The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-15

xrn,, NM 2 8 saA
i In which they were strictly :z@,, :.s !.
/ Speaking the truth ssS1 II 81 ~ Il
/ Net. Forgotten Exchange, -
..ss l. q. a Look of Hair. .<.
The city Of Megara lay smiling in the.
summers sun. It's marble palaces, its tall
eolumnss its towers and gturrets We're
gay with flowing plume aud flag; for
it was a feast-day. The sun had been up
only an hour, but already the streets
were swarming with children, who had
/ risen early to gather flowers to decorate
the temples. Soft laughter rose OH the
fragrant air, and looks of trouble were
for the time cast aside. s<0.,
Could one peceives 4 more peaceful
and 'contented people? Yet sincere as
their happiness was now, it was only
as ray of broken light streaming
through q rift in the dark clouds. =
Tor Megara was besieged. and the
declared that the people might celebrate
their holy rites to the gods.
And SO, grateful for the lull in the
strife which for six months had borne
heavily upon them, the people threw care
to the winds and put all their hearts and
blessed day, They Needed not that this
reprieve was but the false hope sent by
a cruel fate, and that the darkest hour
of their trial was coming swiftly on ST.
lent wings. g.. &,.; -. So: -.s&@s.
The people now passed in throngs. all
gaily attired in their holiday clothes
which for months had been put aside.
1t was time for the ceremony of sacrifice.
and the young maidens, dressed in spot
less white, with white flowers entwined
IN their locks, and trailing over their
flowing robes, looked like seraphs. with
their young faces all aglow with holy
! enthusiasm. -.:
On smooth, rolling plain, covered
with its natural carpet Of green, and
dotted with flowers, which seemed like
4 spirnklink of sunbeams, the altar
| had been. erected. The maidens coming
first, chanting and swaying slightly to
the youths of the kingdom, their boyish
voices taking UP the strain of the maid
ems, swelling it louder and rolling it
over the long ranks.
| When these had formed circle about
the altar, a long avenue was left clear,
and then the glory of the procession
came into view. Six tiny maidens, clad
lin rainbow hue, held in their hands
masses of flowers entwined about rib
hons, and leading by them a snow-white
bull. Its horns were like ivory and
j shone i'll the sunlight. No flower or
ornament was needed to add charm to
the perfect animal. !.
Walking beside it, her arms thrown
caressingly around it's neck, was the
daughter. She was tall and slight, and
as graceful as a reed. Her dark hair
| hung about her in lustrous coils, and
swept over the back of the bull. Her
robe was of cloth of gold, and deep pur-
pie amethysts fastened its folds and
] rr1sS L. lo:-
naments she had none.
Closely following her was Nisus, the
king, surrounded by his guards. He,
| like his daughter. was tall and dark,
| with the same kind of hair, except that
| one lock. falling over his shoulder, shone
purple, like the; light from her amethysts.
No wonder the daughter loved the pur-
purple lock; for it reflected the light
! from that lock on which depended the
| fety of the country.
| The children led the bull to the altar.
| Scylla stood beside it, till the King ap-
preached with the cleaning knife. Then,
with low cry, she threw her arms
about the creatures neck, and pressed
| did not interrupt the ceremony and the
sacrifice was made.
When Scylla reached home she went
! up into the high tower of the palace,
| from which she could look down over
the whole city and beyond it. Outside
the walls she saw, as she had seen for
| the last six months, the camp of King
plain the ocean stretching out, out, to
liberty. For though she was princess,
| Scylla felt like bird in a golden cage
| As she looked down over the camp
| and watched the tents figure issued
from one of them. During the whole
| time of the siege she had watched the
enemy from the tower, and had learned
to distinguish the officers by name. And
! he who but now emerged from his tent,
| was no other than King Minos himself
1t was easy to know him from the
! Others for, tall as they were. he over
topped them all; as a great oak in the
midst of beech grove. Then, too, his
noble brow revealed a character grand.
good and just. In fact, the King was
what a King should be, and when,
dressed in his, flowing purple, he rode
| his white horse, he had all the charms
that a knight could wish to win fair
lady's heart.
And Scylla looked till he passed from
! had seen him.
Then wild thoughts coursed through
her excited brain. How cruel war was,
yet she blessed this war that brought
Minos to her sight. But how terrible if
he should be killed. Oh. if only peace
might be had, she would have offered
herself as hostage
Then came the wild thought of deliver
ing the city up. She could easily do it,
but one obstacle was in her way, The
fates had declared that so long as the
purple lock remained on her fathers
head, the city should stand. 1t needed
but that she should remove it and ali
would be we'll; for surely Minos would
be grateful to her and she would be
happy. -
And then came, the thought of that
fathers shame and degradation, but only
for monument, as one thought after an
other coursed through her mind. She
telt that she could pass through fire and
water to serve Minos, yet that was not
| needed. Another woman would dare as
much, and could anyone dare more than
she?
Then the victory was won, but not on
| the side Of duty. And only then, when
she had fully determined on her plan,
did she find peace or rest.
That night she arrayed herself in her
| richest robes. Never had she looked
more beautiful. The graces themselves
might have envied her. And Nisus smiled
u welcome to his daughter as she en-
tere a. the beanaueting hall: All traces
appeared and the King was glad lou 0'''~
Scylla suffered all his attention and
endearments, but hurried to her apart
! ments as soon as she could. She feared
lest her resolution might weaken and so
happiness be forever lost.
How many, of us have stood in like
position, with all the reasons for and
against our actions crushing us down,
our life and death in the balance, which
breath could give or take!
1t was after the midnight watch had
been called, and the palace was sunk in
slumber, that figure, enveloped in a
dark cloak, glided through the wide cor
ridor to the Kings apartments At the
door Il challenge rung out, but a moment
later the sentinel knelt and the princess
passed in to her father.
Nisus slept, and the princess slowly
approached his couch How noble he
looked, but the girl steeled her heart
| against him!
A moment later the dark figure fed
down the corridors as it had come, but
a CLEAN of triumph shonc from the eyes,
and love and victory struggled for mas
L.. - k1>