The sun., 1890-07-20

people who had dwelt in it.
Then tho Wanderer paused where once the
died In that welcome. There, unwelcomed, no
stood leaning on OF his stall Then @ .it sudden den
ID the hssp and he touched It tt WITH the end Of
the stan he had In hts hand. 1t slid linRling
irom nd ,t the heap i was bone OF t,orearm n
ring OF gold. On the gold these characters
were engraved:
lkMAhloS ME- uoIH2EN
dcmalios made mo)
At the sight OF the armlet the Wanderer fell
on the carth,. EroveilinR among tho ashes OF
the, pyre for he knew the gold ring which he
vile Foneo%e fhs S was the the if Frnce Of
the bride OF his youth and here. black, cal
kind arms In, which he had lain: Then his
strength was shaker with his sobbinG. ard his
bands gl1ened Pind{ before him qpd he
dark looks were dehled with tho ashes Of his
dearest, and he longed to die.
row, and for wrath against God and Fate
There he lay, while the sun In the heavens
o the sunset suns ap strred in his haf and he strrsd
not. He could not even shed one tear for this
was the sorest OF all the sorrows that he had
g, The sun fell and the ways were darkened.
moon. A night fowls voice was heard from
aiar: 1t drew nearer: then through the shadow
% 81 the pyre the black wings tluttered into the
its beak on the Wanderers neck. Then he
moved at length, tossed UP an arm, and
broke 1t and dashed It on the ground. His sick
heart was mad with the little sudden pain, and
might sIsy himself, M SELF But he was as ansrned. % It
last he rose. mutterinR, and stood in the moon
light, like lion In some ruinous palace OF for,
weak with long lamentinR, as he stepped with
IN his own doors. There he paused on that high
threshold Of stone where once be had sat in the
D6RRar. Threshold
whence, on another day he had shot the shafts
Of a doom amoHg S,g the wooers Of hIs wife and the
dead: all his voyaging was ended here, and ell
his wars, we're vain. In the white Light the
ghost Of q home, dreadful, unfamiliar, empty
Of warmth and love and light. The tables were
afas fS ess Of SS a
sion The ivory chairs were bro ken n and and on the
from points Of steel and blades OF bronze.
Though many swords were dark with rust;
friendly and iamiIiar There 'H lay 70" The T Bow % of
had slain his own guest In his own halls; the
derer could bend. He was never used to carry
this precious bow with him on shpboard wlen
home. the memorial OF a dear friend foully
slain 50 nov, when the voices OF the dog and
WSe M eTS
thrilled in The grip Of a god, and had sqattered
WopdrouslS mad 3 snd magical i1Tiss spiit dwsis
within 1t, which knew OF things to come.
fore always before the Staying Of men the bow
sang strangely through the, night The voice
Of It vas thin and shriIl;; ringing and sing
Wanderer stood and looked on his weapon.
bark the bow began 10 thrill! Tho sound was
voice Of it In that silence grew strong angry,
and triumphant, In his ears and to his heart
1t seemed that the wordless chant rang thus:
THE SONG OF THE BOW.
Keen and low
Doth tho arrow sing
1fs The sSos SoSRd % u ~ shs S9W string
The shafts cry shri!I:
Let US forth again.
ofssdH 9n e; .nS nS'a @sst Of men,
1iRs PS Ts ne 9y sira. fES% sRts fHEi n...
For the feast of war.
VITA III our @ wings vi IS be stirred
OF the ravening bird.
0n d: snow winds BREATH
And winged for death
Like the birds that meet
When tho dart strikes true.
Do the swift shafts bail
TN they drink warm dew.
The song OF the Bow
Tho sound OF the string.
This was the message OF Death. and this was
lhe first sound that had brokon the stiffness of
his home.
At the welcome OF this music which spoke to |
his heRrt-this music he had heard so many q
time-the Wanderer knew that there was war |
1t hand. He knew that the wings OF his arrows |
should be swift TO fly, and their leaks Of bronze
.hould be whetted to drink tho blood OF men. |
He put out his hand and took the bow and |
.ried the string, and II answered shrill as the |
song Of the swallow.
Then at length when he heard the bowstring
wang to his touch the fountains OF his sor-
;ow we're % upseaIed tears ear came like soft rains
When he had his nj Of weeping he rose for
hunger drove him-hunRer that is of all things |
he most shameless, being stronger far than