting, and very
important truths. Tantalus represents an
Individual who is possessed with an insatia-
BILE desire to become weufth5yt and powerful.
He is unscrupulous in his acts. He VIII
lie, steal and deceive. By the use of these
these unwarranted means, he becomes rich,
but not happy. His evil desires and wicked
appetite grow strong and clamorous for graf
ifcation. His conscience is aroused from its
slumbers, and be lives in continual terror of
the avenger. A morbid ambition, and an
avaricious desire to be rich, drive men to the
perpetration of crimes, the recollection of
which hang over them like huge stones, ready
to fall, from which they cannot escape. Hor-
ace says that punishment, though lame of
foot, never fails to overtake the transgressor."
The punishment of the transgressor is only a
matter of time. The mode of his punishment
will, in many respects, resemble his crimes.
Pharoah drowned the helpless babes of the
Israelites in the Nile The Nile was, in order
to punish Pharoah, turned into blood, and
Pharoah at last found grave beneath the
waves of the Red Sea.
"AsK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE" ."-"Papa,
why must we ask God for what we want !?
Don't God know everything? Don't he
know what we want? Then why don't he
just give it to us without waiting for US to
tell him 7"
PAPA's ANSWER.
I know a little boy three years old who has
very bad habit. He expects people to do
everything for him without being asked. Let
me tell YOU how it works. At the dinner
table this boy will sometimes begin to fret
without speaking a word, as if he was kit
ten and not little boy able to say please
At other times he will throw out his arms or
stretch out his tin plate toward the dish of
food. When bedtime comes, and his darling
sister has cup of nice new milk, instead of
saying, "Please give me cup of milk y
sometimes this boy will begin to fret and |
have known him to cry long time when
nobody knew what he wanted.
Now this boys papa and mamma are con-
tinually giving him a great many things
which he does not ask for, but at other times
they expect him to ask for what he wants,
and sometimes when they know what he
wishes, do not think it right to encourage his
habit but say, "Ask for what you want and
if it be best, you shall have it."
Just so God, our heavenly Father, gives a
thousand blessings before we ask him, and
yet says to each of us, "Ask for what you
want; and if it be best, you shall have it.
Ask, and ye shall receive"
CARE FOR SpARRows.-A little girl seeing
the servant throw the crumbs into the fire,
said, "Don't you know that God takes care of
the sparrows
"If God takes care of them," was the care
less reply, eve need not trouble ourselves
about them."
"But," said the little girl, II had rather be
like God, and help him take care of the little
birds, than scatter or waste the food that he
gives u.s.
So she carefully collected what was left of
tho orrmhs ond throw them ont of the win