The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-09


 loves me most.'' Suddenly, as Em2y knelt before the altar, she saw above the flames that burned thereon appear the goddess, the chaste Diana, with bow in hand, and dressed like any huntress of the wood Daughter" said the goddess. raise up from thy heaviness; 1t is or- dained of the gods that you should marry one of these two princes. but which of them I may not tell" And then the goddess vanished, and Finely went home, saying. "Ah. well. put me under thy protection, Diana'
 Meantime strange things were happen ing to the two lovers as they worshipped in their respective temples. The great statue of Mars before which Arctic knelt suddenly began to move and all the har- ness of the god did ring and clang with martial sound. 70 strong god, who in the realm of Thrace art honored. and who in every age and every land holdeth the bridle of armies in thy hand, shall have victory?" said Arctic. And amid the changing of the gods armor there came a murmuring, low but distinct, and the one word 'Victory!i
 As Palamon prayed before the statue of Venus he saw the figure move and the goddess made a sign to him by which he understood that his prayer was answered and that he should have the lady of his love. So both were consoled and their hearts were filled with confidence.
 All Monday were there jousting and feasting and hunting and merrymaking at Athens. But all went toebed early betimes next morning to see the great fight And on the morrow, when day be- gan to spring, great noise was there and clatteripg in palace and hostelry, and to the lists there rode many company of nobles upon steeds and palfreys, rich ly harnessed with saddles and harnesses wrought in gold and silver; a great dis play of armor of bright steel; golden helmets and emblazoned shields, coat-ar- nor and rich attire. There rode lords and squires and many a lady, fair as the morning sun and dressed in all her wom- ans finery. There was running to and fro of footmen and the noise of busy ar morers; the sound of trumpets blown; the sound of music and<of drums. Also came the common people, all in holiday attire. Great Theseus, awakened by the noise sprang from his couch and dressed and armed himself. Then he saw to it that the two Theban knights were pro vided with tfse truest chargers and the finest tempered arms and armor.
 And so It came that all that great ann phitheatre was crowded with the people, gentle and simple. come to see the great tournament. And over all presided The seus most royalty upon throne. On either side were, ranged a hundred knights, one company headed by Prince Palamon and one by Arctic, and right splendid was that company to look upon. Duke Theseus, commanding silence. in loud voice gave out the conditions of the contest. No man of the combatants should upon pain of death carry into the lists pole-ax nor a short knife; no kind of bolt for crossbow, no short sword for the purpose of striking with its point. No man must into his fellow ride, but give him ground to move. If he wished, a man might dismount and fight on foot. If man was overcome but not killed his captors must take him to a place of safety outside the combat. where he must stay until the fight was over. And If 1t happened that the chief on either side should be killed or captured then the tourIiey was to end at once. And so God speed you" cried the Duke; "get forth and lay on fast; with long sword and with mace fight as you will your fill. Lay on!''
 The voice of the people rising in a great shout touched the heavens. The trumpets sounded a fanfare and the, mu- sic struck up while the heralds loudly cried, Now do your devoir, gallant knights! Do~your devoir, young knights. gallant and proud!" The two gallant companies, rushing like, whirlwinds, came together with great crash In midlists, and which were then done; to tell of the fierce fighting. of the red blood which flowed from many sorry wound, of the changing of steel upon steel as mace and sword rang upon helm and shield And ar nor; the stumbling steeds, the falling knights the heady fury of the fight. And in the press strove Arctic and Palamon to get at each other with their weapons. Each unhorsed 20 knights who barred his way There is no tiger when his whelp is stolen who was more fierce than was Arctic because of the jealousy in his heart of Palamon. And no lion is more fierce when he is endangered than was Palamon for the blood of Arctic.
 It was around the two Theban princes that the battle f1ercest waged, each com pany of knights striving to protect his chief and to kill or capture the opposing one. The day was drawing to its close before the fight was done, and many dead lay on the field and many a broken casque and haubeck, dinted and solled with blood and dust. At last twenty knights of the side of Arctic fell together upon Palamon and, in spite of his fierce resistance, took him prisoner and carried He was taken as he fought with Arctic, and 1t was the strong young King of India who rode up at the head of the twenty who overcame Palamon and made his sword to bite deep into the knights flesh. And in the melee King Lycurgus of Thrace, for all his strength, was thrown from his horse
 When the Duke Thcseus saw that Pala- mon was taken he cried out. "Ho. no more, will be. true judge. and no par tial one. Arctic of Thebus shall have Finely, whom, by his valor and his for tune, he has fairly won.'
 At this there arose so loud shout that if seemed as If the lists would fuc,