The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-10-13
A STORY OF GREECE.
BY s. c. McCAY.


highway of thought that led her at last
to world wide dominion, dwelt Tyr
tpus the poet, leading life of case, un-
disturbed by the light iests of the war
like Athenians, and remote from the tu-
multi of war.
They dreamed not, these needless dis
ciplcs of wit and war, that the thin,
shadowy hand, impotent to lift against
the foe the sword of the Commonwealth,
was writing on the age story the future
would read with applause
Through the long days this pale, pa
tient schoolmaster toiled among the
sunny-haired children of Athens. He
loved them and in them the future of
Greece; and when to their stately homes
he had sent them, to dream of the bat
tie fields won from the East by their pa
triot fathers, then, alone beneath the
stars, with pale forehead uplifted and
arms folded in majestic repose, the feeble
body forgotten, the poet stood revealed
in the might of his soul His thoughts,
now unfettered, soar on to the future, and
he sees his city-his dolby the light
of her intellect crowned queen of the
nations, when his fragile form is Athen-
ian dust, and the children who now
crowd around his knee shall fill all
his country's high places with honor and
with the patriots zeal which his own
enthusiasm has enkindled. Then on the
scene where the rapt thoughts care
dwelling glides another vision slight,
slender form draped in the straight clas-
sic folds of Greek maiden's white gar
ment, a garment too pure to trail in the
dust of mems wars and ambitions. IT'S
a form that he knows, but it inspires his
soul and fills all the space in the universe.
Then farewell for this night to the
dreams of the seer, for the magical glass
OF the prophet grows dim when over it
passes the breath of human affection.
In the house of the Senator Merton
dwelt the maiden of Sparta whose face
in its ineffable beauty was filling the soul
/ OF the poet. Her mother. a woman of
Athens, had wed in her youth Leontus
the Spartan. ere jealous dissensions had
weakened the brotherly bond between
these two cities. But the bright sunny
heart of the Athenian was chilled by the
cold and austere looks of the matrons of
her husbands house; and after bearing
to their sire many strong, noble sons,
looked once on the face of a small. lily
maiden and died-and in that diving
look the mother saw again the long
vanished days of her youth for the child
bore the face of her kindred With
thoughts full of home, she laid on its
head a christening hand and murmured
'AthenG." Thus it chanced that, in
fulfillment of a sacred promise, LeontuS
sent his daughter to the house of her
~ ra1 ~, Il. II I
and reigned like queen over the hearts
of all who knew her; but deep and un-
noticed beneath her sunny exterior dwelt
the soul of her Spartan father; and while
the maidens of Athens spent the hours in
dancing and singing she would steal from
their midst and follow her young kins-
man to the house of his tutor-Tyrteus.
No tale of the past, of high deeds or
noble thoughts fell from the teachers
lips that did not reflect from Athena's
eyes or thrill to her soul like the tones
of some well-attuned lutte. But cloud
was travelling fast to overshadOw the sun
shine of her life. The intercourse once
so constant between her sire and her
kindred of Athens grew cold, as some
! veXed question in matters of state made
each nation suspicious of the other, aud
the name of Leontus was never breathcd
in the ears of his daughter. All questions
were useless, and her pride compelled
her to ease the inquiries for father and
brother, which brought no answer save
a frown, the first that had darkened for
her the face of her kindred. Thus
| pondering, the maiden grew thought
full and her tasks were neglect d. as
she thought OF the mystery hanging over
her life; but she suffer ed in silence, the
Spartan within her forbidding complaint
even to him who was her preceptor and
friend, After many days Of self-isolation
she walked from her chamber one even
ing, seeking vainly to shake off the
weight of oppressive thoughts. when a
voice from young EumRus's apartment
caused her to pause and look up. The
tones of a well-remembered voice thrilled
through her being like magic. With an
unconscious movement she drew nearer
and nearer until she could hear the
words. They fell like flaming sword
strokes as the poet spoke, more to him
self than his pupil: SIS it thus, then,
that Athens exults over the perils of her
old and tried comrades? viii she teach
her sons TO honor her more when her hands
are foul with the ruin of her sister city
and the blood of her mother Greece
Blush, boy, for the rulers of Athens, who
tell thee that laurels can grow for heI
youth on the graves of dishonored
Sparta" And, wounded in soul Tyr
teus turns to depart. He had heard this
day how the vampires of war had fast
ened again on the weak limbs of Lace
damon, and Messenia had returned tC
the fight. With gaze bent on the ground
and his heart heavy with generous an
guish he walks, and sees not the form
which stands with rant face and statu