The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-06-20
For THK AKKAxsAw TRAvEKR-
 PYRAMUS AND THISBE.
BY FRED 1. DEAN.


 gone centuries, there dSelt alone in a shady glade of the Ozark mountains in Arkansaw, one Ovid, writer of consid- erahle reputation He was repused to be a Greek, but fsm circumstances con- ne6ed with his history, we opine he was Bohemian. He was recluse in his hab- its. leading ;Ss sGsseze Ese cf an ancho- nte, yet the fruits of his brilliant genius
 and oenohant pen found frequent light in the columns ofihe bess local journals ofhis day. His very habits of life would seem to preclude the idea that he was given to other than the most ptofound reflections ID ms writings But the old gentleman possessed a pronounced taste for the uagieal, and he would to-day ably adorn the position as a sensational reporter.
 Inc current tragedie, of his time seemed 10 attract his special attention, partiou- larly when spiced with flavor of romance or aosurdity. Then his genius for the ridiculous would be aroused, and with masters hand, he would detail the mar rative with fidelity to the facts, worthy of Sweet, Peck, or Tom Oohltree.
 Overlooking lovely valley, and nest ling on the side of an overhanging moun- tain, not far from the cottage of the seer, was modem two-story brlck residence, arranged for two families. The situation was lovely beyond description. Away down in the valley below, could be heard the gentle murmurs of the babbling brook as its limpid waters tumbled in glee over the crystal pebbles-the same as are nov used in the manufacture of Hot Springs diamonds. Around the dwelling, the arr of the florist and the horticul,urist had aided nature in rendering the scene one of enchanting loveliness. The musical notes of the mooking-bird and the cooins of .the turtle-dove enchanted the ear whilst within each dwelling the sweet angel of peace seemed to reign supreme But in the midst of this Arcadian scene of joy and lov, illness, the god of love Master Cupid-po,ent then as nov for works of mischief was getting in his work. and maliciously weaving the threads of tragedy, which soon changed this peaceful scene into one 0. gloom and sadness.
 From report of the strange and terri ble incidents, as written by Mir. Ovid a. d published by him at the time in a well kncsn paper, reproduce the main tea- lures of one of the most thrilling tragedies which occurred in the history ot those all- but-forgotten days.
 It seems that one of the residences on the hillside vas occupied by a buxom 1 widowed lady, who was the happy mother of lovely daughter named This be, who was as lovely as the visions of a l beautiful dream. In the other dwelling 1 lived retired planter, who was possessed ! of much wealth, and of gawky, homely, oose- join,ed son, named Pyramus, aged | eighteen. The lad and the maiden had | grown up together from childhood. To sether they had made mud pies in their nfancy-together in the halcyon days of heir youth they had attended the skat- ng rink-and now in their more mature years they had fallen in love with each other, and here is where Cupid go. in his york. They fain would have married md together go hand in b and doxn the hillside of their home and of life as man md wife. But about this time the old 'lanter and the buxom widow had a 'erious misunderstanding concerning a 'ertain division fence between their veg sable gardens. and with a mighty oath he irascible old Trojan swore no son of iis should ever wed the daughter of ssch sermagant as his widowed neighbor. The latter, also, had temper of her own nd she declared with equal fervor, but, re hope. with much less profanity, tha, ' 10 daughter of hers should ever be the rife of such long-legged, lAnk, son-of-
 gun as was PyramuS Then the levers <! 'ere separated But it chanced that the leeping rooms of the two innocents ad- , oined each other on the same floor with ] nly one brick thick wall between them. | Love laughs at locksmiths and brick 'alls, and soon Pyramus, inssigased by ,upid, removed one of the bricks from he wall, and through this small opening | -only two and half by nine inches { he lovers exchanged their xighs and I isses- $ or kisses, like folks with dimirutive souls. I Vin manage 10 creep through the snailes, (
 of holes. I md through this hole they exchanged | o~s of eseznal love, and agreed to meet i | given hour at night under a certain t tree, in the grove at the end of ,