Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-11-08
CHATTER !
IOLT.

| simple squib by itself Is an interesting
and attractive fire-work, but in the presence
OF that complex pyrotechnical arrangement
called in-the-box' it sinks into in
| significance its brilliant coruscations are
unnoticed, the bang with which its existence
terminates causes no shock, and the very
odor 1t leaves behind is attributed to its pow
erful rival.
| Considerations of this kind determined
| Eurytus, King of Echalia, to decline accept
| ing Hercules for n son-in-law 1t would
never do. He might as well cease to be King
as take a man into his family who would rule
him, making him do all the despicable work
of governing turbulent people, and taking
to himself all the nccruing credit and none of
\ the blame. That Hercules would appropri-
ate the Li,loS Eurytus knew full well for the
| son of Jupiter, who was n master OF any
weapon he used, exceled in the exercise of
| none more than the long bow and the hatch
| ct the former he drew, the latter he threw,
to an unrivaleG extent.
| At that time Hercules was name rs COM
| mon in Attica as Smith at a later day IN these
parts. and any deed of prowess done by one
of his name was at once claimed as his own
particular performance by the Iheban Her
cules. tie was prodigiously strong and vast
" clever. and he had a knack of compelling
| folks 10 do as he chose, Eurytus knew but
/ tl.G~t were lAfA NhhNSAa IA q
! law Iv q King who was constitutionally weak
in the knees. who was not clever, and who
moreover had himself Il very great desire to
do pretty much rs he liked. And II struck
rim that, t.y refusing an alliance with so
great a man, he should obtain larger SPACE
In future classical dictionaries than 10y Gc
cepting him SO he said very bandly:
NO, my dear friend proud as | should
be to accept the alliance you proooSe, am
bound by n sense OF reverential duty to de-
cline a match which would certainly be re-
garded as ucsariu.ce by your dear papa.
And woulGnt annoy Jupiter for worlds.
that | wouldn't"
1t was the first time Hercules had been ro
bufrcd and to be baked by puny, ,insigniti-
cant, knock-kneed monarch was an indig-
nifty that lie could not calmly receive. He
flew into a desperate passion, and, looking
about for Il means otreyenge. he caught sight
of lphitus, the infant son of Eurytus, who
at that moment was calmly imbibinG nourlsh-
ment from , pap-boat in the arms of his
father. 1t was washing day, the Queen was
ont, and Eurytus was Just holding baby for
five minutes. y In On instant Hercules
snatched the innocent child from his parent
dabbed it on the chifonier, and deliberately
sat upon it. The furniture was smashed and
so was the babe.
Tuey were rather particular about Princes
in those days. although they seem to have
been rs plentiful as and not much more use
ful than at present and the consequences of
his rash act flashed across the mind Of the
1heban as lie surveyed the battered lphl-
tus.
i've made a pretty mess of 1t now,
Thought he. And the only way OF escaping
the penalty OF his act that appeared to him
was To feign maduoss SO he trimmed his
~ l. EsapF F..ll lf
songs and gave up drinking spirits openly
declaring that he was mad for love of lole.
OF course the tribunal before which he was
accused OF murder acquitted him on the
ground ofinsanity, and the King was charged
TO keep him under proper restraint, us hav-
ing indirectly been the cause OF the lunacy.
This was not gratifying to Eurytus Her
culcs required so much restraint and food.
and So many visitors came to see the un-
happy lover lie broke all the furniture IN
the palace and the heads of every one he did
not like he howled all night SO that no one
could get q wink of sleep and he once
threatened to murder Eurytus when cold
mutton was served up tor dinner.
These sleepless nights Eurytus employed
in deep thought, taxing his ingenuity for u
means of ridding himself of his Intolerable
charge. He tried poison, but to no purpose
Hercules had the digestion Of an ostrich and
prussic acid merely sharpened his appetite.
But after thinking no end for three weeks,
the King devised II scheme.
Il have it," said he YES, that's it |
see a way to reimburse myself for this out
lay and that baby and, what is more, III
sicken this joker Of going mad at my ex-
pense.'
So he called Mercury to his assistance, and
between them they arranged matters for the
disposal of the shackled Hercules