Whom The Gods Love

He was Young; So, Maybe, that is Why the Gods were Kind.

From a window high up in the wing of the College he watched the Lights of the city spring up in the darkness, and saw the moon throw her beams of tapering silver across the water. Gazing thereon, and communing with himself, he was suddenly aroused by a remarkable change which had taken place around and below him. Gone were the cold brick walls of the College with its resounding corridors and gloomy classrooms. Gone were the laboratories with their sickening array of apparatus and their cases of hideous skulls. Gone, too, were the Professors, Demonstrators, and Inquisitors who conspired to make the student's life one with sorrow and bitterness. In place thereof, our young man found himself alone upon the hill with God's fresh air about him.

Looking down he saw that far, far below, the city had been transformed. Its streets now stretched to the rim of the earth, broad and straight, and lined with noble buildings. The domes and towers, illuminated by great lights cunningly concealed, glowed in the shimmering darkness, and reared their proud heads to the star-shot vault of heaven. He saw, too, that here and there were bridges of white marble, naked as it were, in the white shafts of light that streamed upon them, accentuating every detail of their beauty. As he gazed upon the scene, there came to his ears the sound of music, song and dance. On the water were graceful ships outlined by coloured lamps; and music came from them also. And overhead the moon, great and yellow as he had never seen it before, looked down and smiled. A tinge of colour swept to the checks of the young man, and his heart heat ever so little; for he had come rich to this Great City—and he had come young. . . .

When night paled into morning, he descended the mountain to view at leisure the scene which had lain spread out so far and wide beneath him. By the time the sun rose he found that he had set foot in a tropic country, rich with palms and dew-drenched flowers. White temples gleamed among the trees and fountains threw high the spray drops, which flashed their fire like diamonds in the sun. He heard a sweet voice humming a careless fragment

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of song while stringed instruments played a soft and langourous accompaniment. Then suddenly he came upon the musicians, who ceased their music to come forward and lead him to a seat, whereon he rested awhile. In a short space there appeared a damsel of surpassing beauty who sat beside him and regaled him with luscious fruits in silver caskets, and rich wine in golden bowls; while maidens, beautiful to behold, and dressed in garments of gossamer, played and danced on the green before him. The trees gave forth the twittering music of the birds, gaily coloured butterflies flitted hither and thither, the perfume of a thousand flowers was wafted upon the gentle greeze and the drowsy hum of insects sang its way into his very soul. He felt a langour stealing over him in this new-found Arcady. He closed his eyes in sweet content, while the "honey dew of slumber" settled upon him and brought him dreams within dreams. . . .

Then, as if from the void, the Shock came and the Voice spoke."you've got to cut up that Dogfish to-night, Jones!"

He was Young; So, Maybe, that is Why he Died.

O.M.W.