Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-04-13

ing you well now so that he may devoul
i you at his leisure. If we were you
we would anticipate his action, Some
! night you had better take lamp and a
sharp knife, and If you find him to be
| the monster that we believe him to b.
you can slay him."
Psyche paid no heed at first to their
suggestions, but as time went and her
husband did not reveal himself, her
curiosity grew excited. One night
when all was still and her husband lay
beside her fast asleep, she arose and
lighting the lamp stealthily approached
the bed. What she saw was a very
| handsome young man with rosy cheeks
and soft golden curls falling down over
his neck OF snow. As she bent over him
to more closely view his features, a
drop of burning oil fell upon his naked
bosom and awoke him.
He looked at her moment with sur.
prise and sorrow, and sprlnging instant
ly from the bed vanished without a
word. Psyche was so affected that she
| tainted on the spot.
When she revived to consciousness
the palace was gone and she found her
self in the open fields not far from her
to find her husband, and could not re-
main at rest anywhere. She wandered
on In one direction and then in another,
till she came to splendid temple on a
hill. 1t was the time of harvest and all
around were scattered the implements
of husbandry mingled with heaps of
grain, piles of straw and the rubbish
that had collected about the temple for
many months.
Before she went into the building to
offer sacrifices Psyche busted herself In
sorting and separating rything in its
proper place, laboring very earnestly in
the warm sun. This so pleased Ceres, the
goddess to whom the temple belonged,
that she entertained Psyche over night
so that she rested herself and was
another woman when the sun rose the
next morning. Before she started anew
on her journey Ceres told the poor prln-
cess that if she wished to find her hus-
band, she had better 60 to Venus and
put herself under her protection. BY do
ing thus she mIghtdissolve that goddess's
angeIla land ill-will.
Pysche accordingly went directly to
Venus and kneeling humbly at her feet
asked that she might serve her. The
goddess was somewhat surprised to fiad
her rival in so Illuminating an attitude,
but her heart did not relent. She con-
Quoted Psyche to huge pile of wheat,
millet and barley, collet ted as food for
her doves, and said to her, "If you
would gain my favor, sift all this grain
and put this mIlet, wheat and barley
in separate piles" And so she left
her.
Poor Psyche sat down and cried at
what she thought was an impossible
task. But while she was giving way
to her tears she felt little sharp bite
on her hand. She looked down and saw
an ant. weep not" said the little
creature. eve will do thy task
He and his companions went to work
at once, and before night tie ants had
the task completed. Venus next Or
dered Psyche to go to certain meadow
where sheep with golden heeces fed
without shepherd, and bring her a
sample of the wool gathered from their
backs. This was dangerous opera
tion, for the sheep were wild and fierce,
but the river god took pity on Psyche,
and told her that il she waited until
late in the afternoon, the sheep would
wander away, and she could then cross
the river and find all the golden wool
she wanted on the bushes and briar5.
she followed his inst uctions and re-
turned before the night with her arms
full of the precious treasure.
Venus was not yet pacified however,
and giving Psyche a box of Jasper
stone she told her to go to Proserplne
and ask Ter for little of her beauty,
nj
had received it, but to bring it directly
to her. This was the severest trial
of all, for she had to penetrate to
the lower region to the kiOgdom of
Pluto where Proserpine was queen.
But she successfully accomplished her
errand and was returning with the
box of beauty when again her feminine
curiosi ity nearly caused her destruction.
She was tempted to open the box, and
when she did so a vaporous cloud OF
stygian sleep escaped and she fell into a
deathlike slumber in the midst of the
highway.
Here she was found by Cupid, who
revived her and told her who he was.
AT his instruction she returned to
H9des and secured a second gift from
Prosperpine which she carried to
Venus. Cupid then made interc; sSlon
with his mother, and the whole court
of the gods, and he was given cup of
nectar, which was poured by Hebe's
own hand, the cup bearer of the
gods. This he carried to Psyche and
said:
''Drink of this nectar, dear Psyche,
and thou shalt be immortal. Let it also
be pledge that | am thine and thou
art mine forever"
So tie beautiful princess became at
last a goddess, and Venus had no fur
ther power to harm her-FRED NYRoN
COLBY, in The Eastern State.