Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-07
PHAETOM

Before Copernicus and others proved
The sun stood still, n t was the Earth that
Phnbps Apollo. as all freshmen know,
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 chariot of the Sun.
The world was safe SO long as in his hand
He held the reins and kept supreme command.
A rash and lively youth. named Phaeton,
Who used to watch his father mount his car
And whirl through space like a great shooting
star;
And thought what fun 'twould be, could he
cOntrive
Some day to mount the car and take a drivel
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 task
To keep his word. So. one day. Phaeton
Said to his sire; 'I'd like to drive your Sun
That is, ;myself-dear sir, excuse the pun
Twelve hours through space. You know you
promised once
Whatever l might ask"
II was a Ounce"
Apollo said. "My foolish love for you, =
l fear, my son, that 1 shall sadly rue.
Lend you my chariot? Mol really can't
Is MT there something else shat 1 can grant
Instead of this? A serious thing t would be
To have my horses run away, you see.
You might bring ruin on the cart and sky,
And l m responsible, you know-yes, I.
Try something else. Here g a great wheel of
The moon-a b~icycle-almost as bright
As my sun-chariot. Get astride of this,
a. And m mGye { y01r LES fb and c16 yoSH'n a e9njoy "a a bliss ars.+
Az if you rode like me in royal state.
No. my dear boy-why, can't you understand?
i & dare not trust you with my fo%r.in,hand."
Replied. "That thing is but an idle toy.
My genius is for horses, and 1 long
To try my hand at yours. They're not so
But l can hold them. know all their tricks.
Father, you swore 1T BY the River Styx-
You know you did-and you are in a fix;
You'll see / am a skillful charioteer.
I've taken lessons of a man of worth
a tirst;rate driver down there on the earth"
II see" said Ph9bus, that I can t go back
Cponmy promise. Well, then, clear the ira ckv
So Phaeton leaped up and grasped the reins.
His anxious father took a deal of pains
To teach him how to hold them-how to keep
The broad highway-how dangerous and steep
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.
Alas!' t was all in vain. A little while
Two hours ~perhaps-his fortune seemed to
smile;
When a huge meteor, whizzing through the
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 a blazing thunder-bolt (but wait
Harp in nQranfhnsic ia lilo m cto%o
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. fl might be so bold
As to suggest an explanation here
OF a phenomenon by no means clear,
I'd say those spots upon the SUMS red face
We're bruises that he got in that mad race.
&C. F. Crdnch. in st. Nicholas.