San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-17

seem 10 De exactly the person 10 De al
authority on the subject of Venus.
But, as the hairdr. sser was aware, he
had the reputation of being a mine Of
curious and out-of-the-way information
though few thought it worth their
while to work him. He gained a liv.
ing, however, by hack work of various
descriptions and was in slightly better
circumstances than he allowed to ap.
Pear.
AS he. passed slowly along the central
passage, in his usual state of abstrac-
ton, Leander touched him eagerly on
the sleeve. "Come in ere, Mr.. Free.
moult, sir" he said; "there's room in
this box"
ats the barber, is it?" said the old
man. what do you want me to eat
with you for, eh?"
why, for the pleasure of your com.
pany, sir, of course" said Leander,
politely.
"Well," said the old gentleman, sit
ting down, while documents bristled
out of him in all directions, "there are
not many who would say that-not
many now"
"Don't you say so, Mr.. Freemoult, sir.
I'm sure it's a benefit, if only for your
conversation. often say, 4 never meet
Mr.. Freemoult without l learn some.
think I do indeed"
Then we must have met less often
than had imagined"
"Now, you are too modest, sir; you
really area scholar like you, tool
Talking of scholarship, you'll be graft.
fed to hear that that title you were
GOOD arn,rph 70
generator is having a quite surprising
sale. disposed OF five bottles over the
counter only yesterday" C"These old
scholars" was his willy reflection, like
being fiattered up
docs that mean you've another
beastly bottle you want me to stand
godfather TOP" growled the ungrateful
old gentleman.
"Oh, no, indeed, sir! It's only But
p'r'aps you'll allow me previously the
honor of sending out for whatever bever-
age you was thinking of washing down
your boiled beef with, SIR
40 you know who | amp" Mr.. Free
monlt bursts out. I'm a scholar and
gentleman enough still to drink at my
own expense!"
IL intended no offense, I'm sure. sir;
it was only meant in friendly way. "
THAT is the offense, sir; that is the
offense! But there, we'll say no more
about it: you can't help your profession
and can't help my prejudices. What
was it you wanted to ask me?"
"Well," said Leander, 81 was DESTROYS
of getting some information respecting
-ahem-a party by the name of (if I've
caught the foreign pronunciation
Haphrodite, otherwise known as Venus.
Do you happen to have heard tell of
hero"
"Have had a classical education, sir,
or haven't l? Heard of her? OF course
l have! But why, in the name of
mythology, any hairdresser living
should trouble his head about Aphro-
dite passes my comprehension. Leave
her alone, sir"
ats her who won't leave,me alone, "
thought Leander, but he did not say so.
ave a very particular reason for wish
tell me all you'd heard about her I'd
take it very kind of you"
want to pick my brains; well, you
wouldn't be the first But I'm here,
sir, to rest my brain and refresh my
body, not to deliver pcripatetic lectures
to hairdressers on Grecian mythology.
"Well. said Leander, IL never meant
you to give your information peripate-
tic; len willing to go as far as half a
crown"
Conf But, there. what's the use
| of being angry with you? Is this the
sort of thing you want for your halt
crown? Aphrodite, later form of the
| Assyrian Astarte: the daughter, accord.
| ing to some theOgonies, of Zeus and
Dione; others have it that she was the
offspring of the foam of the sea, which
| gathered round the fragments of the
mutilated Uranos-"
| THAT don't seem so likely, do it
| sir?" said Leander.
| "If you are going to crop in with
idiotic remarks l shall confine mysel.
to my supper"
Don't stop, Mr.. Freemoult, sir; it.
most instructive. I'm attending"
But the old gentleman, after man
ner he had, was sunk in a dreamy alb
straction for the moment, in which hC
| apparently lost the thread; as he re
sumed, "Whereupon Zeus, to psnisl
her. gave her in wedlock to his de
formed son, Hephastus.
"She never mentioned him to me,
thought Leander, "but | suppose She
g. widow goddess by this time; I'm sur,
l hope So"
whom" Mr.. Frcemoult was saying
"she deceived upon several occasions
notably in the case Of" and here h,
launched into a scandalOus chronicle
which determined Leander more thai
ever that Matilda must never know h
had entertained parsonage with sucl
past.
"Angered by her indiscretions, Ecu
inspired her with love for morta
man"
poor devil" said Leander, in7olur
tarily. And what became of him
s;r?"
There were several thus disting