The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-01-15
AT the Gates Of the City.

In the brave days of old, in the
days when va.or consisted of impai-
upon pixies and spears. there resided
I'm Syria youth named Tyra.
Now, Tyra was not unlike many
youths of to-day, inasmuch as he took
great delight in tales Of warfare and
slaughter 1t is true he was not given
to the perusal of Observation-Disclosures
novels, but this virtue was due only
to the fact that the printing press had
not as yet been invented, and the high
price of parchment made liberal dis
Hribution of lurid literature imprac-
ticable.
But Tyra was possessed of good
pair of ears and a vivid Imagination,
and he made use of the former to
listen to and of the latter to embellish
the numerous stories OF the Assyrians,
Persians and Macedonians. And it
may be stated in all candor that Tyra's
early education on these lines was not
neglected.
Before Tyra had even the sugges-
stion of mustache he had achieved an
enviable reputation among the Sy-
,rians as juvenile terror. Scarcely
q playmate had he from whom, at one
time or another, he had not taken, by
sheer force of muscle. divers articles
beloved to childish hearts, and left in
their places sundry cuts and bruises
sas mementoes CT the occasion.
Indeed, Tyra's own father yielded
up his life as the result of a spear
thrust inflicted by the youth in rs
staliation for a certain chastisement
administered at time when Tyra was
barely able to walk, and his mother.
likewise, died of a broken heart and
"a fractured skull, loudly lamenting
that she had not been sufficiently de-
voted to Moloch to lay her first born
the arms of the red-hot god.
After the untimely demise of his
parents Tyra entered upon SO crimson
a career that the residents of the city
wherein he dwelt, familiar though
they were with deeds of valor and vio-
hence. decided that the youth was too
great man for their quiet and peace
,ful city, and that his talents would be
better appreciated by them if exsr-
scised outside the walls of the city
And so he was banished
With many cures upon Syria in
general and this city in particular,
'Tyra set forth literally to carve out
shis destiny. And he succeeded IA
mousiy.
Now. in the city upon which he thus
.disdainfully turned his back, there
dwelt one upon whom he had be-
slowed all his young affection. This
was the orphaned maiden. Leodesia.
Frail she was. with hair of jet and
,eyes that ever were dreaming. And
Tyra loved her To him she was the
zone object in the universe worth tho
'worshiping.
Nor was his affection wasted upon
this maiden of Syria. the chords of
whose heart were bound around her
handsome. dashing lover Life with
sout his smiles seemed as barron as
the Assyr.an Desert.
She loved him with all the passion
and devotion of her semi-barbaric ma
ture, and when. at the urgent invita-
,tion of his neighbors, Tyra took his
departure from the city. she put her
strusting hand in his and promised to
wait for him until he should return.
Then she threw herself upon the burn
ling sands by the gates of the city and
wept, and would not be comforted
After he had gone the good people
r of Syria, conscience stricken perhaps
of the unusually harsh treatment they
had accorded her lover. bestowed such
unlimited affection and kindness upon
deodesia that the poor girl actually
learned to love them as she loved her
-own life.
Contrary to the predictions OF the
Syrian wiseacres, Tyra did net throw
himself upon the desort and die a mis-
cradle death. The trouble with Tyra
was that. like many great men of to-
day, hS wasNwithout honor only in his
-own country.
Al6ng the Euphrates he found many
wild and adventurous spirits, who
s1iocked- to his standard with amazing
loyalty He did net care that his fol-
flowers were not rich in Jewels and
{precious stones. They sonid Sraed the