Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-05-08
An Encounter
With Pan
Rx Il. M. SeIhY.


grassy path just at the edge of the
wood with the deep glades on one
. side, and on the other peep into the
fields where sheep, cattle, and horses
were grazing Suddenly, as she look
ed over the open country, she saw
first the sheep, then the horses, and
lastly even the stolid COWS start or
on run, without any apparent rea-
son.
II wonder what's the matter with
them" she said to herself. Ihere
seems to be quite panic among them
t-and--why'-she continued as she
turned her eyes toward the glades-
"why, the deer are running. too; ana
it's so hot! Perhaps that's the rea-
son; heat does make one restless
sometimes"
So she wandered on, repeating to
herself some of the verses she had
been reading while she sat under the
trees before she began her ramble.
4 One of her many reasons for loving
the wood was that she could read ana
repeat poetry aloud there, for she Tx
ed to hear the sound Of the lines; she
never seemed to get half the music
out of them when she read silently !.
PAN, Pan is Dead" she murmured
as she walked. There was rustic IN
one of the glades, and as she turned
in the direction of the sound she heard
loud rough voice say, mot he! ana
found herself confronted with an un-
cOuth form, with human features, put
horned and goat footed. He had in his
hand pipe made of reeds. on which
he now began to play. while ne dane
ed to his own music.
"Oh!" cried Cynthia. How you
startled me! Who are you? Please
go away" she added, losing her man
ners in her fright; Il don't like you,
you are so ugly
'Ha-ha-ha!" laughed her companion.
cts not the first time I've heard that.
MY mother ran away as soon as sne
saw me after was born, but rny father
| took me up to Olympus, where l had
hearty welcome from the gods; they
were delighted to have me to laugh
at, and had fine time showing OF
my funny tricks. "No" he went on
after performing a few somersaults,
I'm not going away Just yet; l must
show you that I'm alive. BY the by,
you saw how / set the animals run
ming, and you even said that there was
! a Panic among them. and vet you
went on asserting that was dead"
Cynthia stared In amazement. Then
you are No. it can't be. There new
er was Pan"
"Then why did you say was dead!
| II was reading a poem. There Is a
story about the death of Pan
ri know ~ monstrous lie. No, you
needn't think it. I'm not going to die.
I'm an immortal, and I'm glad Of 1T.
II like being alive, If only for the fun
iof startling the creatures, especially
the stupid human things"
81 see," said Cynthia. Mrs. Brown
ing was right in one thing she said
of YOU: He was half a beast, the old
god Pam"
eyes, she was right there; I like
that Beasts have far more sense than
men"
"And nymphs?" asked Cynthia.
what about Syrinx? Why, you have
actually made pipe out of the reed
she turned into when you frightened
her"
| "A loud laugh was all the answer
vouchsafed to this onslaught.
Pan went little farther into the
wood, and Cynthia was Selling the
chance to get away when the god
called out to her: Look! Here are
my chums coming. Now we shall
have some fun"
And Cynthia saw motely band of
fauns, satyrs, and such-like creatures
skipping along on their hairy feet,
shouting as they moved, or spas
medically bursting into snatches of
wild song. They stared at her, and
then, as Pan played, danced on the
messy ground When they were tired
they stretched themselves on the
!sward, and Pan came back to Cynthia.
That's the way we spend our time
he said. "You see we are very much
alive. Sometimes we have fine fights
with Oberon and his set, and their
friends the gnomes: but Puck gener-
ally makes peace. He's quite one of
our set; and even the naughty Titania
lis coming round - suppose | remind
her of the ass-headed Bottom. am
sure she still has sneaking affec-
ton for him and who's to blame
her? Anything is better than that
solemn king Of shadows her hus-
band I'd like to send him down to
Pluto, and then we could introduce
the fairies to the dryads, and all be
jolly together"
l should think one would get tired
of doing nothing but dance" said
Cynthia.
well, it does make change to
have a fight sometimes; but there's
always the fun of startling mortals, i
as / startled you. Oh, it was de-
licious" = and Pan went off into one
of his outlaws. What a jump you
gave when sprang out Of the
thicket!"
Cynthia preserved an angry silence,
(but Pan went on unperturbed: "I'll
tell you the best trick l ever played.
There was gloomy fellow Puck told
me about, who spent all his time read.
ing dull, musty old books, and writ !
ing grave, solemn things. Once he /
actually composed a poem in honor
of Melancholy