The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-07-26
A BIT OF HISTORY.
An Ancient STORY Revasea nna Cor
s~csea by,nn Armer-aeszn &auSent.
Rorristown HerBid.

Rozristown Herald.
i Orpheus was the alleged son of the
muse 0alliope and the god Apollo. CAL
Hope was no relative, we believe, to the
steam calliope that used to travel with q
circus, and made more noise than two
country bands at an agricultural fair.
Orpheus played the Tyre with such fas-
cinating power that the birds in The air,
the fish in the streams, wild beasts, and
even trees, rocks and hills gathered
round him to listen-truiy, q large,
varied and appreciative audience. The
applause was made by the foot of the
hills, and the trees wouldn't leave as
long as OrpheUs didn't strike up "For
Tim Called Little Buttercup." A man
nowadays might play q Tyre until his
eyes bulgsd out, and not accumulate
such an audience as Orpheus fascinated
save the rocks, and these would con-
gregate about him in such hurried and
reckless manner that ne would have to
dodge and go away from there if he
valued his health. Orpheus' faverite
song was all about fair maiden named
Eurydike whom he loved and lost. She
didn't run away and join q PinafoIe
troupe. She died from the bite of
snake that lurked in the grass over which
she had run to escape from another inn
petuous lover. This was before whisky
was discovered as a remedy for snake
bites. Tue bibulous god Bacchus was
often bitten by q snake, but the wound
never proved fatal. He YVES always full
of the remedy. Orpheus mourned Tor
Eurydike, and accompanied by her sister
nymphE, wandered over the hills and
valleys, filling the pure air with plaintiff
strains to call her back again-and caus'
ing the old grangsrs to unloosen their
Gross dogs, and wonder why the fool
killer didn't come along that way. They
assured him that if his girl was dead, it
was easier TO get dozen new ones than
to call her back again. But Orphens
still indulged in his little game of field
bawl. lie even prosecuted his search in
the remains of the lower world, the
sweetness of his music soothing the
savage breasts of the monsters and
wicked spirits dwelling there. Re CON-
siderably augmented the weeping and
wailing existing in that subterranean
place. Even the heart of Perssphone
and the mer:iless Erinys were sottsned
by his passionate grief, and they finally
agreed that Mics Eurydike should be
permitted to return with her lover to
the upper world on condition that he
should not look upon her face on the
journey back. Orpht us aavehis promise,
and, of course, broke it. He wasn't
proof against thetemptation. He looked
back. Young man, you who think 1
all your future happiness and
heaven itself dwells in the face of
certain young person of the spring
bonnet gender, put yourself in his place,
and then cenanre him il you can He
wanted to ascertain whether she wore
her hair crimped or banged. 1t ia prob
able that If she had worn it la idiot
fringe he would have ''cut" her then
snd there. Eurydike was Obliged to
retrace her steps, and was lost to Orpheus
forever, He felt mighty bad about it,
and his appetite became prodigiously
out of repair. For several months he
sat in doiefui mood by the banks of
liver, under the open sky, refusing food
and drink. III was q long fast, but he
wasover 5000 in pocket by having no
board to pay. He was reduced to first
class living skeleton, but he refused
several tempting offers to travel with
show of Giving wonders" He evidently
thought great deal of Eurydike-
and unless he had an umbrella, his hat
and garments got several soakings, and
if he didn't get al awful cold in the
head it lis miracle. AT the expiration
of seven months lie Withdrew to the
elevstet regions of the mountains and
resumed the weeping and waiting bust
hess in q higher key. But it was an nm
healthy Withdraw for him. He was d.
covered by q hand of Texas ronghs
called Menads, and tern by them limb
from limb. As strange as it may apA
pear, this sort of treatment proved IA
tal, ii killed him. He looked rs if he
had been fooling with q can of nitro
glycerine. His head and Tyre foated