The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-10-13

llOns-my DrOthers-Were long ago borne
on their bucklers to the sleep Of the
brave; shall his daughter not stand in
their place"
eyes, 60" he answered, in words
that were shaken from his soul by the
storm of emotion that swept over him.
Go! though with thee will go the heart
of thy lover and the light of his soul.
Would they could shield thee from harm.
| O., child, thou hast dreamed not, know,
how thy face has been to one poor
dreamer the star of his life, though far
above him thou should'st ever remain as
yon bright spark that shines in the red
track of the sunset. But go-the clouds
OF my fate have eclipsed thee. Go stand
where the women of thy race have ever
stood-by the deathbed of heroes-for
once more shall thy people arouse to the
confiict;" and sorrowlully he turns from
her and the falling shadows shut him out
from her sight.
Day dawns on the battle field red with
the blood of languishing Sparta and lights
the pale fronted temple where Leontus,
the Captain of spiritless hosts bends low
before Apollo's shrine. Will the gods
at last interpose some shield between the
breasts of his faintng warriors and the
arrows of fate which fall in resistess
shower2 The last notes of a weird, sacred
hymn float out through the dim arches
of the temple and silence reigns unbroken
over the solemn place. The laureps green
| boughs tremble not with the thrill of the
gods mighty footsteps.
But now the deep tones Of the Oracle
break the silence:
Soldier, the gods have vouchsafed
thee no answer. Though the sons of
Sparta have been valiant through every
ordeal, her daughters have never been
tried. Let some noble virgin of Sparta
bring her young life, ali spotless and
pure, to the altar of her country. Thou
hast given thy sons, o Leontus; give also
thy daughter"
''But, " he moaned in pain, no daugh-
ter has Leontus, whose lifeblood may
flow for Sparta. That daughter an alien
in the house of her mother, yearns not
over the woes of her birthplace. o my
child My Athena! l cherished thy
brothers. but knew not thy childhood /;
and, 10, tits not their blood, but thine,
that could rescue my country. Thou
hast marked me, dark fate, but 1 brave
thee!"
The falchion whose CLEANS on Mes
senia's dark fields had marshaled his SOL
diers to glory was lifted in air, but n
pale hand interposed and voice like an
echo from his youth, spoke calmly:
The gods have averted the blow, o
Leontus Thy daughter is here. Re-
turn to thy camp-fires, retrieve thy lost
fortunes, and if victory comes, be sure
that Athena will rejoice to yield her
poor life for a ransom"
Stricken speechle,s, he turned and be-
held her, as CLEAN from the sunlight
crowned her head like the smile of the
approving god. He fell at her feet in a
transport of mingled emotion, but he
hand of the Priestess interven d and
her voice said: "'Tis we'll From this
time the maiden is loved of the gods,
and is sacred touch her not"
'But her fate?" cried Leontus.
"Shall be told thee hereafter, " replied
the Priestess. "a Spartan remembers
not that he is father when his country
bids him forget it. Go! Take this spark
of hope to enkindle the zeal of the
warrior; and should the gods send thee
victory, then know that this offering is
accepted"
With serene look in her face like
that of one already immortal, Leontus
behcld for the last time his child, and
the long line of yelled figures bears her
away down the aiSles of the temple.
Leontus returned full of hope; but not
vet was Lacedemon's cup of bitterness
drained; not yet had the red tide
of battle turned, when night hushed
the war cry of one more disastrous day.
Leontus has made his life his last offer
ing. That mighty heart feels no more the
patriots anguish or the soldiers hope.
Forever will he sleep now, undisturbed
though the footsteps of the foe sound on
to his city's gates, where, despairing, the
people lie PROSTATE before smoking al
tars. Again the throngs go with prayer
TO the Delphian Apollo. VIII nothing
appease his implacable wrathl Yes. At
last the pale lips of the Pythoness move,
and through them the god speaks, TO
Greeks more than Spartans;
"Remember o heroes, the past days
when victory gilded your .ensigns un-
ceaSingly; when the armies of kings
shrank overawed 10y the majesty Of pa
triots. Seest thou not the ghostly hands
uplifted to withhold from thee now the
victory which can only make wider the
breach between brothers2
"Shake off the weak pride that de
grades you and go in the name of old
friendship to Athens. Say the gods have
commanded you to seek from her people
a captain. Murmur not, but yield and
swift must be the feet that bringeth the
message, or the sun will soon set for the
last time on free Sparta"
a -
and her mortified pride, the city sits
trembling. while, faint and defled with
the dust of the highway, her messengers
enter the gates of her rival IT'S feast
day in Athens-no time for lengthy re-
, citals.
"What wills our warlike sister, Sparta,
with Athpns whom her stern DIGNITY