Los Angeles herald., 1905-06-25
TN suburb of the city of Crotona ri

DIR. Brontinus occupied mouse
decorated with light frescos which
faced the Gulf of Tarentum on one
side and on another presented view
of q broad stretch of country covered
with orange trees and lime trees con-
stantly in bloom. Porticos adorned
with graceful statues surrounded it;
in the interior everything was sump-
tuous and refined, and on all sides
were tokens of luxury and wealth be-
fitting in the home of a man who had
been able by his talents to wrest
many prizes from capricious for
tune. For the delight of his eyes
he had gathered around him many CT
those charming and useless things IN
which artists of all countries love TO
embody in their dreams of beauty. The
loveliest work of art in his house, how
ever, was his daughter Theano. In none
Of his masterpieces did he take so
much pride as in her, and he found
more pleasure in looking at her than
In studying any of his other treasures.
Brontinus had educated her with a
Jealous care and had taken special
pains that she should be taught by
the best masters and the most re-
nowned rhetoricians in Magma Grecia.
Nevertheless Theano was dissatisfied,
for to her life seemed monotonous and
ordinary pleasures dull and unattrac-
tive. She dreamed of something more
desira BILE, but she had no idea what
1t was.
If she had so desired she could have
spent her time pleasantly enough
True, Crotona was the quietest city in
the gulf, but then all around it were
other cities more indolent and more
wealthy, which devoted much time to
pleasures of all kinds and attracted 10
their festivals all the people from the
surrounding districts. Sybaris, the eff
Terminate, was especially the center of
a pereptual stir of life. Theano went
there frequently, accompanied by her
father and one of the attendants. In
the wonderful gardens which rose
terrace by terrace above the waters
of Crathis she was wont to linger,
while an invisible band of music
which sounded like the very voice
of the foliage breathed forth airs
inexpressibly soft and sweet. The
golden sand received the print Of
her pearl embroidered sandals; the at
mosphere was laden with perfumes.
Among the young girls of Sybaris
Theano had some friends, and from
what they had confided to each other
it was apparent that they were all suf-
fering from the same torment, the
same indefinable malady, the same
weariness of life. They all dreamed
of new experiences which would revo-
lutionize their lives; they all labored
earnestly in the hope of discovering
remedy for their malady. Too rich,
too pretty, too happy, they grieved be-
cause fate had lavished on them so
many joys and comforts. Some Of
them longed for poverty, others prayed
that they might become ugly, others
were anxious to suffer, and the object
of all was that they might know at
least something of the sensations conf
Theano smile. More sensible than her
companions, she knew well that they
were only idle dreams and that not
one OF her friends would have the cour-
age to face adversely with the resig-
nation of a stole. Moreover, she des-
paired of ever being able to free her
self from her own overpowering hap
piness, from that condition of abun-
dance which apparently left nothing
to be desired.
One day in the wonderful terraced
gardens above Crathis an unusual
of strollers and light laughter and
ironical exclamations were heard,
mingled with the soothing music Of
harps hidden in the shrubbery. A
rumor spread from group to group,
but no one could believe 1t, so i'm
and even Supplying to those who
heard it, for philosopher, the rumor
ran, had come from Samos and was
about TO land in this part of Magma
Grecia intent on teaching wisdom 10
the people.
The men OF Sybaris, both young and
young and old laughed at him, but
the women among them gathered to-
gether and conversed i'm low voices.
Their. curiosity in regard to this un-
known foreigner was aroused, and
for a full hour they were free from
the dulness which usually possessed
them. Theano especially paid great
attention TO the scraps of cOnversd-
tion around her. and what she heard
of the philosopher delighted her. He
had, II seems taken many long and
mysterious journeys and had passed
his youth in visiting the most famous
places In which human thought was
Fenshrined. At Delphi the priestess