Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-08-26
All me. With never warning cried, !,
Sudden the noiseless blinds ne
gTHE GROWN OF I.AURDL.

Far away, in q land of fairer skies:
and brighter flowers than this, dwelt!
lscare. the child OF Decena. Because
her mother was old. and the strength
OF her youth had gone from her, ID
care drew the water from the wells
and gathered brushwood for the wfn-i
ter fires.
Through long days; while her csns.
panions sported on the green, she
sat- her head bent, her fingers n.y.
ing at her spinning wheel Then, when
the moon rose round aud fair into the
dark sky, she would take her woven,
cloth to a city not far distant, and.
there exchange It for bread and the
sweet olives and fresh hgs and dates.
One morning. when the summer
sun was hot. her friends camo to her
door and called her.
'Nscarei Iscare n Il 8
From her wheel Iscarc rose gay.
|Fly;; Tor her hands were weary, and
she thought It not Ill to rest q mo.
ment from her toll.
..Iscarei" again they cried. "hear.
our news!, q,
Then Maia spoke alone.
The king from the city has sent q
herald. He will hold great festival
when the harvest sheaves are gath.
cred. There will be prizes for che
neetest runner. he who throws fartil.
est the quoit will win another, he
whose song Il the sweetest shall not
80 without his merit. And for the
maiden who shall excel In the dance
and In certain exercises, Z laurel
crown ~
Nor ID that all. here Nauplia took
up the tale. He will send q master
from the city every third day to In.
struct us. As the maidens In the city
are taught. for the exercises call for
both skill and strength, and va must
needs practise with care.
You Will come, Iscare, z now they
all spoke. "tor you are lighter and
swifter In the dance than any Of us."
III may, ! will,'' made answer Is.
care.
E Her mother was nothing loath that
she learn exercises OF strength and
skill, and contest for the laurel crown.
So on every third day Iscare gather
ed with the others on the grass under
1.-The wide.armed oaks. and learned how
to be supple aud swift and graceful
exceedingly.
But, alasi When first the husband
man put sickle to the corn, . wasting
fever fell upon Decena Then was
Tscare forced to leave the dancing un:
der the trees. and TO spend many
hours at the wheel, that her mother
might have the wine and honey and
the fine flower Of wheat she needed
to make her strong again.
Then a neighbor offered fair pay
for hard labor the task being to feed
many white doves he loved
But It was hard work. for they were
hundreds. Morning after morning Is
care, with q basket on her side, would
20 to the garden OF her neighbor, scat.
tering far the pearly grain. The
white doves came TO know her. and
would settle on her shoulder and her
hand scune took seeds from between
her lips.
Later. he added other tasks. Iscare
obeyed him, for he gave her mother
all she needed. Silently. ungrudingly,
even thankfully, she brought him the
water from far-of spring which he
demanded. carrying the pitcher ON
her head. that her hands might hold
the Wild fruit her mother loved. 30
the, hot month passed on. and, though
she sometimes sighed as she marked
her companions skill. she did not
|irepine.
When the harvest moon was very
full and round, the great festival was
held. BY that time Decena was IL.
most strong again. strong enough to
mount the wagon, drawn by oxen, In
which the neighbor offered to convey
both herself and Iscare to the city.
Once arrived there. he found them
seats. and Iscare watched her young
friends IN the circling dance, the
may steps, and graceful posinss,
Come, try YOU" said her neighbor's
voice. ut may be you have not
lost all strength and skill. !"
He led Her to the central space,
and. placing her second. babe her to
do her best. \:
Iscare was amazed. The move.
ments she followed were SO like the
grain throwing that had been Of late
her daily task, that she half looked
| for her white doves.