Smyrna times., 1911-07-26
The Racing
Maiden
She Would Marry No Man
Who Gould Not Out
run Her
By F. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

In the vatican museum at Rome |
there is a statue of a Greek girl dress
ed for running a race. Her body is |
covered by a single knit garment, |
while her limbs are bare. The statue /
takes one who gazes upon it far back |
toward the dawn of our civilization.
In the Grecian archipelago at a time |
when this running maid of the Vatican |
lived was an island governed by King |
Artagones. He had no sons to sue
ceed him, but daughter, Thesbia, had
been born to him, who grew up a very
shapely woman. From childhood she
evinced a deep interest in athletics and
Notwithstanding her royal birth took
part in games which were open to
women. When she was eighteen years
old she captured many prizes in those
athletic contests that were instituted
by the king. her father. and was de-
clared the champion runner.
Her success was a sad blow to the
king. for it put into her head a fancy
that became a fixed resolution which
seriously interfered with his arrange
ment for the succession. There were
several princes among the neighbOring
islands who were suitors for the prin-
cess hand. any one of whom would
have been acceptable to her father
but she announced that she would
marry no man who could not outrun
her. The strongest one of them ac-
cepted the condition. and a day was
set for the trial. The king was pres
ent, and his subjects thrOnged the
stadium. The prince was known to
be well built for such encounters, and
the princess was regarded invincible
even by the strongest.
When the two stood on the starting
line it was seen that the prince was far
better developed above than below the
waist, while the princess possessed a
feature that was both a mark Oh
beauty in woman and an element for
success in a foot race. She was very
long of limb between the knee and the
thigh. AS soon as they started this
superiority became evident. Her
strides were longer than those of her
competitor and slowly but surely car
ried her away from him. She easily
won the goal. and the prince lost his
suit as we'll as the race.
This result discouraged other royal
suitors. and King Artagones was much
troubled in the matter of a marriage
for his daughter. He begged her to
change the condition so that the
heetest among her suitors of royal
blood might take the prize, but she
would not consent. She would marry
no man who could not beat her in a
race, but she would marry any man
who could Outrun her. She was con-
sidered to be safe from matrimony on
these terms, for she had come to be a
marvel of fieetness. But the king was
much concerned lest some herdsman or
artisan or soldier in the ranks should
enter the lists and carry off the prize.
One day there appeared in the mar
ket place of the capital a young man
dressed in a loose costume never seen
there before, who, taking position near
a statue of Minerva, began to dis
course on philosophy. At first he talk
| GU " NdCduCyg DuI OuC paSSllS SlOppCO
to listen, then another and another til
a crowd stood rapt in the strangers
elOquently expressed ideas. Every day
he spoke, each day attracting a large
crowd and exciting. more attention til
the whole city was interested in his
discOurses. OF course the reports Of
what was going on reached the ears
of the king. and the stranger was sum
moned to the palace. He was received
in the audience hall by the king, the
royal family and the court and or
dered to expound his philosophy. AL
were deeply impressed with his ideas
When he had finished he was intro
duced to those present, including th'
Princess Thesbia, who found him a.
engaging in conversation as he was OF
the rOstrum.
From this time the strangers dis
courses in the market place grew les
and his conversations at the palace
more frequent. Among his audiences
at the latter place the Princess Thes
bia was always to be found and lis
tened to his words with rapt atten
ton. Later he was summoned to lee
ture to her and her suit.
There was great curiosity to know
whence the stranger hailed and wha
was his name. But on this subject b
would give no satisfaction. Some sal,
that he was from Athens, but o
many persons who had visited tha
city none could be found who ha,
ever heard him discourse or had eve
seen him there. Others averred tina
} he was the son of a slave. who had dc
veloped a remarkable gift for oratOry
The stranger neither confirmed no
denied any of these suppositions, cor
tinuing to devote himself to instruct
} ing the people and instilling into theI
higher motives for their living.
1t became known that he was ofte
J at the palace, and 1t began to be whiS
pered that the princess was comm
I 4.