The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-04

valuable as the others she kissed him
as he went away.
The kiss seemed TO give him new
strength and he walked forward very
boldly with his great club In his hand
ready for battle with the giant or anything
| else. With the little golden key ne I'M
locked the heavy gate and then walked
| right into the wonderful garden. Fifty
of the giants heads were asleep, but every
| one of the other fifty saw Hercules as
| he stepped within the gate, and the hun
| bred other eyes opened at once. Hercules
| Immediately cast the reflection or his
magic mirror into the giants faces. which
so dazzled him that he had TO turn away
his heads. AS soon as he ventured to
turn again the prince threw the dust
from the golden box directly into the
terrible eyes.
! Useless were now the hundred heads.
| In fact, the monster would have been
much better off with only two eyes. since
the fine powder made them all smart so
| that he could think Of nothing else but
| the fearful pain he was enduring.
| While in this condition he was attacked
| by the little dog, which barked fiercely
/ and bit at his heels causing him to tear
! around at lively pace.
! Seeing that the giant had all he could
attend to- Hercules went up to the apple
| tree and plucked the three golden apples.
putting them safely in pocket within
his lion skin. Then he called the dog
away, and went out Of the garden. He
| stopped to thank the four maidens for
| their help. and giving them back their
gifts. he shouldered his ponderous club
and returned to his brothers Kingdom.
The three golden apples were given by
the king to stern, vinegar-faced old
woman named Minerva, who locked them
up, so that no one should rob her Of them
| But, as you may very well believe. this
was not the end OF the precious fruit for
which so much had been risked.
Living in the same country with MI
nerva was beautiful young girl who
had many suitors. Her name was Alta
lanta She was very beautiful. very
graceful. very proud and very vain Her
| mother had let her run out OF doors
/ great deal, and she grew up strong and
| almost as fIeet-footed as a deer In fact,
! there was no one In ali the world that
could run as fast as she could
When she wanted to get rid OF sutton
she challenged him to run race with
| her. If he won she was to marry him;
but II she gained the race then he must
go away and never see her more. 1t mat
tered not how swiftly they ran however.
Atalanta always conquered and the dis
comfited sutton had TO retire.
A youth named MilGnion had long
sought the coquettsh maiden in marriage.
and. instead Of despairing. as he might
well have done at the defeat Of so many
sutors he only grew the more courage
Gus. At last he came forward and entered
the perilous lists. He was animated by
something besides mere hope, for he
was well aware that he could not outrun
her unless he resorted to stratagem. So
he had gone to Minerva and asked Of her
the three golden apples. which she kept
locked up so carefully.
We can imagine that the old lady looked
rather severe at first at the thought Of
giving up her cherished treasure, but the
young man was a favorite and she con-
scented at last to let him have the apples.
Milanion took them and thrust them
under his girdle, to be used in the APP
preaching race.
Atalanta doubtless thought she would
, win. as she had always done, when she
set out on that beautiful summer morn
ing: and so she would. had ii not been for
the golden apples. Whenever in the race
she got before him, Milanion threw one OF
the apples near her. The first one rolled
off few feet distant. How ii sparkled In
the sun, almost dazzling the eyes Of
those that looked at it! The maiden
could not resist the temptation TO secure
it. In stopping to do this she fell behind
her competitor IN the race.
Mianion made the greatest exertion to
keep the distance gained but ATLANTA
was as light as the summer breeze and
swift as a forest doe. Again she got
ahead OF him. and was making for the
goal Again Milanion threw a golden
apple before her.
The glttering prize caught her eye and
she turned out OF her way to get 1t. This
allowed Milanion to regain his former
place, but he did not keep II long Alta
lanta secured the apple and darted for
ward again, passing the youth like
flying sunbeam.
The last of the golden apples was still
in his girdle. Just before he reached the
goal he threw II beyond her. She hest
tated a moment. looked earnestly at the
sparkling fruit, and then darted off 10
secure II. Milanion sprung forward and
by exerting himself had Just time to
reach the goal before she did. ATLANTA
was thus Obliged to marry him.
They had three children and to each
OF them was given one OF the golden ap-
pies One planted his and of course. as
II never came mp. he lost IT, The second
hid his In his treasure chest whore [,
never did him any good The Youngest
gave his one dav to a poor old beerar
woman. who asked him for aims The
next day beautiful young princess. In a
Golden chariot drawn by superb white
horses. arrived at the palace and called
for the young prince. II was the old
woman's daughter, a neighboring princess.
who had come as mis- bride.
SO the benevolent young man rode away |
with the princess and became In time
great king. And this was the last Of the |
three golden apples