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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1908)
' '. .' ' ii ,, it I l HIM - II mill II m 1 ....... ..i. ..Im.. ill I i. m ,,,..,.-MW. W-..IMIBIIHII-I W I II W , H I II W. I . T' Wll TiTW-n-H I W ..Ill, mi. - n.i.i .M.I .n 1 T'TI"-"" I ... - . II AVI flIIKll V-ZA krJ 1 1 71 n Tri I yL-W I -VAiV TAJ I Ov fl VT)1 fl k fl i'lrtt 1 W IJWf Vi V "m. . - m .V wT la doubtful if there tu ever a prouder boy r. I 1 than PuWlui Beptimlus Antonlus Geta on bu : ; I ' eleventh tlrthdir. wbta he drove to the race- v ' courss la a glided chariot with two magnlfl r"( cent black horses all his own. He had reason rto ba proud, for it Is not the lot of many boys to have the march of a notorious army halted, that their tlrthdays may be celebrated with military fames. i The fiery steeds pranoed and curveted. The bavyk 1 unsteady chariot, as clumsy as It was magnificent, 'rocked from side to side. A hundred hands were 'ready to tabs the reins should the emperor's young 'son five the nod; but, though his arms seemed al 'most pulled from their sockets and his footing shifted ' hrlta the swaying chariot, he would not five up. Boys hrera expected to be hardy and fearless la those days.. , Young Oettv had already been two years with his (father In the army, sleeping uncomplaining, It need I be on the bare ground, eating anything or nothing, 'seeing sights which our brarest men could hardly bear. He was a frank and friendly little fellow, 1 fwhose greatest pride was to endure all the hardships .that the Roman soldiers suffered. What wonder that the whole army lored him. and that the emperor, j Septlmlus Severus, preferred him to his ullen older ' brother; Oaracallal . When the brilliant cortege reached the amphithea ter where the games were to be held. Gets was placed In the seat of honor at the rlfht hand of the em peror, and a happier face than his never looked down upon an assembled audience. At the left, with a brow as black with sneer as Geta's was bright with hap piness, sat the older son, Caracalla, whose heart vu " full of bitterness at this honor paid to his brother. It was a little provincial town. The amphitheater did not begin to compare with the wonderful Colos seum at Borne. The -citizens had made great effort to adorn It suitably for the emperor.. The place re served for his train .was hung with the rjcheet dra peries the time produced, but It was not as iar re- moved from the seats of the common people as was most fitting to the Roman ideas of etiquette. . Cara calla scowled as he took his purple-driped seat; for the mass the vulgar herd, as he called them eon temptuously were so near that he could have touched them with his hand. - ' ' Geta, with shining face," watched every movement of the wrestlers. Caracalla looked Idly about with , eyes of disdain.'"-At last the climax seemed to have came. The whole amphitheater was silent In breath 'less Interest; even Caracalla began to show some . faint sign of attention. One combatant after another 'had been downed by one stalwart Roman soldier, who f sow challenged the world. Just at that moment a I luckless slave child from a tier, of seats above Cara (talla's left hand leaned too far over, lost his balance ' ! end felL and, clutching wildly at emptiness to save himself somehow, struck the emperor's heir full la the face. . Oh, what an angry Caracalla started up from the Jmrple seat and, with scowls and fierce imprecations, ordered that the unlucky child who had unintention ! ally Insulted him should at once be put to death! Pale and trembling, the little lad was dragged before I the emperor and his sons, and the deadly swords of . 1 Oaracalla's guard of soldiers were drawn from their : Eheaths. ; It was the common punishment for such an offense. Se emperor and his sons were sacred. No one iched them cnbiddensave at penalty of death. But . the little lad who had unwittingly offended was so ! small and innocent! lis scarcely comprehended it 1 all. and was more shaken by the fall than by his im jj pending doom, only realizing that some danger was sear and everyone else was looking upon him in an ger." But Geta's face alone was menaiy ana piurui. The little slave boy slipped from the soldier's grasp and flung himself down at the feet of the emperor's younger son, clinging to his robe. Tt'wnnM rmlv ttav TnAr1 hU nnnlflhmnt more f swift if It had been Caracalla's robe he seised, but ! Get was made of tenderer