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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1879)
a THE WEST SHORE. February, 1879. A STOHY or SCIENCE. A ukllmvhor sal In hi. I ' hAir, l,..kn..- ufii.u Mllum, Up f A.Ueiiii,oiyUrt'.in Air. A 0nA lulaam l"li on A f1 of U. M aImI, l" ir I ni a u.li. Ik. .. mil "I lite kllltoli Itr tor Ml Ii.i.-r. Ml -I IU mm, Ail setllea Hi tiu rlftiUr, 11m ileal Unn m fr i.. Mirror's l Cam -ilMmeriiur uiiwAr.1 hrifiilli . II. I ul Iht stlo villi III lull III 4. , Mill Itest ui Ua 1 .. il lii I. nil, It turned lli 11. ii nil ni M" 'I" Till tluf i"r signi, n I. ,1.1m a h nl wllh pilll fr.. ' 1. I i - 'Hlhllihli ' Tli ahiiil i. tiiiutfti I- .Unn 1)1 town A mil la a wmaur iiilg-lil P I 1111, l - lli.-t rtnl 4 Hie I11U. lilt- mil MaasriM our erlvollnc; Tu tiiii.a.-l ). m imu'II tfiivM, tin "i.'l'l Of A MUI lU'Ml i 1 nit , Hal retti- Hie niiersai in i'ii him i'iit Tto ofMil "f maa-iiII,.- 1 1 1 thriiiiili HtlJ Ih. utile, m lie u.iilul.sl llii .iijli II; "Mak U no 'I''!' ' lAf aIIat All, If lit mlu mvrUi only knew II 1" moxai.. Iffwi vl I,. 1 1. . 1 a ihln; 1. Irn e .iull, ..1. 1 1. Ui i) ynu lw HI Mill ANKTVS V AI.KNTINE. ak malum, ai aiiihv or nut ruURTUKTii or rsiint Aiti. ItrilaUUUA U A little, ulnc akinned lUllAU boy, who lived in Hume vbol l v years ago, Horn OA Al thai 1111111 Mm ipitol of the civil isaad world, uiil in the iilriiilul imperial palace mi IhapAlatina, sumundedby all tht imblemi of Ilia m.asteiallod ovreignty, Anulhsrynung Uiy ore Ui mriU ul tho iittwn ; Thuboy wm Nro. Ma Anil llriUiucu wait tmuaiuA, aiii) Ml young prino aa, At the lima of which wo wriU, Ihe guest "I tho Uiyish i inpt ror, living with him in th psU.e of the rAAr, aa though lhy had been liMlhiira llnlanloua waa aoino threw yaata younger Uiaui Uia emrror, lrmg hut 14, whil Noro was 17. I In AiugU la. I mad a great iloavl of dillerenc in Ut ii.in. live nf aech, for, luvl Britanicus lawn tlx older, Iia would hav )mu tho om I i mi ah. I Nen would bar bt the ; Ai It wm, Uia I riin r would boooiiie tho rm laorur ll S.i- died. Hut Ihkl Vetil AS not ot pas-led ! occur ory aoub, nor did HriUhi.u wuah It Ui. IU had no wuh Ui h conn to wear lb heavy, Mnhmiderrd purple mantle, symbol ol tho imperial rank, And lao waited u m by Una Atom, dark boarded men, who cawn ...ii day Ui awe In. i-otiAin, and talk AtaOut Aolarr a tale all all a. when h wanted Ul rut la hiA now rhArmt, or go to aoo tho gladia Uara light in Ihe amiahltheaaor. No, HnUuiicua thought it waa hard enough tu ha a prince, w Itltoul botng anything oIao. llolh of IhaAl bo) wore orihaao. Th father of llritavaictt had b a Imi genorml, who row Maay vlcioiie for Hm At thA hal of hiA IrgiMUA Hut h batt diexl in th midat nf hla glory, loaving hla young aoti m.itherleAa. Nero' lalaoM had taawa a a.ddier, Un, hut whoa he died km wi.l.w twartied th Kminr i lau.liua, and AA waa aUll all. Sh aa a a lately, ban. Iity looking woman, with dark, akuauig hawr, aa.l tkarc. Uark area that aoemed to look right through any oava. racrUy, Hnl am did Wot luol lik hla aunt and aUhh) a lillia in faar .! bar haru va and aoiwliu I hiidiwa lalAJTA an roato rally taken from wkvat It rwoart laminar u ihrm In n. i ,, ,, in UaoAw an Itaraaeal aim in fling Aubject. i.iil la vouog MM a. taxi UiaIa in th cvurle f HHIn. Its AAWiaal of ami, irtumnhal Alalo of emjtr Thy alo had a very dignified game, called trie piay ,,l TrOT, wliioh wa a mrt of tournament, cole- irAtcd by 0OWP4MII " ""Pi wuu U"L" auiUlilu to their trcii(th. m of vou mav think, ihtIiaiih, that a no- man boT did not have a very joyoua time of it, hut you will oe your error when you learn now many holiday! ho had. Kirat, there were all tho military and iinjierial MOWS, occupying woeka AomotimoA, and