The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-07

ana smile half parting the lips. You
have missed the most beautiful thing In
the moon II you never have seen her.
And hen there are the two Children or
the Mona boy and a girl halfway
grown up. You can see them best IN me
winter time. when the moon is tipped Il
little farther around. A good many years
ago a boy and giil who were bringing a
pail OF water from the well were heart
IessIv robbed BY a bandit. and since then
so the story g0es-they have always
marched in the moon. You can see JACK
ana I'LL carrying the pail between them
supported on a pole. a very bright, ,alf-
haired pair they are. although at this time
OF year only the girl shows plainly
II YOU haven't seen all these moon
jewellers. don't fail TO look for them the
next time the moon is fun.
In olden times people paid great deai
more attention TO the moon than they 90
nowadays The old Greeks USED 10 say
the Man I'm the Moon was Greek ana thc
Romans said that he was q Roman, ard
they might have gone to war over the
matter il there hadn't been anything else
10 night about. And the wise men quar-
relied over the question as to whether the
moon was an island or only a hole in
the sky. And one OF them soberly assert
ed that the moon was simply the sun
snorn Of his rays, who came peeping
around at night for fear something would
20 wrong while he was gone.
Ancient authors also had much TO say
about lunar wonders. Lucian, a famous
creek writer, tells in his Voyage 10 the
Moon" how he visited the Man in the
Moon. II reads like some wonderful fairy
story Starting from the smiling coasts
or Italy his gay bark was driven beyond
the pillars Of Hercules into the unknown
ocean. Here il was caught in a fierce
storm and swept about at the mercy OF
the wind for seventy days. Then the
weary vOyagers landed on blissful is
lana. where the rivers flowed with wine
ana where every vine in the vineyards
was beautiful maiden. Leaving few
of his bewitched companions. Lucian sail
cd on with those who remained faithful
10 him. One fine day. when the sun shone
brightly and the waters were blue and
calm a sudden whirlwind arose and lifted
up the little vessel, and for seven days
and seven nights IL was hurled through
space. and finally landed on a large IS
land which hung suspended in midair and
was brilliantly illuminated by the sun
mis- was the moon.
NO sooner had they alighted when
great company Of hippogriffs-menm mount
ed on winged asses with three heads
came and carried them to the Man In the
moon. lie at once recognized them as
GREEKS. Tor he was a countryman OF
tneirs-Endymion by name II so hap
pened that ne was at that moment en-
gagged in a fierce warfare with his mai
estv Phaeton. King of the Sun, and the
very next day a great battle was 10 De
fought. Eucian was delighted with TINS
opportunity of becoming acquainted WIN
the famous Man in the Moon ana agreed
TO help him fight his battle.
early next morning the moon army was
drawn I'D in battle array. II consisted OF
no fewer than 6O.OOOOOO men. with SOOJl
hippogrims and an equal number OF other
wonderful creatures. among whom were
3uWU men riding fieas Of the size oil twelve
elephants. The battle took place on an
enormous cobweb stretched between the
sun and the moon, and after nerce
and bloody struggle. I'm which many
deeds OF valor were done both armies
Withdrew. having covered themselves with
glory. and the next day peace was de-
clared. and the Man in the Moon became
rast friends with the King of the sun.
lnclan tells other marvellous things
about the Man in the Moon. lie Is not
horn but buds forth like a Hover, ana
instead OF dying he passes forth in gen-
tie puff of smoke. He never suners moi
gestion. because his stomach is nothing
INIT a pocket in which he keeps his food.
n he thinks there Is danger OF hurting
n,s ewes he takes them out and sllps
rnem In MS pockets All these things
,0,clan tens about and then cuts his
story short quite suddenly and returns
TO Greece.