The Washington herald., 1919-08-11

came upon mock OF Shcep Whlcn
Don Ouixote conceived to be a pro-
dtgious army composed of an in
finite number of nations led by
mighty kings. He spurred like a
thunderbolt from the top of a hill
ock. shouting his battle challenge,
putting the hapless sheep to flight
and trampling both the living and
the slain. Impatient to meet the
commander of the enemy. he shout
ed:
Where, where art thou. naughty
AlfanfarOn."
At that moment the shepherds
rallied in defence of their hocks and
overwhelmed the unlucky knight.
first with stones and then with
cudgels. leaving him in a desperate
case. with nearly all his teeth
knocked out or loosened, and his
ribs half broken.
Did this adventure discourage
him? Not at all 1t was all a part
of chivalry. He and Sancho rode on
/ in dolorous discourse. They were
overtaken by night and had no
shelter or food. Suddenly appeared
a band of about twenty horsemen,
all in white robes. with torches in
their hands and followed by a hearse
draped in black. 1t was the funeral
of a gentleman of SeGOyia: Don
QuiXOte took II to be the train of
some knight either killed or des-
perately wounded, and, assured that
it was his duty to avenSe the mis-
fortunes of a brother-at-arms, halt
ed the cortege and demanded an eX-
PLANTATION. The replies of the clergy
men failed to satisfy him and he
flew at hem in high dudgeon. En-
numbered by their long robes they
became easy victims and all took TO
flight.
The next morning they met a bar
Der riding on an ass and wearing
his brass basin on his head to save
his hat from the rain. Don Quix-
ote recognized this as the golden
helmet of Mambrino and flew at this
enemy as il he would grind him to
powder The barber fed, leaving
his helmet. which SanChO appropriate
ed. though it seemed to him merely
a Comman dish.
They came to another Inn. In the
night Don QuiXote, while sound
asleep and dreaming. enjoyed the
most famous battle OF his career.
Dressed in a short shirt which ex-
posed his lean, long, hairy shanks.
and wearing a greasy red night
cap, with a blanket wrapped around
his left arm for a shield, he was
repeatedly plunging his sword into
the plump bodies Of several giants.
Their blood flowed across the floor
in wide. crimson streams.
Imagine the wrath of the worthy
innkeeper at discovering that his
famous guest had disemboweled all
his winesaCks. which were made Of
goat skins with the heads left on.
After this Don QuiXote was got
home by the curate and the barber;
but he broke loose again. First
he visited his Dulcinea, but came
awav conviced that through more
enchantment she had been changed
into a blubber-cheeked. fat-nosed
country wench, the pearls Of her
eyes into gall nuts, her long golden
locks into a cows tail and her
palace into a hut.
He had adventures with strolling
actors and lions: he attended the
rich Camacho's wedding; he explor-
ed the deep cave of Montesinos; he
rode on a magic bark and visited the
nameless duke and duchess, through
whose COmplaisance Sancho was
granted his ambition to rule over
an island and did It with wisdom
worthy of Solomon. Many more ad-
ventures followed. but at last Don
Quixote returned to his home and
recovered his senses on his death
bed. dying as a lovable, high-mind-
ed. noble hearted gentleman.
Cervantes' masterpiece is not all
satire. Don QuiXote has lucid mo-
ments: Sancho's simplicity wells
common sense. often expressed in
witty proverbs. There is occasion
al coarseness, but not so much as
in Shakespeare. The chief fault
is its treatment of insanity. in its
authors fondness for cruel and
brutal. practical jokes. which may
perhaps explain the maintenance of
bull fighting as the national amuse-
ment of Spain.
lSZY3J -
Copyright. 1919. by the Post Publishing Com.
rsny The Boston Post.) Copyright in the
United Kingdom, the Dorninion, It's Colonies
and dependencies, under the copyright act, by
the Post Publishing Company. Boston. Mass,
L. 5. A. All rights reserved
Published by special arrangement with the
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate. All rights re-
served.
Paul and Virginia" BY Bernsrdin
de Saint Pierre, as condensed by
Irving Bacheller. will be printed to-
morrow