The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-03

was court-day in far-away Galatia, northern
 most of all the Grecan provinces. Before
 the great gate of Ancyra the capital, long line of accused and passed the ivory
 chair of the archon, ruler, who judged
 every that touched not the life of freeman Now thief scourged. now pledge redeemed, and case after was heard and passed upon in a few brief words.
 Finally pathetic little group, that seemed oddly out of place in the line of petty criminals came before the judgment-seat tall woman, with the noble oval face that marked the highest type of Grecian beauty, leaned on the of youth, while little fair-hared boy clung to her skirt. In the background stood lame slave with eyes fixed the ground while the edge of ghastly ming underneath his tunic gave a reason for the withered limb
 The archon regarded the four for moment in silence, and then addressed them in voice cold and impassive as his face "Ladas and Nestor, chil dren of him that was Milo, captain of the soldiers, and Egeria, wife of the hither have you been summoned at the instance of your creditors. Debts the of the half of talent recorded against you. Your home is but hove, your land untitled and barren, and your one slave worthless cripple. Therefore the city allows year for the cancellation of these lawful debts. At the end of that time, the remaining unpaid, this family shall be sold slaves in the public mart for the benefit of its creditors Thus saith the law of Galatia'
 "'Tis hard law" cried the boy, facing the archon unAnchngly, while the mother sobbed aloud 'that enslaves the family of who died in battle for his city, and whose friends are in exile"
 archon, sterny No fault of the law is it that thy father became surety for those who belonged to the accursed Athenlan faction and were rightly driven into exile, or that the family Of man are liable for his surety debts
 rt It was % sad a TOT bad the fd fte amy ay Ladas and his mother sat long in the wayerng fire light before the hearth that sacred heart of Gre clan home Back in the shadow sat their slave. Phraanes the Dumb; for since the time that his wound had healed, leaving him with shrunken limb, had he been heard to speak. Captured in some foray of the city against tribe of the desert, he had been assigned to Milo, the leader of the hop lites, in the division of the spoil.
 For long time Egeria gazed at the fire with hot dry eyes.
 Ladas strove to console her, his heart nearly "A year is long" he said, striving to speak hope fully, sand have plan, mother mine. Before the toiling nightly, perchance l can gain enough to pay Timon the trainer to teach me the lore of rac- who could win the need, as thou knowest never fear debt want throughout all Greece even to the farthest province.'
 Suddenly from out of the darkness came voice unheard throughout long years,the voice Of f. the slave. Into the circle of the freight srode Phra- anes, longer the Dumb
 Art sure of the words thou saidst, Ladas, of my lord?" slowly questioned the slave, in voice hoarse and faltering from long dsnse, do more than nod assent
 70 my Ladas, thou speakest of Timon the trainer l ysl than practice, and sacrifices than speed l, too, have viewed the Olympic Games and the racers therein, and have marveled that such running should win Slower are the Grecians in the start than the wild dog of the wilderness who must fol- low his te m eS fD sun maye s he and waste breath crying on the gods, to grant them speed To you Greeks running has been but pastime; among my nation speed means life or death for as thou knowest we dwellers of the north have horsemen, and the fate of battles must turn on the swiftness of our warriors feet. O sTo rle. Phraanes his son. he told all the vile and wisdom of the track and the traditions of~our trbe until it came to pass that in the races was ever his shoulder And my master d 1i all t, t win the race, and thou wilt take old Phraanes as trainer.
 the day, long proclaimed by herald throughout the length and breadth of the province when every athlete of Gaatia met in the gan games m of nt ne t ey their trainers to Olympia, there to contend Tn the great quadrennial games for the glory of the Each runner as he took his place was greeted with shouts of applause from his friends. save one alone who, attended only by limpng slave, came to the line almost unnoticed. Only when, at the second word of the starter, the long rank or run t into position 6a dd ns one oot ay the starting line, outstretched, the other back the regulation starting position of treclah runner The last youth alone crouched and, With both hands on the line and muscles all tense' awaited the final signal.
 At the first sound of the word ne was OH, ana yards ahead of the rest before they fairly came into their stride The feetest runners of the province heretofore they strained every muscle to overtake the flying body that flashed along ahead of them they cry to Hcrmes of the winged feet, god of runners, on the swift Apollo Like the smooth stride of Ladas, while the white swinging al- ternately and the 1.-the and even boise of the body show the effects of Phraaness training As the boy crossed the line marking the finish, easily winner the spectators thronged about him. and inquiries as to his name and blood were on every tongue. Inc Elders. the member of the Council. and all tne