The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1896-04-29


Juno at once placed the heifer under the
care Of Argus, the watchful shepherd.
who had hundred eyes and who never
slept with more than two Of them at q
time.
Argus was not unkind, but he was
very strict and severe. He allowed the
heifer freedom in the daytime, but at
night he tied a cord around her delicate
throat and fastened her to tree
So the time went on. 1nachus sought
his daughter far and near, and 10 often
wandered down to the stream when she
saw her sisters at play. She let them
caress her, and they made collar Of
shells for her. One day her father offered
her handful of soft green grass, and
she licked the outstretched hand. In
vain she tried to tell him who she was.
Her only Cry was loud below, which
frightened even herself.
Suddenly she thought of how she
might make herself known, and with
her hoof she wrote her name in the
sand. Then the sisters gathered around
her and wept, and her father caressed
her and bemoaned her sad fate.
But the watchful Argus saw all this
and quickly came and drove the heifer
back to it's flock, where he kept even
stricter watch over it than before.
After long time Jupiter bethought
himself of the fate of 10, and finding
how she suffered he dispatched Mercury
to put an end to Argus and to SO set 10
free. For he could not restore her to her
own form without the consent of Juno.
Mercury, that bright messenger Of the
gods, whose duty it seemed ever to be to
relieve the distressed and help the trou-
bled, put on his winged sandals and his
cap, and taking his pipes, on which he
played sweet music, he descended to
earth, ready to perform the task assign
ed him.
When he reached the place where Ar
gus generally drove the herds to drink,
he put by his sandals and his cap, and
keeping only his staff and his pipes he
appeared like shepherd driving his
focks Then, when he saw Argus ap-
proach, he began to play upon the pipes.
Argus heard the sweet, strange music
and was charmed, and seating himself
upon high rock, whence he could over
look the fields, he called Mercury to him.
"Come hither, gentle shepherd boy,
he cried. "Sit here by me in the shade
Of this great tree and sing me some songs
upon that instrument you carry"
Mercury complied, for this was just
what he wanted. He played his most
soothing tones, hoping to lull the great
giant to sleep. Then he told him stories
and talked till the sun was high in. the
heavens. But, though Argus nodded and
closed some of his eyes, yet he was ever
watchful, and Mercury was well nigh in
despair.
At last he said to Argus:
"Since you like so we'll the strains of
music bring forth from my pipes, let
me tell you how it first came to be made
and used. You must know, Argus, that
it is called the syrinx, as we'll as the
pandean pipes, and when you hear the
story you will understand it's meaning.
"There lived long ago here in this
beautiful land Of Greece nymph named
Syrinx. All the satyrs and other spirits
Of the woods and wind and wave loved
her and We'd with each other in gaining
her slightest smile. But she cared for
none of her admirers. She was devoted
to Diana and the chase, and indeed she
was so beautiful in her activity that no
one blamed her for preferring her sport
to anything else. She might have been
taken for Diana herself. SO skillful was