The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-14

Out and About


The waning year reminds us that we
are coming to the first seven days of
the winter solstice and the after seven
days complete the fourteen Halcyon
days of the Grecian mythology, writes
Ivers S. Paine of Saundersville to Out
and About. 1t is a strangely sweet SUI
perstition that ought not to be for
gotten.
Halcyone, daughter Of the wind god,
was wife of Coyx, king of Thessaly, son
of the day star. Ceyx greatly desired to
take the voyage to Ionia to consult the
oracle Of Apollo. His wife earnestly be-
sought him not TO take the journey, or
at least to allow her to go with him,
for she knew from experience in her
fathers home the terrible violence of
the wind Both requests were denied
her, so she disconsolately followed him
to the shore and watched his receding
bark until it disappeared in the purple
distance
Not more than half the voyage had
been accomplished when a storm arose,
the ship was wrecked and Ceyx and his
companions drowned. That night Juno
appeared in dream to Halcyone and
assured her of her husbands fate. Hast
ening to the beach in the morning, the
waves brought her husbands lifeless
form to her feet: size clasped her beau
tiful arms around him and laid his cold,
damp head on her warm breast, and
with tears and bitter cries besought
life's return.
The gods beholding her sorrow mer-
cifully transformed her and her hus-
band into seabirds and during the seven
days, before and after the winter soils
tice, she broods over her floating nest
on the waves, while her father, the
wind god, restraints all stormy winds.
Milton, rich in classic lore and recog-
nizing the conjunction of the Halcyon
days and Christmastide, makes covert
allusion to the same in his hymn, "On
the morning of Christ's nativity:
His reign of peace upon the earth began,
The winds with wonder whist
Smoothly the waters kissed,
whispering new joys to the mild ocean
Who now hath quite forgot to rave,
While birds of calm sit brooding on the
charmed wave.
Mrs. George Frisbie Hoar leaves for
Washington today.
The following anecdote is contributed
by -:
The cordial and Christian-like en-
dorsement of Rev. Mr.. Phalen, the
newly installed pastor of the Church
of the Unity, by the Congregational
and Baptist pastors of Concord, N. H,
which was printed in this mornings
Spy, recalls a local incident in which
the UNCONVENTIONAL courtesies were
reversed.
A few years ago the eminent Uni
tartan. Rev Horatio Stebbins, sue
cessor to Starr Kings pulpit in San
Francisco visited his brother, Rev
Calvin Stebbins the predecessor OF
Mr.. Phelan in the Unity pastorate.
The brothers CHANGED to meet or
Elm street the Rev. DR.. McCullagh OF
Plymouth church, and upon being in
troduced to DIR. McCullagh, the Rev
Horatio remarked in his most scourtly
manner: Il am glad to meet you, sir
and If you are half as good a man as
my brother here says you are,
think you must be a Christian" TIC
those who have had the pleasure OF
knowing DR.. McCullagh on his loyal
sympathetic human side, it is needless
to add that no one more kindly appre-
ciated the pleasantly than this genial
evangelical divine himself.
Meeting Unitarian layman friend
shortly after, he related the endorse
ment" with characteristic emphasis
and slyly remarked: $50, you see, ]
am likely to have friends in both
places" to which the layman, with
shocking holiness, retorted Take
your paJamas with you, doctor, and