The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-05-08

ancient days who told in song and stor
OF the Trojan war sings of seen
where Pandarus, an aged councilloc o
Troy, standing with Crcssida, his niece
upon the citl's eastern battlcmcnts
looks down on Prlan's lcgions comm!
back in untamcd splendDr from tn
Da1dar plain whcrcOn they had met il
equal combat with the naughty Greek
and as the scrried hosts return an,
each successive phalanx files within
the gate, points out TO her the Trojan
heroes rs they pass. First comes tie
brave Aeneas, commander of the host
the very front and flower Of Troy, and
next Antenor, second in comma nd a
warrior shrewd in tactics and rtnoW i.
ed, and after him, great Pram's war
like and illustrious sons-there the
bold Hector with his helmet hacked and
battered from the blows of Agamem-
mons hosts, and then the wanton
PARIS, 1lelenus next, and now Dclpho.
bus-and as each prince Of P.lam's
royal blood files into view, Pandarus
calls his name out to his niece and
rapidly rocounts the style of man he is.
Like wave on wave, the columns pass,
and Pandarus shades his eyes and looks
out on the plain intently and more
stcadfastly. There IS ono son of Priam
not yet come, the flower of Ilium's
brave. Has noble Troilus fallen in
the fray? The old mans heart sinks
as his restless eyes searches the NOV
ing mass in vain.
But look he starts. II flash of icy
lights UP his shaggy brow, and quickly
turning to his niece, his hand upliftcd
to his ear" IIark! do YOU not hear
the people cry 'T,ollus?' And as
that names rings and re-echocs from
ten thousand throats, the rear guard
of the army comes in view with Troilus
at its head. Then does the old mans
pent-up feeling find its vent and as his
idol and great llium's pride with war
like tread comes on, Pandarus crles TO
Cressda: "Yonder! It's Troilus, brave
Troius, the prince of chivalry Look
well upon him, niece. Look how his
sword is bloodled and his helm more
hacked than ucctor's and how he looks
and how he goes" And as the gallant
Troilus goes past and enters in the
gate, anu other warriors come on, the
old man turns away and'with a gesture
pregnant of his scorn cries out: "The
eagles gone !" and tnen descepds the
wall.
Today, my countrymen ask you for
space to mount with me on fancy's
airy wing, and from imaginatlon's
vantage ground, look down upon the
highway of the years while / point
out, like Pandarus from the Trojan
wall the heroes of the times gone by,
as in review they pass before the sub
tie vision of the mind.
And fret among earth's valiant and
immortal sons | call on you to turn
and look upon that Spartan band that
comes before our gaze, moving with
measured and unbroken step, their
javellns high in air, and brave Leonidas
at their front. Silent and grim and
noiselessly they pass while deathless
valor sits enstamped on every firm set
face. They move beyond our ken, they
disappear, we hear the thunder of the
ages peal" Thernopylae ~
And fast on Sparta'S fading ranks
there comes another aud greater host
and at its head upon his heet-limbed
horse Buccphalus, the stalwa~t and
puissant prince of Macedon, in regal
splendor rides. The conqueror of his
age, proud lIellas' champion, there
goes by. Mark with what majesty the
naughty Alexander leads his serried
ranks as conscious of liz. prowess of
that mighty arm that laid The whole
world waste. With all the pomp and
panoply of war, he passes on, and now
ls lost to view. And after him, anoth-
er cavacade comes on. We see the
dust whirl upward from the plain, and
hear the rumbhng of the solid earth as
trembling from the tread of an un-
numbered host. Nearer they come
the dust clouds rolling back behold!
the Roman eagles flash their Furnished
wings, and Caesars legions sweep by
in all the splendid pageant of victorious
war. We hear the trumpets sound,
and like great Mars himself, the con,
queror of the Nervii th1nders past,
guiding with dauntlcss hand the plung
ing steeds of his tri' -nphal car, while
fast behind his N riot wheels the
countless standa' { imperial Rome
flame out in II aud unending
line.
The din S's receding ranks
grows faint IN the distance dies
away, and now sound of martial
music, loud and clear, sends other
echoes flying, and signals the near ap-
proach of yet another host. With
rythmic swing and measured tramp the
vanguard of the advancing columns
comes in view, and at Its front we see
the flag of modern France flame on
the way. The flag, that flew defiant
over Egypt's burning sands beside the
ancient Pyramids, and high above the
clouds, shone like star, from dizzy
Alpine heights-that like bird of prey
swept down Cisalpins slopes, laid waste
the citron groves and peaceful wales of
Italy, and tapped Its wings against the
lurid glare of Moscow's flame encircled
walls, leads on the army Of Napoleon
now passing in review. All what a
spectacle as that magnificent array
goes by! There passes on the dash.
ing squadlons Of that son of Mars, the
peerless Ney, and Kelle.mann, Mura,
and Soult, Grauchy, J.efevre and
other corps commanders of that splen
did host move by, each holding as he
rides the coveted baton of q marsha
of proud France and the army of th,
emperor. Corps after corps goes past