Evening star., 1896-12-12
Written for The Evening Star.

all nature III IONtt mortar lOlIg -iOuSh-
stone.
The last miles fell sandy and Dalton had
wondered. rather wearily, how much
farther was his inn. when suddenly he saw
the Hercules of Shinnecock. and knew that
he had reached the goal of that days spin
The Hercules looking down from his repose
doubtless fancied-if that carved wood in
deed holds the gods heart-that this was
but one more of the modern Centaurs
whose legs and hoofs evolution had made
to wheeIs-if in very truth the Hercules of
Shinnecock holds some of the personality
of the hero became god in the true days
of fable.
You know how this Hercules stands fac
ing the inn, over against the meadow and
the shimmering hay. All day and all night
he looks downs in mighty repose-summer
days of sketching artists who dream of
canvases at the next exhibition which
shall tell of the changing colors of the lit
tie sketch of hill country of Shinnecock:
autumn days of golfers. and less athletic
folk: winter days and nights, when rage
possesses the sea, and this image dreams
perhaps of the gone time when 1t stood,
buffeting the waves. defying them-bearing
proudly the Ohio and its flag OF the repub-
lie. Do inanimate things, then. sometimes
Tan d-tlTtdluliS. IO lAItN- lIIucct SUNNI
times hold the nature of the creature the
al list has Striven to produce? So this great
block, carved by forgotten sculptor, INTO
the semblance Of the hero as he was con-
ceived in the Farresan Hercules-was rem
iniscent not only of its own past, but OF all
that Hercules knew and saw and did
A tree overshadows the figure at some
hours of the fitting day "A perfect rural
statue. philosophical Dalton in his un-
critical mood. sitting there on the inn steps
while the host mildly chartered. on an
other day he might have decried this cpin
ion. but now the low moon had taken up
the pale twilight. had turned the dying
light of day into suffused yellowishness.
The dinner was long over; the last guest
had gOLe and still Dalton sat there: and il
was as If he were back in Andover reading
Mr. Bohr's aid to English students of the
Greek poets. 1t was to him if there
might appear suddenly out of the half
noonIt spaces the priests and the maid
ems; as IL prayer might go up to the god
many a twilight Hercules was besought
in the old days on an isle of Greece
I've refused SEQ for it, said the host.
Eh. said Dalton, taking a meditative
pull of his pipe.
The roads were sandy. weren't they
said the host You'd had TO gone to South
empton before you found another tavern.
You like to know that this was an inn in
1I45 on the kings highway"
But Dalton was not listening. He had
left the gossiping host, and had strolled
across the read and on under the shadow
o. the Hercules, where he paused for a
musing moment. and then toward the
bay. How still ii all was. after the town,
How ell the world seemed to be in retro
spect and all the mythology again true.
Would it happen in the course of he cy-
Gle of Time. the F1ther-and the ever ag-
ing, yet eternal possessor of US, and our
moods-that men would come back 10 the
mythology. the folk lore. that peopl ID the
seas anu the forests and the stretches of
meadow with personalities that We're not
so improbable under this moon, by this
lonely reach of bay. and the hill tops rang
ed against darkish blue which the moon
permitted but an occasional star 20 pierce.
For full hour this sentimental fellow
not long out of his office-paced up and
down the beach with his fancies. and then
rather resretfully turned back toward the
shadowy Hercules
As he neared it suddenly wakeful he
let his imagination go tripping. Again he
saw that part of the vanished Greeks
vaguely true in his memory of those
schoolboy fancies between the studious
moments Of digging out explanations of
the aOrist The inn stood quie., the lights
who hesitated. looking up at the Hercules.
who seemed TO express the verify the
unknown carver had felt. even We're this
a copy. Vow the moon omitted flaws;
and this Vas the god looking down AT his
wCTshipers. Out of the past Dalton's
wandering fancy brought these old Greeks.
prdyerful Of Hercules, and then
"Ch. dear"
ne SldEISl- f1du ne ldlHlt'i, tliiS tNp4 ES-
sive sigh which had come out of the figure;
and then he heard-but not the gruff and
awful voice of the hero raised to the gods,
instead, low feminine tOne-possibly that
OF a dryad who still was in the trunk out of
v hich the carver had wrought this inviu-
Cibie figure head of the good ship of an
other lay. Yet there was that note prom
iseful Of a human cause in the exciaDa-
tion. which set all at once Ddltons fancies
AT rest Quickly he stepped back of the
Hercules. where clinging as IL for protec
tion TO his superhuman reposeful strength
was 4 figure slight. and yet human, which
nearer to the wooden block (yet is 1t not
moreD and cried out: Don't hurt me,
please"
My dear young lady" said our young
gentleman, Il certainly have no such in
tention. | beg you thousand pardons."
Ills voice may have rsassured her, for
she now stepped out into the moonshine-a
slight. gtrt1sh figure, in d costume the
Greek ladies-not Sappho nor her Pericles
lOved-ever would have dreamed Of though
they indeed might approve OF ii. could they
revisit this old earth. and if they know GU:
OF the gloomy realms of Hades. All, are
they there who laughed so lightly on earth
Who so loved Pleasures own dear self
In ner hand the supplicant of the roadside
god dragged wheel: a slight girl with
that indetinable air of distinction even in
this startling and ludicrous moment
You have seen me- she said quickly
Il am not sure he observed lightly. AMI
taxing her appearance a matter of
Cgurse.
Well you have she declared. gaining
bravery at a certain note of admiration in
MS voice. which declared at once a victory
III the first skirmlsh of acquaintanceship
You will not. sir. tell soul?"
Not soul. he declared. Hercules and
alone know
All she cried in dismay. there they
are
She pointef TO the slope beyond 'the
bridge. and Dalton. looking saw a vehicle
approaching rapidly, and already heard its
distant cTeaking.
He will ask for me- said the supplicant
OF Hercules. for so Dalton regarded her
You must not let them know you've seen
me-
But" he began.
Il never shall forgive you"
Well. that's terrible threat" said he
But she now was hidden by the shielding
Hercules. the wheel dragged into the shad-
ow. while the wagon, ever nearer now
creaked on the bridge. and then crunched
CT the sand toward the Hercules
Very Well said Dalton, apostrophizing
Hercules, who seemed to answer with a
smothered THANK you Back TO the inn
ne went. while two stout cobs and the
blackboard drew up and gruff voice cried;
Have you seen her?'
Are you addressing me- sir?'' OUR ad-
Nenturer demanded
The speaker was now down by the buck
board. follow ed by a thin young man in a
s-ta