90 
House & Garden 
W. G. CORNELL COMPANY, Union Square, New York City 
ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS 
PLUMBING, HEATING, LIGHTING 
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Philadelphia 
Reproduction from photograph showing 
Cornell underground system in operation 
WATER SUPPLY AND 
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The Cornell Systems may be installed 
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Systems of Irrigation 
An Afternoon In Arcady 
(Continued from page 86) 
While here I live with simple folk 
like these; 
My one good friend a wrecked old 
yarning man, 
Whose tales—even if they’re false-— 
still give to me 
A glimpse of things that men at least 
have done, 
Though now no more;—at least, not 
do for me. 
(To Agathon ): 
If you will sleep, sleep on. But I 
shall wait 
Until you wake. Refreshed, you’ll 
tell me all 
The glorious tales I love to hear. If 
I should sleep, 
Perhaps I’ll dream some prophecy 
of my 
Own fate! I’ll try. (She adds hesi¬ 
tatingly.) 
Yet, if adventures are 
To be my lot, I would not see them 
first. 
Sleep, tell me not too much. 
(She sinks back into heavy reverie, 
and finally sleeps. Her sinking into 
slumber is symbolized by the gradual 
dimming of the light until just for a 
second there is complete darkness. In 
the gradual increase of light which 
follows this, their dreams begin. To 
the just perceptible strains of happy 
music, beautiful Nymphs dart from 
one covert to another, then appear in 
the open space, where—now under 
quite bright lighting—they dance a 
vivacious dance of girlish abandon. 
At the conclusion of their dance they 
gather in a group at the rear, then 
flutter forward like a moving flower, 
which unfolds its petals, disclosing in 
its center the beautiful figure of 
Aphrodite, around whom they dance 
again. 
Suddenly one of the Nymphs per¬ 
ceives a figure among the trees. She 
indicates it to others. Several dart 
away. In a second they return, 
drawing a youth after them, around 
whom they have thrown their scarfs 
and garlands of flowers. He comes 
hesitatingly, until they draw him in 
view of Aphrodite. He stands trans¬ 
fixed, then is drawn towards her by 
the compelling power of her beauty. 
He stops before her. She stretches 
out one hand to him to bring him 
closer. As he stands gazing at Aphro¬ 
dite, the Nymphs dance round them, 
gradually leading them toward the 
rear. 
Suddenly there is a flash of light¬ 
ning, followed by an ominous roll of 
thunder, and the booming of a deep 
drum. The nymphs cover around 
Aphrodite and the Youth. 
Into view dash Warriors or Ama¬ 
zons, clashing their short swords to¬ 
gether and upon their metal shields. 
At the close of their martial dance 
they seize the Nymphs, who willingly 
finish the last figure of the dance with 
them, leaving Aphrodite and the 
Youth alone at the rear. 
The dancers disappear at one side 
for a moment only, dashing back 
again at once, to usher in the chariot 
of Ares, drawn by horses, or by four 
beautiful women, his captives in war. 
The chariot stops in the center of the 
group. The Youth steps forward as 
though to interpose between the God 
of War and Aphrodite. Ares woos 
Aphrodite, who moves towards him, 
seemingly consenting. The youth fol¬ 
lows .. Ares induces her to mount the 
chariot, then he, walking beside it, 
points the way before them. As the 
chariot moves off, Aphrodite keeps 
her eyes fixed on Ares, but stretches 
out one hand to the Youth who fol¬ 
lows after, a struggle of love and ap¬ 
prehension expressed by his coun¬ 
tenance. 
The Warriors and JYymphs dance 
about the open space, then dash off 
after the chariot. 
The light grows dim. For an in¬ 
stant there is darkness, then the light 
increases. Agathon, dreaming of Ares 
and the chariot, begins to fling his 
arms and legs about, and calls out in 
his sleep.) 
Agathon (in the half-light): On, 
Speedy-one! Forward, Fleet-of- Foot! 
Hurl the spear! Cut them down! 
Steady! 
Around that stone! Grab the woman! 
(He is on his feet now, driving.) 
Good horses! On! The woman for 
the soldier! 
(Fully awake, he stops suddenly, nib¬ 
bing his eyes. Then he adds con¬ 
solingly.) 
Of course the warrior took the girl! 
Melitta (awakened by his shouts, but 
still under the spell of the dream) : 
Good youth! To the chariot! Throw 
him down! 
Cling to the maiden! She is yours! 
(She realizes that she is awake. The 
dream remains with her.) 
Agathon (teasing): Adventures even 
in dreams! 
Melitta: They were yours, too. For 
now I know it was 
Your cry that awakened me. “Woman 
for the soldier!” 
Agathon (amazed) : Could we have 
had the same dream? 
Melitta: A youth wooed a beautiful 
maiden— 
Agathon: Mine began that way. 
Melitta: Then when he had won her— 
Agathon : A warrior like Ares, god of 
battles— 
Melitta : Dashed between them in a 
chariot— 
Agathon: Mine went that far — 
Melitta: And faded. 
Agathon: Then I woke! 
Melitta: And called out. Now I’ll 
never know if love or force retained 
the maid. 
Agathon : I know. The warrior kept 
the girl. 
Melitta: You cannot know. Your 
dream broke off. 
Agathon (craftily): But I have lived, 
and know! 
Melitta: He was a handsome man! 
Agathon: They always are — in dreams. 
Melitta : If I could know the ending 
of that dream! 
Agathon (patronizingly): I’ll tell it to 
you when I wake again. An old 
man’s sleep the gods fill full with life. 
Melitta: I wish I knew. And yet if 
I should sleep 
And saw the warrior steal the young 
man’s love— 
Agathon: Then stay awake. In 
dreams and life the same! 
Melitta: The poor young man! 
Agathon: I’ll tell you how he drowned 
himself for grief. 
I wish my waking hours would bring 
adventure 
Back to me. The world is growing 
stale;— 
The good old days—when men were 
men! My dreams 
Alone give me the thrill of struggles! 
Rest assured; 
He drowned himself. 
Melitta (protesting) : No—1 1 e would 
fight for her! Oh, well, sleep on. 
(He lies down again, and in a short 
time is asleep.) 
Perhaps the old need solace for their 
loss 
Of the pulsing life I feel within my 
veins. 
III think my story ends the way I 
wish! 
(She starts slowly off in the direc¬ 
tion of the hill beyond which her 
comrades are tending the grazing 
sheep. She has almost passed from 
view when Clinias appears. He is 
(Continued on page 92) 
