Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-10-19
BY F. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation. 1911.


there Is u statue OF Greek girl dress
ed for running n race. Her body Is
covered by n single knit garment.
! white her limbs arf bare. The statue
takes one who gazes upon it far back
toward ihe dawn of our civilization.
In The Grecian archipelago ut a time
when this running maid OF he Vatican
u,rd was an island governed by King
Artacones lie had no sons 20 sue
coed him bui dauehtpr. Thpsbia. had
l.rrn torn o. hica. who grew up very
sbaUpfy womnn From childhood Sh'
erin'rd deep interest In uthelics and
notwithstanding nct royal birth took
Wu IN gnmr~ whnh were open Ia
women When she WIS eighteen years
old she captured uauy prizes IN those
athletic contests that were Instituted
BY the king her father and was de-
rlarrd the champion runner
Her success was SAD blow to the
king. for II put INTO her head a fancy
that hecume u liked resolution which
seriously iuterrered with his arrange
ment for the succession There were
sevcral princes among the neighborirG
islands who were suiiors for the prln
cess hund any one OF whom would
have been acceptable 10 her father
but she announced that she would
marry NO man who could not outrun
her The strongest one OF them nc
cepted the condition aud day was
e. - 4
eut. and his subjects thronged the
stadium The prince was known to
be well built for such encounters. and
the princess was regarded invinciblo
even by the strongest
When the TWO stood on the starting
line II was seen that the prince was far
better developed above than below the
waist. while the princess possessed a
feature that was both mark OF
beauty I'm a woman aud an element for
success IN n foot race. She was very
long OF limb between the knee and the
thigh. As soon rs 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 well as the race
This result discouraged other royal
suitors. and King ArtagoDes was much
troubled In the matter OF marriage
for his daughter He begged her to
change the condition so that the
feetest among ner suitors of royal
blood might take The prize. but she
would not consent She would marry
race. but she would marry any man
who could outrun her She was con
sidered 10 he sufe from matrimOny on
these terms. for she bad come to be
marvel OF tipetneSs Rut the king was
much concerned lest some herdsman or
artisan or soldier 10 the ranks should
enter the lists and carry off the prize.
One day there appeared in the mar
ket place OF The capital young man
dressed In n loose costume never seen
there before. who, taking position near
a statue OF Minerva. began to dis
course on philosophy Al first he talk
ed 10 vacancy. but one passing stopped
10 listen. then another and another till
crowd stood rapt In the strangers
eloquently expressed IDEAS Every day
ne spoke, each day attracting n large
crowd and exciting more attention till
the whole city was interested In his
dlScOurses or course the reports of
what was going on reached the ears
of the king. aud he stranger was sum
muned TO the palace He was received
In the audience bah 10y the King. The
royal family aud the court and or
dered to expound his philosophy An
were deeply impressed with his ideas
When he had finished he was intro
duced to those present including the
Princess TheSbia who found nim as
engaging In conversation as be was on
the rostrum.
From this time the strangers dis.
courses In the market place grew less
ana his conversations ut the palace
more frequent Among his academies
M the mtter place the Princess rhps
uja was always to ne found ana lis
tened Go nls words with rapt aueu
tinu Later ne was summoned 10 let-
rUre lo her and her SUIT
There was great curiosity 10 know
whence thr stranger hailed and what
wus his maine Hut ou this subject he
would give no satisfaction Some said
TINT he WIS from Athens hur OF
Wuuy persons who had visited that
gN uune could be touud who mad
rtJr heard MIN discourse or mad even
seru bim there Others averred that
.r WAS lnr son OF slave who had de
r.pped remarkable uft for oratory.
t'" strau;rl mube confirmed nor
denied 8W of thrso Suppus.tiuns, con.
.nWne p devote pIigseu ru instruct
ne the people and Insulting into them
higher motives tor thvli nvng
IL becum" known that he was often
40 The pa'ate and % hogan to be whis-
pered that the princess was coming
under his Influence Every one won
dered what would happen II she
should TALL in love with uim Since
NO 1ue knew who tie was. this result
was the more to be depored. ana II
L should turu out THAT he was. rs
ha1 Eaar rprnrfa8 a., So, - d, .,f,....