The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-02-15

Before Copernicus and others proved
The Sun stood still, and t was the Earth ina
moved,
Was the Suns eoachman. This was long ago
Across the sky from east to west all day
He drove, but took no passengers or pay
a splendid team it was; and there was none
But he could drive this chatiOt of the Sun.
The world was safe SO long as in his hand
He held the reins and kept supreme command
But Phoebus had wild, conceited son,
A rash and lively youth, named Phaeton,
Who used to watch his father mount his car
And whirl through space Like agreat shooting
star;
Some day to mount the car and tako drive
The mischief Of it was, Apollo loved
The boy so well that once his heart was moved
To promise him whatever he might ask.
He never thought how hard would be the tasE
To keep his word. So one day, Phaeton
Said to his sire; "Pd like to drive your Sun
That is, myself-dear sir, excuse the pun
Twelve hours through space. You know you
promised once
Whatever might ask" :.
"I was Ounce"
Apollo said. "My foolish love for you, -
/ fear, my son, that shall sadly rue.
Lend you my chariot? Mol really can't
Is MT there something else that can grant
Instead of this? A serious thing t would be
You might bring ruin on the cart and sky,
And IN responsible, you know-yes, /.
Try something else. Here s great wheel OF
The MONA bicycIe-almost as bright
AS my sun-chariot. Get astride Of this,
And move your legs, and you'll enjoy bliss
Of motion through the clouds almost as great
AS If you rode like me in royal state.
No, my dear boy-why, can't you understand
dare not trust you with my four-in-hand."
81 have no taste for bicycles" the boy
Replied. ''That thing is but an idle toy.
My genius is for horses, and long
To try my hand at yours. They're not &C
strong
But can hold them. know all their tricks
Father, you swore it by the River Styx-
You know you did-and you are in a fix.
You can't retract. Besides you need MT fear,
You'll see ] am q skillful chariOteer.
I've taken lessons of a man of worth
A first-rate driver down there on the earth. y
81 see" said Phnbus "that can go back
Upon my promise. Well, then, clear the ira ckl
So Phaeton leaped up and grasped the reins.
His anxious father took deal of pains
To teach him how to hold them-how to keep
The broad highway-how dangerous and steep
It was; and how to avoid the moon and stars
Keep clear OF Jupiter, the Earth, and Mars
And dodge the asteroids and comets red;
Follow the zodiac turnpike, straight ahead,
Though clouds and thunder-storms should
round him spread.
AlHSl u WAS all III VAIN. n llbJl6 WUIlc-
Two hours perhaps-his fortune seemed tC
smile;
When huge meteor, whizzlng through the
sky,
Alarmed the horses, who began to shy,
And shake their fiery names; then plunged
and reared
And whirling him zigzag downward, till they
neared
The Earth. A confagration spread below,
And everything seemed burning up like tow
In the Suns flames. Then Jupiter looked
down
And saw the Earth, like toast, all turning
brown,
And threw blazing thunder-bolt (but wait
Here in parenthesis I'd like to state
This may have been a telegram; for then
Lightning dispatches were not known to men
But only used by heather gods which struck
The youth; and by the greatest piece OF luck
Prevented further loss
This tale they told
In olden times If might be so bold
AS to suggest an explanation here
OF phenomenon by no means clear,
I'd say those spots NJ on the SH-s't red face
Were bruises that he got in thai mad race.
&C. r. CTdrcb, in st. NEGbc51s.