characUrir.ed by chariot and gladiatorial combat, in which tho Itomana ao much delighted, llicn came the aAaUUau foativala. in which there were inaiiili- cent llllOMllnni U) tho Umilea, and costly ac rillce made to their heathen goda. Ono of IhoAo fotival day occurred on tho 14th day oi Kiiliriiary. Wo are accuatoined to deaignate the dav aa St. Valentine'i Hay, hut tho old Ko- ' ., , i i a .t. i .: tu- man canon ll mo nay oi mo i,iiierci. iu featival iUelf waa called tho Uiporcalia, ami waa diatingiiiahoit by all kind of amuaomciiU and iiidulgencea. Amonx the ceremoniea waa one of placing the name oi girl ami young women in a box, from which they were taken, according as chance di rected. Thia incurred the ueeoaaity of hcatow- lUii a gift iiiHin th owner of the name each one drew, and if the fair one reciprocated by another one, or by a written mcaiaL'e, ho waa to consider himself her valentine, as modern usage tonus it. I his custom, through various changes, has descended Ui our own times, and when yon receive your valentine you will re member that tho I:. .in. in youth and children honored tho same festival ill very nearly the aaine manner. The name of valentine is derived from a Christian saint, who lived in iCome about -'"I yoara after llritanicus, and whose festival tho early fathers of tho church con founded with that of the ancieut l.iiiercalia. llritanicus stood one morning in the marble ufrium or courtway of th palace, looking out UHin tho street. Ills lino lioyish ligure was clothed after the faahinn of a princely Itoiiian lad. His olive oolnred legs were bare, and his I I, with it long, dark hair, had no oovering. Hut the tunic of full, rich silk, belted at the waist and descanding Ui his knees, and the cloak or aUila, with its purple liorder and its heavy emlrroidery and clasps of gold, were all in tho uoweat atyle, and showed his graceful ierson Ui advantage. AS waa saa nui nay oi ronruary, the Human l.uorcalia, and llritanicus hail already been to the i. .nun and drawn a name Irom the holy urn IU now hold it in his hand, a dainty tablet, with tho name nf Octavia .lulia in Itoman character apta it. A girl by that name wa not unknown to him, lining no less than a lair cousin of whom he was vorv fond and with whom he had romH'd more than once in his tin. Mi. iod days. He was aac.-Iv consideriiii: what lin shutild send her fur A preAont, when tho clash of the li. Uir uid the About ..( the aIavc, w ho usually Inlluwed the rrnarMr, sounded ill the courtyard. and the y.iung prince glanceil nut lust aa Nero aa dismounting from his gulden chariot I lushed with pleasure and kingly pride the Ikii omsrflr mshoil gaily into the atrium. Il.tv. nAtiilAomo lie i a I in ln luirple toga, his embroidered buckskin and his lung, silken hair, perfumed with precious unguent and siiArklinii ..... K. ...,.,. i uiue n'Aemi.lAiice waa there Utweeu that hapi.y, Imyish (aoo and the cruel. isiiiai rsero nr aiu-rwaMa lieeame. II. ...... ,l .... aM . .... iaa wji- ii-u .in nriiauicUA. "Ma: am ouUAin, liAAt thou Iss.ii to the forum and drawn thy name' Why, thou art lucky." as he read tho UhUl, "tlctavia is our cousin, and very lovly. I eongrAtuUt yoo." "I know not what to ud her, inurmurl Itnlaaiowa. "Samd nor a chanot and a stian of I'hrygiau "J" or (irsoan amphora, Auggeato.1 Nom. rh.au knowoat v.ry well, my csHiaia Uimi- U)A loo nf Ken's nan., ., I 1 with tho span and chariot, to onr oonain'a palace." Nay ; rather let me choose one of those ele gant (ircek v&sea in the cabinet," said Brit- anicus. It shall lie as vou wish, cousin, but use dia- natch. for I am impatient to learn bow the fair UcUvia will receive thy gift," and the emperor walked away, humming a gay air tbat he had learned that very morning from his