as well as braver stuff. Reaching gently down, he caught the little praying hands Into his own. ' Pother," ho said, "this Is my Mrthday, I have a right to a boon." I ask for the lifo of this boy." 1 But the stern emperor's face wore so look of con sent The majesty of Rome had been Insulted. .What " did the life of one slave boy matter among the mil i lions subject to his sway? To him it seemed un fitting to his dignity that such a crime. $ ten though unintentional, should go unpunished. "It is impossible, my son," he said. "Ask it no more. Give up this request and I will order a whole gladiatorial show to pleas you. But that such an in sult to an emperor's son should go unavenged! It is as impossible as that yonder Roman soldier . In the arena should be overcome by one of these barbarian Thraclans." . But Gets, with the small curly head of the slavo child between his knees, looked anxiously to the arena. Any delay was to be welcomed. "Wait, father; only wait till the games are fin ished,'' he begged. "Let the boy stay safe with me till the games are over. Then, if a Roman soldier is' still the victor, I will give him up." . The emperor looked at his favorite son. It was hard to deny him. He made a sign to the soldiers 'Who had dragged the child before him, and the swords . were sheathed. Once more every eye was fixed upon the arena, and behold! Across it came stalking the . tallest barbarian that Rome had ever seen, a giant l rudely clothed in vskin who besought an opportunity , to wrestle with the -champion. . j -My son," said the emperorand though he spoke 5 to Geta his eyes were fixed upon scowling Caracalla . '"art thou ready to risk this cause on the strength of this Thracian giant r , "Yes, oh, yes." rte Oetaj and Caracalla, sure that no Roman soldier could be overcome by a barbarian, muttered a sullen assent - , . Once more the trumpet sounded, sad the long line , i tt trail combatants marched acrcaa. Jiftrffiyy and OerUja C Bush. bowed themselves before ths emperor. High above the head and shoulders of the others towered the form of the Thracian giant Maxlmln, and even whan he knelt he was as tall on his knees as the soldiers 1 ( . w 1 I li nv.iN 'K "VT - t Li 4 L "XT. ' . ;&e ' ? Lit V- ' ' r'f It' -, - l- ' , ' f if ,1 r t',r -'I I 4 ' . V .Jk "THE JEERING CROWD SAW HIM MAKE A SLIGHT MOTION, AND THE ROMAN SOLDIEH LAY STRETCHED AT HIS FEET." "NOW. JOHNXT. HUKRTt TOC'RH "LATE TOO. BCHOOU AND PONT WASTH ItlXUTJB. standing about him. "I challenge all beholders. Come andwrestle with the power of Rome and learn bow she lays ber ene mies low," crlod the champion. One after another ad vanced and received his fall, but 'Maxlmln stood leaning against a pillar with downcast eyes. He la afraid," sneered Caracalla. Then the herald, at a word from the challenger, advanced and announced that all who feared ' might withdraw from the contest. Maxlmln walked care lessly forward to the champion; the Jeering crowd saw him make a slight motion, and the Roman sol-. dler lay stretched at hia feet- Another and another came forward to revenge the fall of their brother soldiers and In turn met defeat Seventeen times In quick succession the Thracian giant wrestled with a Roman suldler and seventeen times was easily vic torious. The life of the child at Geta's feet was saved. , "This giant shall straightway go into my army,"' said the emperor; and the Thracian left the arena, himself a soldier of Rome. O When the games were over, and the emperor and his sons driving away, they saw the barbarian, high over the heads of his companions, leaping and exult ing. As soon as he caught sight of them, he ran up to the emperor's chariot The horses were not slackened, but for mile after mile the giant ran beside them, and though they gal loped at thefr greatest speed, he lost not an inch. 'Thracian," said the emperor, astonished, "art thou disposed to wrestle efter thy race?" "Most willingly, sir," answered the unwearied Max lmln; and thereupon overthrew seven of the strongest 1. e.y;- .... 