Litchfield enquirer., 1832-11-22
THRILLING SKETCH. E,o,, SclcShssl.

s1'Ns77 54-t& 'sft. THRILLING SKETCH.
 From Salathisi.
 A portal of the arena opened, and the combatant, with mantle thrown over his face and figure, was let in, surroundery.- The lion roared and ramped against the bars of his den at the sight. The guard put sword and buckler into the hands of the Christian, and he was left alone. He drew the mantle from his face, and bent slow and firm look round the amphitheatre. His fine coun,enance and lofty bearing raised a universal shout of admiration. He might have stood for an Apollo encounter ing the Python. His eye at last turned on mine. Could believe my senses! Con- stantius was before me-.
 'All my rancor vanished. An hour past | could have struck the betrayer to the heart; I could have called on the severest vengeance of man and heaven to smite the destroyer of my child. But to see him hopelesslg doomed the man whom bad honored for his noble qualities, whom had ever loved, whose crime was at the worst but the crime of giving way to the st, ongest temptation that can bewlder the heart of man, to see this noble creature flung to the savage beast, dying in tortures, torn piecemeal before my eyes, and his misery wrought by me, would have ob- tested earth and heaven to save him. But my tongue cleaved to the roof of my mouth. My limbs refused to str. could have thrown myself at the feet of Nero; but sat like a man of stone-pale-paralyzed -,he beating of my pulses stopped-my eyes alone alive.
 'The gate of the den was throwa back and the lion rushed in with roar and a bound that bore him half across the arena. saw the sword glitter in the air when it waved again, it was covered with blood.-- A howl told that it had been driven home. The lion, one of the largest from Numi- dia, and made furious by thirst and hunger, an animal of prodigious power, crouched for an instant, us if to make sure of his prey. crept lew paces onward, and sprung at the victims throat. He was met by n second wound, but his impulse was irresist- | ible. A cry of natural horror rang around the amphitheafre. The struggle was now for an instant life or death. They rolled over eaci, other; the lion reared upon his hind feet, and with gnashing teeth and dis. tended talons, plunged on the man again they rose together. Anxiety was now a, its widest height. The, sword now swung round the champions head in bloody eir- cles. They fell again covered pi:h blood and dust. The hand of Constaniius had grasped the lions mane, and the furious bounds of the monster could not loose the hold but his strength was evidently giv- ing way he still struck terrible blows, but each was weaker than thesone before till collecting his whole force for a last effort, he darted one mighty blow into the lions throat and sunk. The savage yelled, and spouting out blood, fled bowling round the arena. But the hand still grasped the mane, and his conqueror was dragged whirlng through the dust at his heels. A universal outcry now arose to save him if he were not already dead. But the lion, though bleeding from every vein. was still too terrible, and all shrunk from the haz- ard. At last the grasp gave way, and the body lay motionless upon the ground.
 What happened for some minutes after know not. There was struggle at the portal a female forced her way through the guards, rushed in alone, and flung her- eEtt upon tHc NICtlus uO 1sSut Ot n0W prey reused the lion he tore the ground with his talons; he dashed his streaming side with his tail he lifted up his n,ane, and barred his fangs. But his approach ing was no longer with bound he dread- ed the sword, and canle snufing the blood on the sand, and stealing round the body in circuits still diminishing. G
 sThe confusion in the vast assemblage was now extreme. Voices innumerable called for aid. Women screamed and fain,ed, men burst into indignant clamours at this prolonged cruelty. Even the hard hearts of the populace, accustomed as they were to the sacrifices of life, were reused to honest curses. The guards grasped their arms, and waited for a sig9 from the emperor. But Nero gave no sign.
 II looked upon the woman's face; it was Salome! I sprang upon my feet. I called on her name called on her by eve- ry feeling of nature to fly from that place of death, to come to my arms, to think of the agonies of all that loved her. @
 sShe had raised the head of Constan- tius on her knee, and was wiping tlse pale