The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-10-29

troubles Dy the QueI OI the tAdH'
pions were in vain. The contest was
and the truce was brok-
en-.
The scene changes to Troy itself.
In an interval of the battle great Hec-
tor Of the CHANGING Helm had gone to
the citadel. And there he said fare
well to Andromache, his wife, and to
his little boy, picture that has never
been surpassed for true tenderness
although it was SO many hundred
years ago. He smiled and looked upon
the little boy in silence. "Ah, Hector"
she cried, "stay here upon the wall!
Thou art to me father and mother
and brother, too, as well as lord. Inc
foe will attack thee al0ne!" Il know
the day shall come" he answered,
"when holy nios shall perish, and
Priam and the folk Of Priam Of the
goodly Ashen Spear. But thought OF
him, of my mother, Of my brothers,
does not trouble me 50 much as that
some warrior Of the Achaians shall
rob thee Of the day of freedom" He
stretched out his hand to the little
how. who shrunk back to his nurses
breast in fear Of the bronze and the
horse-hair crest that nodded dread
fully from the top of the helm.
Straightway Hector took off the helm
and placed it on the ground. And
when he had kissed his son and tossed
him in his arms, he spoke in prayer
TO Zeus and the rest of the gods:
"Grant, We gods, that this son OF mine
prove foremost among the Tr0Jans, a
good and mighty king. And as he
comes back from battle may many a
man say Of him, "A far better man
than his father and may his mother
rejoice in heart" And then he hand
| ed him back to his mother, who re-
ceiyed him smiling through her tears,
and so departed to the battle WIN
words of high cheer.
There follow many scenes OF va
rfed action-the Iliad is one OF the
great collections of short stories In
the worlds literature, in which is
given a perfect picture of the life OF
| that lordly society of so long ago.
The plain people play little part, al
though their champion. Thersites, is
the first democrat mentioned in liter
Azure. Mighty deeds of derring-do,
high adventure, love of lords and Ia
dies. the pranks of merry children
all are preserved, as it were, in amber,
and the sentiment for the most part
Is so modern that it is almost impossl-
BILE to believe that we are reading or
people who lived many hundreds OF
wears before Christ was born.
| But over all impends one dreadful
fate. It is Greek tale-yet Hector,
prince and leader of the foe, is the
hero of the story. OF course he is not
quite so strong. not quite so great
fighter as Achilles, the Greek cham
pion, and all know that in the end
Achilles will win. The great scenes
are worked up to with consummate ar
tistry. Achilles is still sulking in his
tent: Hector is pressing the Greeks
hard: Patroclus, Achilles dearest
friend, begs his chief to let him don
his lords armor and save his people
he has his way and Hector Stays him
Achilles anger blazes forth in all Its
. passion. What now petty slight,
lThe great scene Of the battle between
} the two inspires the poet to all his
noblest power. They fight; Achliies
pursues Hector thrice around the
walls Of Troy; Zeus weighs In goidel
scales the fates Of the two; Hector II
doomed to die; memorable destin,
. NAV not be stayed. Achilles siay'
Hector. and every heart but that o.
, the victor is wrung with the pity OF !
, all. And in the end, even Achilles
, heart is moved. For old King Plan
, can neither sleep nor eat while hi
. sons body lies dead In the camp O
, the foe. Against the will of all tina
, vas dearest to him he gathered grea
store OF ransom and made his way D.
: night under the kindly guidance OF tn
: gods to Achilles tent and sought TO
the body of his dear son. 1t is seen
, LOT love and pity. of chivalry an
. greatness Of heart that all the year
since then have never seen surpassed
!. laBe not angry with me, Patroclus,
! prayed Achilles, ''if thou shalt lear
, lin Hades' house that l have give
: hack noble Hector to his dear father.
! And Patroclus, one may be SUR
! shared the pity Of all brave men an
{ all true women ever since.
: DOWNRIGHT. 1919, by the Post Publishir
CO. (The Boston POST. Copyright IN u
United Kingdom, the Dominions i's 20
onies and dependencies, under the COY
It right act. by the Post PuDnsnns =.
il Boston. Mass, u. s. A. All rights
served.
7 Monarch Endured Long.
= The most curious contract ever el
+arod snto nv an operatic star We