Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-04

advised that the horse of wood should
be brought into the city and set in the
citadel. But others thought that II
should be drowned or burned, or that
it should be pierced to see whether
anything was within.
but still some of the people thought
that 1t would placate the goddess MI
nerva and make her incline to them
with favor If they took the horse with
in their walls. LAGOON, one or the
priests of Troy, insisted that 1t would
be madness to take the horse into the
city. He OWNED that there were SOL
diers within its wooden sides, ana
thrust his spear against 1t, making a
hollow sound, but he spoke to deaf
ears.
1.-THE Greeks had made careful plans
to insure the horse being taken to the
city and one of their youths, named
Simon, played the part of a deserter
and abused victim, and by his speech
telling of his tortures he made them
believe that he was indeed traitor
to his own people, and he told them
that the men of Greece had made this
peace offering to Minerva, but mad
made 1t so vast of bulk so that the
people of Troy could not take 1t within
their gates.
For the soothsayers had declared
that IL the people of Troy should get
the great horse within their walls then
the protection of Minerva would fall
upon them ana the Greeks would be
left with no gods to protect them. Ihe
soothsayers-
"Grandpa, won't you tell me what a
soothsayer is?" asked Elise. Il never
heard that word before"
Certainly, my dear, and I am glad
that you asked me. I am trying to tell
this story simply and whenever use
word you do not know, be sure you
stop me and ask to have 1t explained
"a soothsayer was something like
fortune teller nowadays. That is, they
believed that they could see into the
future and what would happen un-
der certain circumstances, and as all
the people at that time were very
strong in their belief in signs, fortunes
and such things these soothsayers had
great influence.
"The soothsayers also said that If
this great wooden horse was taken
within the walls of Troy the gods
would desert the Greeks and that their
own fair city of Pelops should be at
tackled by Asia and should suffer the
same fate which had been intended for
Troy.
"While the men of Troy were ponder
ing over this story, which, you under
stand. was intended to mislead them'
the gods sent another marvel to de-
ceiye them, for while LAGOON, the
priest of Neptune, was making sac
rifice at the altar of his god there came
two serpents across the sea from Te-
nedos. These were fearful to look at
with great names OF hair upon their
necks and heads and long scaly coils
behind them and eyes as red as blood.
They had forked tongues which spat
forth fire and they wrapped themselves
about the two sons of LAGOON the
priest, and devoured them, and then
seized him In their coils while he
strove to free himself with his hands.
NIIis cries were terrible but they did
not desist until they had strangled him,
and then they glided away and hid
Themselves beneath the feet and the
shield of the goddess Minerva. The
people thought that this was judg-
ment upon LAGOON for having cast MS
spear against the Horse, and they cried
out that the Horse must be taken into
the city"
"Grandpa, is there going to be any
fighting in this story?" asked Elise,
who had her eyes hidden in her grand
fathers sleeve.
mo, dear; won't tell of the fight
Ing today, Just about how they TOOK
down part Of the walls Of their city
and opened their greatest gate In or
der that the Horse might be taken
through. They put rollers under the
feet Of the Horse and Joined ropes to
Il and the procession of young men and
girls. singing gayly, drew 1t into the
City. The Horse stopped four times
at the threshold of the city, and men
OF Troy might have heard the clashing
of arms within, but they were singing
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