Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-23

friends stood only IN the reia ton OF
debtor and creditor Then came Calias'
death. and Heraclea. helpless, in her pow
erty, had hunibled her pride and BOTTOM
ed once more from Euclemion.
Heraclea laid her boy softly in the she's
shaped osler cradle and greeted her que
with dignity worthy of a Greek matron
He refused to be seated, saying that his
chariot awaited below.
Little Phorion, reused by the voices
stretched and sat up in his cradle.
That's a fine boy of yours, Heraclea,
exclaimed the visitor. What is to be-
come OF him."
The mother snatched the baby in her
arms. Il know not. oh. | know not. she
cried. Nay. mothers little one. my red
carnation. do not grieve,' she continued,
as Phorion began to whimper.
"Heraclea | came today to speak OF
the debt: the time for the interest is at
hand. but | have changed my mind In
a twelve months give me that boy and |
will forgive you the obligation-yes. and
more, | will pay you sum over and
above said ENuclemion.
Give you my Phorion?" cried Hera-
clea. Give you my baby! Have you not
tiny one of your own? Surely you have
enough children to bless your hearth.
Euclemion smiled. little scornfully
Yes" he said. slowly; yes, ! have
children enough to bless my hearth. My
youngest is but six months old In
few years this boy will be of the right
age toto tend him. He shall grow up
with him and serve him..
The truth. with all its brutality. broke
upon the mother She remembered now:
she had heard of debts being canceieu
in that way, with the sanction of the law.
Gently putting Phorion on the ground, she
rose TO her full height
And so you-you. Callias' friend-come
for his child as your slave.
And why not Heraclea? You cannot
feed these great children much longer 1t
will be many a day before your other boy
Glaucon can help you, especially X you
let him keep at the schools instead OF
putting him to work in the fields or shops.
I will give you the year in which to de-
eide: when 1t Is ended the debt must be
paid In good coin or-Phorion. Let this
thought grow in your mind"
The debt shall be paid" said Heraclea.
u will work night and day. The gods
Will help me. AS for selling my child to
| be a slave, l will tell you Euclemion.
would rather see him laid by his father
in the tomb yonder.''
But Euclemion only smiled as he turned
and went down the slope
Mother mother! cried a fresh voice,
that Of Glaucon, and two strong arms
We're thrown about her, as she stood with
her face in her hands. What is 1t, and
why has that man troubled your
1t was a 1.-THE young figure which held
her and the thick black curls brushed her
cheek. so tall was her big boy.
NO. no, my Glaucon, l am not trou-
bled: he is but an evil dream that vexed
me. Now 1t is passed. 1 will think of
| him no more"
Il hate him" thought Glaucon.
Mother" he said aloud. as they stood,
their arms entwined, while little PhoriOn
on the ground called Justify for attention,
Why do you not let me go to work? l
am big and strong"
Heraclea smiled down at her boy as
she took his slender hands in her own.
The gods have given you great gift.
my son. Some day my Glaucon will be a
famous sculptor; we must keep these
hands for their true work. Meantime
| learn all you can"
AS the little group stood In the sun
shine fiutter and whirl overhead drew
their eyes upward. For a number Of
years a couple of cranes had been accus-
toned to feed in the garden Of the house,
welcome and fortunate guests. Now
there was q great commotion about the
wall. a hurried tapping of wings and
hoarse cries of distress. Suddenly. one
of the cranes fell futtering white heap,
directly at Heraclea's feet. She stopped
and touched 1t with gentle hand.
Nay, Master Crane. II Is a friend; do
not glare SO fiercely. See. Glaucon. its
| leg is broken: oh. 1t is cruel. poor bird
| So together they worked until a splint
| had been bound about the fracture and
the hurt was soon healed.
Time went on; the golden summer days
| passed and the air was t.nged with the
| chill of approaching winter. The big
| birds, as usual took flight to their south
ern home.
When the spring returned 1t brought no
awakening gladness to Heraclea- To be
sure, little Phorion waxed strong again;
| he was able to play out once more in the
warm sunshine; the color crept into his
| wan little cheeks and the sweet curves
! came back to his dmpled limbs. But his
| mothers heart was agoniZing over the
| thought which had grown to a dreadful
certainty. She no longer could hide the
truth from herself. There was no posi-
bility of her paying anything toward the
debt.
One day Heraclea told Glaucon the fate
which was hanging over them. The boy S
grief and anger were piteous to see.
TT cannot be. mother"' he cried. Our
Phorton, Euclemion Is a wicked man.
Can nothing be done?"
Heraclea shook her head. 1T is within
| the law. my son."
Then Glaucon. with look which sat
strangely on his boyish face, declared
that he would offer himself in Phorion' S
place. that he would bury all his hopes
in slavery that the little lad might grow
up in freedom.
Ibid ever mother have such a SOM"
thought Heraclea, proudly, but she only
said, as she put her arms about him and
looked into his clear, true eyes:
Nay, my Glaucon, you are your IA
Tiers eldest son and the head Of the
home 1t is as the gods have willed The
/ luck has departed from the house; even
| the cranes have not returned to U.s.
! II was a warm spring afternoon a week
! later, and Heraclea sat once more at her
door.
+, A soft stirring and fluttering overhead
reused her for a moment.
The cranes have returned she said
| TO herself. 1T is too late. What good
\ fortune can they BRING" and she put
her face down TO her lap and burst into
| sobs. A slight touch on her shoulder
| brought her back to the present, and she
raised her head. A great white bird stood
by her side.
| Master Crane" she cried. why, Mas
ter Crane, Did no one welcome you
back, poor bird? Oh, II is a sad house te
which you come. Master Crane
/ The crane maintained his solemn and
unrufffed dignity as Heraclea stroked the
/ glossy neck. Then. putting out his Ions
/ bill he dropped something into her lap
/ and with a sudden whir was off TO his
t. ~t~I,.,