THE HESPERIAN.
restrict ourselves to our own particular province and
to attempt to be successful therein. Even broad and
personal remarks have not been rejected, for nothing
plays a more prominent part in student gossip.
To anyone that is acquainted with the condition
of our paper, it will be unnecessary to say that the
board has been working under difficulties. It is our
sincere hope that our successors will be more pleas
antly situated, or at least that they will be provided
with much necessary equipment that we have lacked.
But we also hope that it will not have the effect that
the pretty maroon suits caused to the University
nine.
LITERARY.
It is only proper that there should be some difference
between the style of books inquired for at the University
library and at the city library, but one seldom realizes how
great this difference is unless it is especially called to his
attention. "Have you St. Elmo?" inquired a very well
dressed young lady of the librarian at the latter place the
other day. Upon being told that it was "out," she asked
for " The Last Secret", and failing to secure that, the went
off apparently happy with "A Broken Heart" safely stowed
under her arm a state of affairs much to be regreited on
several accounts besides that of its seemingly paradoxical
nature. The frequency with which this style of literature is
inquired for at a public library makes one almost despair of
the average American cultivating a literary taste. And after
all it is quite an undertaking to form even a fair taste in
iterary matters, and if one has been so fortunate as to
succeed in this particular, it must become a constant test of
his courage, for he will be continually meeting persons who
are favorably impressed, or even enthusiastic over somethin g
which he knows to be wholly inferior in quality. It would
not be so trying, perhaps, but it often happens in this, as in
other matters, that if a person can't see where his fault lies,
it is useless to try to point it out to him. The example of
the novel "She" is almost too flagrant an illustration of the
fault running through all the novels of pure incidents. It is
said that one never realizes that his lot is hard until he has
bad a taste of something better, and it is really surprising
how tame and uninteresting the best of novels of incident,
such as Cooper's or Scott's, become after one has once seen
what is wrong with them. But il one is inclined to take any-
thing but the optimistic view of life, it will certainly occur to
him at some time that the very cultivation of a purer, better
and more correct taste is rather a misfortune, inasmuch as it
renders totally unenjoyablea large part of literature in which
he used to take great delight. One often feels as if the circle
of his enjoyment was growing less and less that each year
he grows out of his interest in a great many things which
had been a source of pleasure ever since childhood, without
growing into an interest in other things to take their places.
This would present a very undesirable out look for a person
contemplating old age, and, indeed, the circle of enjoyments
of a man. of 70 must be very small. Perhaps, though we
need not hesitate to acquit e as high a standard as we can,
on account of any such vague fears, for there is enough that
s jiuly ckssie to tup ply one wilh reading matter for an
ordinary lifetime.
HOW HADES GOT AHEAD OF ZEUS.
And it came to pass that a dire famine ravaged the king
dom of Hades and Persephone. It spread abroad even
through both Tartaros and Elysium, so that what before were
populous cities of the living were now populous cities of the
dead. No more did the tramp of guards reverberate through
the gloomy halls and corridors; and no more did shades flit
about the misty plains. The dog, Ccrbcros, with the many
heads, that guards the portals to that land yawned and
stretched himself from laz iness. The ferryman on the river
Styx was no more; and king Hades reigned over a lifeless
land.
And the king bethought himself what he should do, and
he went forth from that dismal land, and crossed the river
Styx; and came at length to the land of the sons of men,
where Helios daily drives his chariot through the heavens.
And lo! in the distance he beheld a great mountain. At its
base rolled the swelling plains; mighty forests covered its
sides, and its summit was swathed in thick clouds. As now
Hades drew nigh unto the mountain, he saw it was
Olympos. Slowly and with pain he toiled up its sides; and,
as he ncarcd the summit, lo! in the distance he beheld the
halls of Zeus; and the walls were white like the driven snow;
and the roof was covered with silver shields; and the pillars
were resplendent with burnished gold. The mighty grand
eur smote King Hades with fear; and his knees knocked
violently together; and his heart throbbed fiercely within
him. As he passed into the marble portico and through the
doors of jasper his eyes were smitten by a fierce light. He
looked, and in the distance, seated upon a shining throne
with Hera by his side, was Zeus. In his right hand he held
the thunderbolts, the clouds rolled round about his throne;
and the lightcnings slumbered at his feet: and round about
were gathered all the gods in solemn conclave. On the
right stood Phoebus Apollo, son of the lady Leto with
Artemis, his sister; Hcphaistos, god of volcanic fires; and
Hermes with his winged sandals. On the left stood Aph
rodite, pure like the sea foam, her cradle; Dionysos, god of
the wine cup and the revel; Pollas Athena with her owl, and
Poseidon with his trident and his dolphin.
Now Hades, having overcome his fear in the sight of
that mighty assemblage, went up with ringing steps and
proud bearing through that broad hall even unto the throne
of Zeus; and he made deep obeisance unto Zeus, and fell
down upon his face before him saying, Mighty is thy power,
O Zeus! and when girt about with the flaming cloud great is
thy splendor; wherefore I have come unto thee beseeching
thee to have pity on me, for be known to thee that a dire
pestilence has ravaged Tartaros and Elysium, and has cut
off all my people. Moreover all the tribes of men have
grown so virtuous in thy sight that, after death, they are
summoned to the company of the undying gods; and not one
soul crosses the boundary to my kingdom. I pray thee,
therefore, O Zeus! grant me this request: That I may be
allowed to send divers afflictions and troubles upon the tribes
of men, whereby, if possible, to shake their virtue and thus
replenish my kingdom.
And Zeus, being much pleased, lifted up Hades by the
hand and said, Arise, thy request is granted; but listen, O
King! four afflictions do I vouchsafe thee. Do thy best then;
for if thou succecdcst not in four trials in turning man from
the path of righteousness, thy kingdom shall be deserted for
ever. And Hades, when he had saluted the assembly,
passed with bouyant tread from the presence of Zeus unto the
smiles of Persephone.
Now when Hades and Persephone had consulted long