4 s- - .... I'.k GOING TO SCHOOL IN KANSAS 1 j JOHN NT LUCKILY ItfTETfi A CYClXNK. mm jtiajio. soldiers In the army. "I should not like to wrestle with him," laughed Get. "Father, thou naldHi a Roman soldier was never overcome by a barbarian." "Hush, my son, liuuh," cried the emperor. "Ia no this gia-nt now a Roman soldier? Can he be over come?" Years afterward, whrn merry Geta had long been dead, this Thracian giant did overcortle the power of Rome and became himself the emperor. But that is story for which you will have to look in your his tory. IN A LIBRARY. Abashed 1 stand, yet eager, like Aladdin awed before The cavern of enchantment, with darksome, magic door; For 'mid the cloistered shadows there wait on every side The portals of the mystic realms my word can open wide. What need of sprite or genie? ring? I have the word that opens, What use of lamp or the wonder-charm I bring; I am my own magician, when, with my waad In hand, ' I come a seeking pilgrim into the bookman's land. Why pauso in doubtful Jonging? I need but choose the gate I need but speak the magic word for which the hisses wait; The door will swing obedient and open me the way To Egypt or to Ardon, to Chile or Cathay. O covers of a wealth of books, O wlrard hinged doors. What treasures do you lock from me, what wonder realm is yours! t Nay, mine, all mine to conjure with, the simple ABC- The charm I learned, a little child, beside my mother's knee. Abble Farwell Brown. MR. SNAIL'S DOWNFALL Robert W. Dutton. EATED at the table, the children were enjoy. ins their luncheon, and Atmt Matilda was busily engaged in waiting upon them, when one of them asked in a rather rude manner to be helped to something. Without seem ing to notice the child's rudeness, the old woman, after quietly helping the little one, said; "Yo' know, ehU'ren. dat it don't cost nuthin'. to be purlite, but. at de same time, yo' is pwine to gain a lot mo' by bein' so In dls here world." mitCH IS COIN ( HIS W At, The little onegad ceased eating as the old woman 1 spoke, wondering to which one of them her words i were addressed. But she seemed to benpeaklng to ail of them as she continued: "Purlltenees makes mighty oay goin', no matter whar yo' is trablln', and de want of it is a load dat pulls yo' back mo an' mo' de furder yo' go. Yo' know, de snail he flew high an' fee flew fas' till his impurltteness done stop him." "Why, Aunt Matilda," exclaimed the children,, in surprise, "the snail never could fly!" "Mr. Snail flew once" on a time, phU'ren," the old woman insisted; "an he 'd been a-flyln' yit 'cordln' to Mr. Wlzzle WuzZle, but fur bis lmpurllteneas. " He allow dat Mr. Snail In de olden time fly fas', an' dat 1 Mr. Snail fly high, an' dat he was all I tells yo'. How. Bomever, de lion, which is de king of de besstea, as he was den. give a feast one day. To dat feast King Lion 'vltod all de beastes, all de birds, an' all de res' of de world. An, chil'ren, dey all come; fur, w'ile dey was dem dat ain't likin' him, dey know dat when King Lion say 'Come, he don't say, 'Come if yo' kin', ! or 'Come if conwenient,' an' so dey all come." "Where did the lion give the feast?" Interrupted one of the little 'ones. "Dat I diBremembers, honey." replied the old j woman, "but de feast was given, an' dey was all hav- ! in' as fine a time as yo' want to see, when Mr. Snail, , who sot nex' to Mr. Fox at de table, flndln dat de ! soup want Jes a pinch of salt, says to Mr. Fox, 'Pass dat salt dls way.' He never say, 'May I trubble yo' iur 11c mm or h gooa 'nun to pass de salt dls way,' or 'De salt, if yo' please.' No, indeedy; he did n't nuthin' t all like dat, spite de fac" dat he wag ria well as de best of 'em. He Jes say, 'Pass dat Bait dls way.' All dem dat hear him mighty s'prtsed to hear sech impurliteness, an' as Mr. Fox purlltely pass de salt to Mr. Snail, all look at King Lion to see what he gwin say or do 'bout it."' !,d the llon d0 or Bav anything, Aunt Ma tilda? chorused the children. "King Lion did n't do anything, an' he did nt say anything. Jes den." h U7AJK nvr in' Hav woa .It 'kA..t 4 j . 1 . 1 iwrih uywn to wnar jwr. Hnall Rot: 'Dar is n anything dat I knows of no pnur Koin' nuiH dar is n't anv nlace whar An want u wl. as at datable, 'specially when yo is 'vited to some 1 other table dan yo' own. I In sorry to' say,' King I Lion go on. lookln' mighty fierce toward Mr. Snail. , dat one of yo' sittln at dls here table done furgit all dls. Sech furgitfulness I can't 'ford to let go by widout noticin' of it. an', wldput mentionin' any names, I is 'bligd to say dat after dis dy da one I ! has in mind will be hidden frum de rest of yo' an flyfnr CraWl ''ng d6 faC8 f dB eartb 'atea'd of "An frum dat day to dis, chil'ren," said the old woman, impressively, "Mr. Snail done hid hisself ia a Bhell, an' crawls 'long, 'bout de mos' 'splsedeit creetur in all de world." vws AND-Bft ARRIVES ftf TI5TB. Jill 1 ,
