The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-02-16
XANTIPPE.

Daphne stepped lightly out over the
threshold of her door. The sun was
shining with an intolerable glare on the
white marble walls of the houses
around and on the white lime dust of
the pavement, causing Daphne's bright,
laughing eyes to wink and blink invol-
unfairly. She crew a thin. gauzy veil
over her head and face and slipped.
keeping carefully within the sparse
shadow cast by the walls of the houses,
to ii dwelling near by. Raising a heavy
curtain hanging before the entrance
door, she TIPPED softly inside. The
room. however, was quite empty. 1t
was a small, square room, the walls col
ored dark red; its only furniture a tri-
pod. on which were burning dimlv two
chased silver lamps.
She will be in the GvnakpiOr." said
Daphne to herself softly, and raising
another curtain, which hung exactly
opposite, she passed through into a sec
ond room. There, under a pOltiCO which
led out into a courtyard, upon a Circu-
lar marble bench, sat the one whom sh"
was s"eklng-a young and beautiful
wC1nan A long white garment. with
"A border embroidered in crimson. Law
III heavy, graceful folds about her small,
OutStretChed feet; an upper garment
the ChltOn) Of the same color as thr
rob" was gathered closely up about hey
neck. but left her slender arms quite
bare, one OF which rested languidly
upon the carved back Of the seat. The
WUman'S small head was bound with
three narrow scarlet silken ~fllets. her
Wavy hair caught up in a loose knot at
the back of her neck. Hearing the cur
tain rustic, she turned her head and
smiled as her dark eyes caught sight of
D%aphnes smiling face peeping from
among its folds. kissing her hand. she
pointed toward the court and shook her
head as a warning to the newcomer o
to speak too loud. In the court. regard
less of the sun S hot rays. by the side of
"A tountain-a liOn's head, from whose
open lIOnth "a slender stream of water
tell into a shallow Dasin-twO men were
seated IN earnest conversation.
Daphne glided noiselessly w to her
friend side, and seating herself upon
the ground laid her head upon the
other $ knees. She sat there some mo-
mentS IN silence. tndcavoring to catch
what 1t was the lnen were discussing.
In vain. She could hear only the sound
OF their voices. That of the rrincipal
speakcr-a dark, swarthv man. Of mid
die age. with a fiat nose and thick. pro-
trudlng lips-was sonOrous and mellow /;
his companions, high pitched and
~sQueaking. After a few minutes 81
lence, Daphne whispered:
How ugly he is-thy SOrratcs.'
But so learned. so wise. 50 great
murmured the other in answer. but she
sighed rs she spoke.
Thou slightest. Hast w~arird on the
first day Of thy welded life with thy
philosopher inquired Daphne. with a
bright, sidelong glance.
NO answered Xantippe proudly.
is he not the most learned. the wisest
man III all Athens: And | am happy to
think he considered me worthy to be his
wife. Thou shOuldst have heard the
speech with which he welcomed me to
his root yesterday. Among other things
he told me that there We're evil demons
who lurked in corners and %cupboardS to
tempt young wives to be neglectful of
their duties. But there was also d deity
who, living under orr roof, would take
NE under his protection, guard me from
evil and help me to resist temptation.
whom | must propitiate by humility and
~ife)y obedience. But how can | do
This when Socrates himself prevents
mc:'
"Socratc,-prcrent thee! Speak, and
tell me how this can be. Thou knowest
| was welded against my will to Ants
themes. pref"rring Glaucus, to whom
my parents refused me. Should | learn
from thee, however, that the wife of a
philosopher has reason to complain of
her lot. | shall no longer rcpruach my
parents in my heart for bcstoW ing me
on the merchant and denying me to the
scholar.
"IEOu knOwest. answered Xantlp-
pc. that it is my duty to see that my
lords table is well supplied with snita-
ole food. But how can | do this when
he gives me no money: Thee tunes |
went this morning to him. asking him
gently, "Givc nrc, | pray thee, Il tctro-
bol"n, that | may buy fish and vegeta-
hlrH for the midday meal" Twice he
gave me Il" yer: the third he spoke
not to me, bat to Euclid. who arrived
hprI TINS 1l(rD1fD fran, N1y11a .'Ft,-