Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1896-02-18

ne had All the charms that a knight
could wish to win a fair lady's heart
And Scylla looked till no passod from
her view, as she had done every time
sho had seen him.
Then wild thoughts coursed through
her excited brain. How oruel war
was, yet she blessed this war that
brought Minos TO her sight. But how
terrible II be should .be killed. Oh, IL
only peace might be had, she would
have offered herself az hostage.
Then came the wild thought of deiiv-
oring the city up She could easily do
it, but one obstacle was in her way.
The fates had decreed that 90 long az
tho purple look remained ON her fathers
head the city should stand. II needed
but that she should remove II and all
would be well, for surely Mines would
bo grateful to her and she would be
happy.
And then came the thought OF that ia
thor's shame and degradation, but only
for a moment, as one thought after an
other courscd through her mind. She
felt that she could pass through FIRE and
water to serve Minos, yet that was not
needed. Another woman would dare as
much. and could any one dare more than
she7
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
-. NmA oh 1r..I
more beautiful The graces themselves
might have envied her. And Nisus
smiled q welcome to his daughter as she
entered the banqueting hall. All traces
of her grief at the saoritioe had disap-
peared, and the king was glad.
Scylla suffered al his attention and
endearmentB, bat hurried TO her apart
ments as soon as she could. She feared
lest her resolution might weaken and so
her happiness be forever lost.
How many Of as have stood in a like
position, with all the seasons for and
against our actions crushing us down,
our life and death in the balance, which
q breath could give or takei
II was after the midnight watch had
been called and the palace was sunk in
slumber that o figure enveloped in a
dark cloak glided through the wide cor
ridor to the kings apartments. At the
door challenge rung out, but mo-
ment later the sentinel knelt and the
princess passed in to her father.
Nisus slept, and the daughter slowly
approached his couch. How noble he
/ looked, but the girl steeled her heart
against himi
A moment later the dark figure fed
down the corridors as it had come, but
a CLEAN Of triumph shone from the eyes
and love and victory struggled for mas
terry in the countenance. And the king
slept on, but the purple lock had left
his head foreverl
So Scylla went through the dark city
and left It behind her IS the passed the
wall through a secret gate. Swiftly she
entered the camp Of the enemy and de.
manded to see King Minos.
When the king beheld her, he thought
so lovely a woman had never before
walked the earth, but When holding on
the purple lock she said that she gave
up her city, her father, herself, hi
spurned her from him.
.'Shall Crete, hecried, where Jovl
himself was cradled. he polluted by thi
monster9 Infamous woman, begone anl
may neither land nor sea afford thee
resting placei"
"Alasp cried Scylla "For thee kav
/ given mp eyerythihgi Aye, am de
serving Of death, but thy hand shoull
not be the one to deal the blowr'
But Minos would have nothing to d
with her, and the next morning, giyin
orders that equitable terms should b
allowed to the vanquished city, he sail
cd away with his feet.
As the ships were departing Scyll
jumped into the sea, and grasping th
rudder Of the vessel that oonveye
Minos was carried along with it till a
eagle. into which her father had bee
changed, darted dowH. and peoked at be
with its beak and claws. Soylla erie
for mercy. and some plying deit
changed her into bird.
And to this day the eagle pounc'
upon the gull, ever seeking yengeanC
for the old crime. Virginia Horton
Philadelphia Times