And the wind goes sighing, sighing, as if loath to let her

pass,

While the crickets sing exultant in the lean and withered

grass,

Oh, the warm October haze!
Oh, the splendor of the days!

Oh, the mingling of the crimson with the somber brown and grays!

-JEAN BLEWETT.

THE SLEEP OF ENDYMION

Tall he was

ON Mount Latmus, in the plain of Caria, there dwelt a fair shepherd, whose name was Endymion. and well favored, like to one of the sons of the gods; and he watched his flocks in the flowery meadows of the hill.

Very beautiful was Mount Latmus, and there was no place more lovely than its grassy slopes, kept green by the snow-fed streams. Great trees grew in its valleys, and the vine, with its purple grapes, and everywhere were clusters of all fair flowers: the white narcissus and the lily, the tulip, the purple hyacinth, and soft red roses. There were no storms on Mount Latmus. And, when the plains beneath were parched and brown with the fiery heats of summer, there the grass, the trees, and flowers were green and fresh; and all was so cool and still that it seemed as another world. For this mountain was guarded by Selene, the moon goddess; and most beautiful

of all were its slopes and valleys at night, when the goddess rode in her silver chariot across the sky, and the trees and flowers, the grass, and the lakes and flowing streams were flooded with fair pale light.

Here Endymion passed the days of his happy youth.

Now it was the lad's custom each day to drive his flocks to the high valleys, and let them browse on the rich pasturage along the banks of the mountain streams. The young shepherd loved the stillness of these high slopes, where the wind was silent, and there was no sound even of the songs of birds. There he dreamed the hours of the day away, while his sheep and his goats were feeding; and at night he slept, making his bed of ferns and moss by the side of some stream or mountain lake, for he knew that no danger waited for his flock in that happy place.

On a certain evening, when he had watered his flock, Endymion lay down to sleep, as was his custom. The place that he chose was a beautiful grove in which was a lake; and its water shone like gold in the light of the setting sun. Swans slept on the lake, and the fishes, too, were asleep. The goats and the sheep rested on the grass near by. Flowers were here, their petals were shut and their heads bowed; and all around beautiful trees grew, and the long branches drooped down over the couch of moss and fern on which Endymion slept. All was silent in the still evening hour, for there was no wind in the valley.

Now it befell on this same evening that Selene, the moon goddess, had come down from her silver chariot to walk in the flowery valleys of Mount Latmus. She wore a long robe, and a veil of silver cloud covered her head, and in her hand she carried a torch, as befitted the goddess of the moon. And, as she walked, the light from her torch shone upon the trees and flowers of the hill, so that they seemed more lovely than before.

After a time she came to the valley where Endymion was. And when she saw the sleeping youth she loved him for his great beauty, and would have thrown her arms about him, but she feared to awaken him. So still he lay that at first she thought that it could scarcely be a man whom she saw.

And now Selene raised her torch; and as the silver light fell upon the youth, she drew her breath for wonder at his great beauty. She said:

"Beautiful youth, more fair art thou than the flowers that are around thee, or than anything that grows in my valley. Yea, never have I seen anything so beautiful in the sky or on the earth."

That evening Selene left the dark-robed Night to rule the heavens, for through the hours she sat and watched Endymion. And the next night she came, and the night after, and the night after that.

Then when twelve nights had passed, all the people of the earth were angry because the moon chariot did not come out in the sky, and they had no light. And Zeus

heard their complaints from where he sat on his throne in the great hall of Olympus, and he called Selene to come before him.

So the moon goddess made all the haste that she could and left the mountain valley where she sat to watch Endymion, and in her silver chariot came to Olympus. And she stood before Zeus, weeping bitterly. Zeus said to her: "What is the matter, Selene, that you weep? And where have you been that you leave my world without its light? Think not that you can deceive me. For these twelve nights I saw you in the valley of Mount Latmus, as you sat by the shepherd Endymion. What mean you by this thing?"

Then Selene answered: "Be not angry with me, Great Father. If ever I have helped thee at all, and made light for thy world, give me what I ask. And this is the boon I crave That Endymion, whom I love, may never grow old as other mortals do. He is too beautiful for such a fate. Do thou, therefore, keep him beautiful always, even as he now is in his sleep.' Thus the goddess spake, entreating Zeus, but she did not know that it was for the beautiful shepherd's death that she was asking.

Thereupon Zeus said: "What is this you ask? Will you save a man whom the Fates appoint to die? Do this if you will; but take heed! Even the gods cannot give to mortals everlasting beauty and youth without giving them also everlasting sleep."

Selene answered, scarce knowing what she said, "If

he sleep, what do I care, so that always he may be beautiful."

Then Zeus spake again: "Be it as you will. Endymion shall sleep forever and be forever young."

So there in the valley of Mount Latmus Endymion sleeps on to this day. He is still young, and his wonderful beauty fades not nor changes.

-C. G. HARTLEY.

LADY CLARE

It was the time when lilies blow,
And clouds are highest up in air,
Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe
To give his cousin, Lady Clare.

I trow they did not part in scorn :

Lovers long betroth'd were they :
They two will wed the morrow morn:
God's blessing on the day!

"He does not love me for my birth,
Nor for my lands so broad and fair;
He loves me for my own true worth,
And that is well," said Lady Clare.

In there came old Alice the nurse,

Said, "Who was this that went from thee?"
"It was my cousin," said Lady Clare,
"To-morrow he weds with me."