experience was vanity and vexation of spirit. The prelude of his competitor, Long Bow, was far more primitive in its characteristic portrayal, being timed to irregular cadences of barbaric import. The plaintive melody evoked by his touch from a stringed gourd was in consonance with the strains of his song-theme, which depicted the wild erratic love of savage life, but with far less instinctive merit in recitative description than the love ditties of our Betongese neighbors. At times the savage devotion of the lovers seemed to rise above the animal instincts of sense, but only to sink deeper into the mythical regions of hopeful doubt and despair. The butt at which Long Bow aimed was a rhythmic measure adapted to savage nomenclature and the improvised harmony of his gourd. At the conclusion of his recitative the herald maiden called: “Give ear, lovers of the gay and joyous science,—attend! while the queen of love, beauty, and harmony approves with her commendation and award the happy victor in the joust of improvised song?” The count champion offered his hand to assist Idolisima in her descent to the balcony erected for the bestowal of awards, but his bearing was abashed with the conscious self- reflection of unworthiness. Idolisima, the queen, without assistance stepped self-reliantly forward to her position, and then, without ceremonious prelude, beckoned Long Bow to advance. Approaching he knelt in accordance with the prescribed euphuistic forms of chivalric obeisance in the presence of royalty. Placing the chaplet upon his brow she bid him rise. Then calling Penny Song forward she presented him with a zithern, the prize for the victor in song. The assemblage, disappointed in her award of the laureate’s chaplet, were appeased by the more substantial gift of the zithern to their favorite, recognizing in its material worth a preference for their choice. This material appeal to their senses opened the only avenue to their appreciation, but their partial murmurs of approval were stilled by a look and disdainful wave of the hand. When subjected to silence, she addressed Long Bow in terms adapted to the usage of chivalry, although manifestly at variance with expectation in expression:—