Corinthian dancing master. So a black Nubian was sent with a beautiful vase of Samian workmanship, to the young prin cess, and Britanicus waited with ill-concealed anxiety for the mossage which should tell him of the fair girl s decision. It camo at last. Britanicus waa dining with the emperor in the great banquet hall, amid murmur of fountains and odor of (lowers. Bril liant entablatures shone on the walls. A hun dred guesU, reclining on couches, sat around the board, and throngs of slaves waited the nod of all. The young prince had just quaffed a goblet of sparkling Falernian, when the Nubian placed the cxpective missive in his hands. With a bright Hush on his boyish countenance he eagerly perused iU contenU. A delicate waxen tablet with a lordly monogram, and the engrav ing of a Venus in a car drawn by pigeons, and underneath, a few well-chosen words, signify ing her acceptance of his princely gift and prof fered courtesies that waa all, but it gave joy to Hi it aniens. As he slipped the tablet under his tunic, be caught the stern glance of his aunt. "What have you there, Britanicus?" she ask ed, reaching her hand forward, and an obedient slave carried the boy's gift to the tierce-eyed iuoen. She road it with a frown, and retain ing it, she called Nero to her and they left the room together. What could it all mean ? Britanicus won lered what he had done to make hU aunt scowl so savagely, and he felt a little indignant at her treatment of him. He could eat no mora, and risiug, he threw the garland from hit head Md walked out into the atrium. There Nero met him half an hour later. Without anv aimearance of chamre in hia man ner, tue emperor told him that Octavia would lie at the palaco that night with other company, and that the evoning would be spent in pleas ure. llritanicus hardly knew how to wait for the night-comiug. He anointed his hair and put on now rubes, and when the guesU had arriv ed, made his aupearance. as itav aud haDDV a Ikiv aa ono could wiah to tee. What a merry company it wm. The old pal aco waa bright with light, musio sounded, and the laughing voices ol the children made a pleasant chorus on the evening air. Games were iudulgod in, and in one winch wm called "Who shall lie king?" there promised to be much exciUment. Nero had been chosen by lot for tho king, and the interest of tho game d. p. nd, .1 upon the ingenuity of the monarch in r. a U.I gills i like th. tobeatow U.a my (rtetide. ' What' the ruuAia of an cmpomr and aa mjt aac4rs as a pMnan' Then you shall he an no longer. What 1 named .hall U, taUr. A alav .hall b diapauhe.1 immediately commanding such things to be done, by his va rum Mii.jeets, as would moat amuse the com ny. u hen it came the turn of llritanicus to receive orders, Nero directed him to go into the middle of the room and ting along. Although thit wm a tevere requirement for one so young, the boy, without any hesitation, stepped forward and began to ling. Hit theme was aUiut a young prince who loved a beautiful girl, and how a Heroe old witch kept him id a dreary palace, away from the light of day, and would never let him aee his love. The entire as., inl.lv listened with profound atteotioo, charmed by tho artless simplicity of his song and tho grace and beauty of the boy. There wm a hush when he cloaad. Ha saw Octavia cheek burning with blushes, and beyond her ha saw the dark face of hit auut Agrippina, re garding him with a glanos that made him hiver. " '"'" feativitiM wen over hit Mat ap proaeln. I him, and placed the tablet in his hands that he had received from Octavia "Doubtlees you would not likes to low it," she said to him, her fiery syee gleaming oa hien like a burning flame, "therefore keep it, and may thy cousin utter regret her gift," and then