The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-24

VtHe. Chdpt0 nnV.
found q fragment torn
From an old travellers page:
Its truth Coz fable shorn)
Holds good Of any agel
/.
Il was a hosiery upon a road
That cuts the frowning wilderness in
twain.
II was a Knight at arms whose target
showed
The dlnt Of axe and broadsword
swung amain.
IL was a Minstrel Youth whose song
might chain
The shades unsoothed on Piuto'e soboing
coast
And, while the storm beat ever on the
pane,
Discoursed the many wintered. srizsled
Host
OF one wild travellers tale that still per-
picked him most
IL
Thou art a valiant ana a stainless
Knight
That hast done battle with the paynim
horde:
Yet darest thou cross yon frontier OF the
Night?
Hast thou steed yon swollen Hood
could ford,
And gain the hidden strand? Hast
thou the sword
Not edg'd alone. but OF a magic ray
That can reveal the peril thou must
board,
whenso thick gathering. clamorous hosts
Delay,
There in that soothless land forsaken Of
the Day?
For they have night, but never star or
For they have night. but never morn
ingtide!
Nor lamp nor torch have they-not so
much boon
OF miser light as marish fires provide
Yet toll is theirs though darkling 1t
is piled.
And tillage of the fields that darkling
bloom;
And shepherd care, and various crafts
beside.
For men have heard their shuttles In the
loom,
And their great mill wheels heaving
through the watery gloom!
".
This folk erstwhile an impious sover-
eign led
Who tracked the nock OF Christ with
wolfsh thirst.
Because no blood Of sacrifice they shed
Nor bowed the knee to please his gods
accurst.
But when on them with vengeful host
he burst
CAS- rolls the desert sand nood) down
they knelt:
Their prayer was heard: for Heaven
that host immersed
Beneath an ebon cloud no sun could
melt!
TIL doomsday there they dwell. as they
since cid have dweit.
But those who border on that realm
unblest
Can sometimes hear the neighing OF
their steeds.
And lordly voices calling east and west,
1neads.
And flowers that children Irvine, and
half trimmed reeds
On which a musing shepherds lip might
lean,
Or, broken oar befouled with water
weeds,
On that wide sullen river have been
seen,
That changeless rolls its tide from out
the Nights demesnc.
VI.
| Such is the land that men call Hany-
SON."
Thus spake the Host, and roved his
sparkling eye
On either guest: Art thou the dread
less one
Beyond our outpost Day thy course
to try?"
The knight shrank back and heaved
a shuddering sigh:
\ mot though all wealth that Ind and
Perse have lost
Beneath that ever during cloud should
| lie,
Would l the dwellers OF that land accost
Where serves not brand, nor spear. nor
shield though iron bossed!
But thou, o Minstrel Boy, thy purpose
show,
Who softly all this while thy strings
| dost tune'
YEA" answered that fair Youth, yea,
will go.
For light must be, though not Of sun
or moon.
| where'er sweet children weave the
J flower OF June,
And shepherds sing at ease I fain
would find
| What favoring beam is theirs 70
which your noon
Might be as thick of night where Eropes
] the blind
And II, to them, your ways through
| Outer Darkness wind!
VIII.
So saying he arose, with eyes that
glowed.
And none did stay him. being free and
fain,
But he fortnight was gone upon the
road
That cuts the frowning Wilderness In
I twain.
Then spake the startled Host unto the
! knight: