Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-03-05

\ WI venus illlSeIS uGUCIlttlI
The wind has blown them all away
+ And Pan lies piping In his lair
| Where are the Gods of Yesterday?
Say where the great Semiramis
! Sleeps in d rose-red tomb; and where
4 The precious dust of Caesar is,
4 Or Cleopatra's yellow hair
Where Alexander Do-and-Dare;
/ The Wind has blown them all away
And Iedbeard of the Iron Chair;
Whore are the Dreams of Yesterday?
Where Is the Queen of Herod's kiss,
And Phryne In her beauty bare;
ny what strange sea does Tomyris
With Dido and Cassandra share
Divine ProscTpina s despair;
The Wind has blown them all away
For what poor Ghost does Helen care2
Where are the Girls OF Yesterday?
Alas for lovers! Pair by pair
The Wind has blown them all away:
The young and rare, the fond and fair:
Where arc the Shows of Yesterday"
The little group whom he addressed
I fingered in a gracious silence for
short space. Singer and listeners
seemed to be in an exquisite isolation of
moonlight and soft odors. Katherine
rnurmured pensively TO herself:
Where are the SHOWS of yesterday?"
Her eyes We're shining like summer
stars, her parted lips made Villon think
OF ripe ponegranates. her mind was
wandering in the Islands of the Blest
With lovers and ladies whom Villon had
pfaiscd. Villon dismissed melancholy
with Jest:
Sweet ladies" he said; my song is
sung. DC not let 1t dishearten you, for,
believe me, 1t Will snow again next year
and lie white and light on the graves
.1.,1 tc, n RI mn
tomorrow comes never
He drew very colse to Katherine and
whispered the end of his sentence in
her ear:
Let US live and love today"
iSatherine gave a little start as she
dropped from c!oudland and looked at
him. He drew back and turned to the
others.
Fair ladies'" he said; shall we go
to the great hallwhere the Italian play
ers gamhol?"
The women gathered about him,
thanking him for his song, and then
nuttered away like brilliant BIRDS up
the steps to the terrace. AS they did
SO figure in a pilgrims gown came
from the scented gloom of one of the
rose alleys, paused for q moment as
If undecided as to his course, and then
proceeded to cross the space of moon
ut grass. He did not heed Katherine,
standing in the shadow, till he almost
touched her. Then he glanced at her,
and with q stifled exclamation hurried
past. plunged into the darkness of an
opposite alley, and disappeared. Kath-
erile gave a little cry that was almost
a cry of fear, and ran swiftly to where
Nillon stood apart at the foot of the
steps awaiting her pleasure
My lord!" she cried, and he, turning
swiftly responded:
My LADY,
This masking klndles fancies.
thought but now that the eyes OF
Thibaut d Aussigny glared on me from
under pilgrims hood"
Nfllon frowned.
"A villainous apparition. For the
news is that he lies dead in the camp
of Burgundy"
Katherine gave a little shudder.
Il always hated him; almoxt feared
him. II he be dead, 1 hope he will not
haunt me. All! ! tingle tonight like
lutte that is tuned too high
Let us think of no evil things to
night, Njllon responded. "Will yod
watch the players?"
katherine shook her head.
Nay, am more in mood for moon
light than candle light"
Nillon looked at her in silence, ST.
lencs of seconds that seemed to both OF
them like the silence of hours. The
hearts OF both were houses of sweet
hopes, and the brains of both were
hives of happy thoughts.
May l ask you question:" Villon
said, and the girl answered.:
Surely
Are you content with me?"
You have done much"
II have more to do. For seven days
l have wrestled With greatness as ia
oh LODI ttrt%1, =
made the king popular the Parisians
loyal. the army Faithful
Then why do you finger here Wher
courtiers feast and ladies dance?"
Nillon's voice swelled proudly as he
answered:
II want the duke of Burgundy to be-
ieve that the kings favorite is q zany
ana the kings court an orgy, where the
kings honor melts like pearl in pot
of vinegar. But our swords are tenn
pered in wine and sharpened to dance
music, and tonight we ride
The girl sighed I would that were
man that | might ride with YOU
Nillon came close to her and peered
into her eyes.
Il ride in your honor. Heaven has
neen very good to me. and serve
France serving you. Perhaps l serve
both for the last time"
For the last tiple?" she repeated.
Even SO, my sweet Lady Echo
Those far away lanterns warn me that
l may die tomorrow. Some of us will
be dreaming our last dreams by sun
rise. l may be one of those heavy
sleepers.
Why, you may die If you ride on
the kings business, but so may who
Sit at home and eat my heart"
For whom?"
Il will tell you that tomorrow"
Villon touched her lightly on the
wrist and pointed to the grey tower on
whose weather. beaten wall the quaint
old dial showed plainly in the bright
moonlight, With its wise Latin inscrip-
ton; DUN Spectas. Fugit Hora.
Carpe Diem"
There Is no time like now time
That dial there is as wise as the wis.
est" And he rapidly rendered the am
tique maxim into a running rhyme:
Observe how fast time hurries past.
Ihen Vse each hour while in your power:
For comes the sun but time flies on.
proceeding ever, returning never.
Katherine tried to laugh.
This was old wisdom when Noah
sailed the SEAS" she said, and drew n
little apart from him. Villon followed
her.
Continued Next week.)
Not Practical.