Half a dozen boys

by Anna Chapin Ray

"Next comes Master Herbert Walsh," announced Bess, from her chair of office.

"We had an evening of the old Greek myths," began Bert, by way of introduction, "and I thought I'd take for my subject

"THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR.

"Ever and ever so long ago there was a king of Athens that had a son named Theseus. This son didn't live with him, but with his mother, somewhere else; but when he was strong enough he lifted up a great rock, and found under it a sword with a gilt handle, and a pair of shoes. They had been left there for him by his father till he was strong enough to pry up the rock and get them. So he put them on, and started for Athens. He had a good many adventures on the way, with robbers, and a bed that opened and shut, and a wild pig, but at last he came to Athens, and his father was glad to see him, but his nephews weren't, for they wanted the crown themselves. But they had to go away with their mother, Medea, and Theseus had all the right to the throne.

"But in that country an expedition to Crete was prepared every year, to send fourteen young gentlemen and young ladies to the Minotaur, a sort of bull that looked like a man, a little. He was a pet of Minos, the king of Crete, and used to eat them up. Well, when Theseus heard about it, he said he'd go, too, and try to kill the beast. So they sailed away in a schooner with black sails and jibs and all, but Theseus promised his father that if he killed the Monitor, he'd put up white sails to come home with. They passed a brassy giant on the way, but when he found out where they were going, he let them pass without hurting them.

"They came to Minos, the king of Crete, and while he was looking them over to see if they were fat, Theseus was so saucy to him that Minos said he should be the first meal for the Monitor—Minotaur, I mean. But Minos had a daughter, Ariadne, who was in love with Theseus as soon as she saw him, and she let Theseus out of his prison, and led him to the labyrinth where the Moni—Minotaur lived. They had a ball of twine, and they tied one end to the gate-post, and then unwound it as they went in, so they could find their way out, for the walks crisscrossed every way so they would have been apt to get lost. When they came to the Minotaur, Ariadne stood back and cried, but Theseus had an awful fight with him and killed him. Then they came out, hauling in their line as they went along. They let out their friends, and he married Ariadne; and they went off on board their boat, but in their hurry they forgot to take the white sails out of the hold and hoist them, so the poor old king, who was keeping watch, died of broken heart, because the schooner came back with black sails, and he supposed Theseus was eaten up.

"My friends, I think there are two morals to this story. First, keep your promises; and, second, it is a very good thing to fall in love."

A great clapping of hands greeted Bert's somewhat unexpected close. When quiet was restored, Bess said,—

"Master Frederic Allen will talk to us next." And then she gave an anxious glance at the boy, to see how he would bear this ordeal.

It seemed impossible that this could be the same Fred who, less than a year ago, had been shutting himself up, away from all his friends, and brooding sadly over his blindness, because it had spoiled his life. With only a slight touch of shyness, he stood there so easily, with one hand resting on the back of the chair in which Bessie was sitting, and his whole face bright with the laugh he had just been enjoying over Bert's remarkable moral.