Connecticut western news., 1895-02-21
SIR OMAR.

A puff of northeast wind shot over the hill, detaching the last December leaf from the sycamore on its summit, and swoeped like wave upon the roofs and chimney stacks below. The smoke ascending through the chimneys was caught midway and driven back with showers of soot and wood ash, discom- fitting the townsmen who fingered by their hearths to read the morning pa- per. The blast, its strength thus broken, fell flat upon the macadam of the main street, scattering its fine dust into fan shaped figures, then died away west ward in eddies. Among these eddies the sycamore leaf danced and twirled, now edge, like tin disk, now whisked up to the level of the first story windows. A nurse, holding up 3-year-old child behind the pane, called out, pointing after the leaf:
 "Look-there goes Sir Dinar!"
 Now the legend of Sir Dinar is as old as the round table, though later touches, easily detected, have been add ed to it. And this is how they tell it:
 Sir Dinar was the first son and come Hest of King Geraint, who had left Ar thurs court for his own castle above Portscathoin-R -Roseland and was buried, when his time came, over the Mare, in his golden boat, with his silver oars be- side him. To fill his seat at the round table he sent, in the lads sixteenth year, this Dinar, who, in two years, was made knight by King Arthur, and in the third was turned an old man be- fore he had achieved single deed of note, as is to be shown.
 For on the fifth day after he was dub bed knight, upon the feast of Pentecost, there began the great quest of the Sanc- grael, which took Sir Lancelot from the court, Sir Pcrceval, Sir Bors, Sir Ga waine, Sir Galahad and the flower of Arthur's knights. And because, after their going, it was all sad cheer at Calnelot, aud heavy, empty days Sir Dinar took two of his best friends aside, both young knights, Sir Galhaltin and Sir Ozanna le Occur Hardi, and spoke to them of riding from the court by stealth, flor, '' he said, i've have many days before us, and no yillainy upon our conscience, and besides are eager. Who knows, then, but we may achieve this adventure of the Sancgrael?" So they listened and imported 1t to another, Sir Sentrail, and tho four rode forth privily one morning before the dawn and set their faces northward.
 Now, the day of their setting out was | Cl.sc ., feast of Stephen the Martyr, and as they rode through thick wood it came into Sir Dinar's mind that upon this day it | was right to kill any bird that flew in 1 remembrance that, when St. Stephen had all but escaped from the soldiers | who guarded him, a small bird had sung in their ears and awakened them. By this the sky was growing white with the morning, but nothing yet clear to the sight, and while they pressed for ward under the naked boughs. their horses hoofs cracking the frozen under | growth beneath them, Sir Dinar was aware of a birds wing ruffling ahead and let fly bolt without warning his com panions why he did this, who had forgot ten what morning it was and drew rein | ln their aStonlShment. But pressing forward in a minute they camo. upon a gerfalcon lying, with long lunes hanging about his feet and through his breast the hole that Sir l Dinar's bolt had made. While they stopped over this bird the sun got up, and lifting their heads they saw green glade before them, and in the midst of the glade three pavilions. set each of red sendal, that shone at the first touch of the morning. In the first pavilion slept seven knights, and in the second 8 score of damsels, but by the door of the third stood lady, fair and tall, in n robe of samite, who, as they drew near to accost her, inquired of them:
 (Which of you four has slain my gerfalcon?"
 And when Sir Dirar confessed and began to make his excuse, Silly knight" said she, ''who couldst not guess that my falcon, too, was abroad to avenge the blessed Stephen! Or dost think that it was a hawk, of all birds, that sang sweet melody in the ears oi his guards?"
 With that she laughed as if pacified, and asked of their affairs, and being told that they rode in search of the Sancgrael she laughed again, saying:
 "Silly knights all, that seek it before you be bearded! For three of you must faint and die on the quest, and you, sir, y
 turning to Sir Dinar, "must many times long to die, yet never reach nearer by foot. '
 "Let it be as God will, answered Sir Dinar "But hast thou any tidings to guide us?''
 ''l have heard,'' said she, "that il } was seen latest in the land of Gore, be yond Trent water" And with her white finger she pointed down narrow glade that led to the northwest. So they thanked her and pricked on, none guess ing that she herself was King Urience's wife of Gore, and none other than Queer Morgan le Fay, the famous enchantress
 who for loss of her gerfalcon was light ly sending Sir Dinar to his ruin. l So all that day they rode, two ant
 two, ill the strait alley that she hat F pointed out, and by her enchantment
 she made the winter trees to move witt them, serried close on either hand, $, that, though the four knights wist noth
 ing of it, they advanced not furlon,
 for all their haste. But toward nightfal
 there appeared close ahead a blaze o
 windows lit and then tall castle wit dim towers soaring up and shaking t