صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

announced that the ship Nausicaa was in the harbor. Periander summoned the captain and all the crew to the palace, and asked them whether they had brought any news of his minstrel Arion. The captain replied that men said at Tarentum that 5 Arion was still in Italy, traveling from place to place, and received everywhere with great honor. The rest of the sailors confirmed the story, and one of them added that Arion was said to prefer Italy to Greece, nor had he any intention of 10 returning to Corinth.

At this moment a curtain was drawn and disclosed Arion, standing in his sacred robes and holding his lute, just as they had seen him last in the prow of the ship. The sailors, supposing that 15 they beheld his spirit, were seized with terror and fell at the king's feet, confessing all their wickedness and begging for mercy. But Periander was filled with indignation and spurned them angrily. Arion interposed, urging the king to be merciful. 20 Periander, however, would not hear of mercy.

"Your compassion bears witness to your noble spirit, Arion," he replied. "But these men have planned a most cruel and cowardly murder, and cruelly shall they suffer for it. Seize me these 25 men, guards, and bind them."

The guards came forward and began to lead away the trembling wretches.

66

Stay!" cried Arion. "It is I who am king. Did not your Majesty stake your crown against 5 my lute, and can the royal word be broken? Back, guards! I claim my wager."

Periander could not refrain from laughter, but confessed himself beaten by this piece of strategy.

"That being so," said Arion, "and seeing that I 10 find myself more easy with the lute, I will restore the royal crown to Periander."

So the men, having restored the property of Arion, were set at liberty, and departed full of gratitude, invoking blessings on his head. And 15 lest any man should doubt the truth of the story in time to come, Arion erected at Tænarus a bronze statue, representing a man riding on a dolphin's back.

From Wonder Stories from Herodotus

by BODEN and D'ALMEIDA

Corinth a wealthy and wicked city of Greece. Miletus: an ancient city on the west coast of Asia Minor. - Lesbos: a famous island in the Grecian archipelago. It was the birthplace of Sappho, the greatest of women poets. - Apollo: the Grecian god of song and music. Tarentum: a famous town off the Italian coast. Nausicaa: a princess, whose father, King Alcinous, gave Odysseus a hospitable reception. - deference: respect. conspiring: plotZeus: the chief god of the Grecians. strategy: a sharp

ting.

trick,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

THE COTTON BLOOM

HOWARD WEEDEN

HOWARD WEEDEN (1855-1905), an American author and artist, was born in Huntsville, Alabama. She had an ardent love for the traditions of the South, and devoted her life to the perpetuation of one phase of life in the old South, namely, the relations of slaves and their masters. Her best known books are Songs 5 of the Old South, Shadows on the Wall, and Bandanna Ballads.

The rose has a thousand lovers because
Of her delicate grace and perfume,
But lovers for sturdier reasons give
Their hearts to the cotton bloom.

It grows in a dazzling ample land

Of measureless breadth and room-
And the wealth of a splendid tropical sun
Dowers this cotton bloom.

And Capital keeps his eyes on the field.

While he hears the hum of the loom,
And his anxious visage glows and pales
At the nod of the cotton bloom.

10

15

10

TWO MASTER ARTISTS

HENRY HAYNIE

HENRY HAYNIE (1841- ), an American author, began life, like Franklin, at a printer's case. He was studying law in Chicago when the Civil War opened. He enlisted in the first company sent out from that city. After the close of the war he entered into 5 journalistic work, and was sent to Europe as foreign correspondent for American papers. He spent twenty years in Paris and in various parts of Europe. He is the author of Paris Past and Present, and of The Captains and the Kings, from which the following selection is drawn.

Once a few of Edward Détaille's friends were invited by him to a luncheon on the anniversary of his birthday. Bouguereau was invited, but he excused himself on the plea of work to do. Breakfast over, some one proposed a call on the absent 15 master and friend of all; so into carriages we clambered, and by and by we entered the studio of the Rue Nôtre Dame des Champs, and there was Bouguereau with a model in pose. When they had told him of the breakfast, and how they all 20 regretted his absence therefrom, those men of genius began to tease Bouguereau.

25

"Pshaw! he thinks he can paint, poor man."
"Why, he even imagines he can draw!

"Here, Edward; show William how to draw!" And so on.

Entering into the spirit of the fun, Détaille stepped up to the easel, gently pushed Bouguereau to one side, laid on a large, clean sheet of white paper, and with a crayon began. In the center of the paper he quickly drew the head of a cavalry- 5 man. Next, at one corner near the bottom of the paper, he drew the hind hoof of a horse; then, higher up, but on the left, he drew a horse's nose; and then, in a few minutes, without having to erase a single stroke, he completed the man for whom he 10 already had a head, and showed him seated on the horse for which he already had a hoof and nose.

Every one, Bouguereau alone excepted, applauded Détaille's masterful skill. But our host said nothing. Instead, he made a sign to the man who was 15 serving as his model to take a pose. He laid on a clean sheet of paper, took up a crayon, and then, without once taking the point of it from the paper, he traced the outline of the model's entire body, with his face in profile. It was a perfect 20 drawing, and when he laid down the pencil those famous painters all stood up, bowed to Bouguereau, and exclaimed, "Master!

[ocr errors]

studio: an artist's place of work.

for an artist to draw or paint.

model: a person who poses

« السابقةمتابعة »