Southern telegraph., 1838-11-28

savage yelled, and spouIed out blood, fled
bowling round tho arena. But the hand
still grasped the name and there his conque-
ror was dragged whirIing 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 at every vein,
was still too terrible, and all snrunk from the
hazard. AT last the grasp gave way, and
the body lay motionless upon the ground.
"What happened for some moments after
| know not. There was struggle at the
Portal;a female forced her way through the
guards, rushed in alone, and flung herself
upon the victim. The sight of a new prey
reused the lion; he tore the ground with his
talons-he lashed his streaming sides with
his tail; he lifted up his name, and barred his
fangs. But his approach was no longer with
bound; he dreaded the sword, and came
snufiing the blood on the sand, and stealing
round the body in circuits still diminishing.
"The confusion in the vast assemblage
was now extreme. Voices innumerahle
called for aid. Women screamed and fain.
ted men burst into indignant clamors al
this prolonged cruelty. Even the hard
hearts ofthe populace, accustomed as they
were to the sacrifice OF life, were aroused to
honest curses. Their guards grasped their
arms, and waited for sign from the Empe-
ror. But Nero gave no sign.
81 lookedupon the woman's face. II was
Salome! i sprang upon my feet; ! called
her by every feeling of nature to fly from
that place of death, 10 come to my arms, TO
think ofthe agohies of all that love her.
"She had raised the head of Constanius
on her knee, and was wiping the pale visage
with her hair. At the sound of my voice
she locked UP, and calmly casting back the
locks fr0m her forehead, fixed her eyes upon
me. She still knoIt; one hand supported
the head, with the other she pointed to it, as
her only answer. | again adjured her.
There was the silence Of death among the
thousands around me. A fire flashed in her
eyes-hcr cheek burned. She waived her
hand with an air ofsuperb sorrow.
~ nm come to die" she uttered in a lof-
" tnnc. "This bleeding body was my hus-
tand. have no father. The world con-
toins to me but this clay in my arms. YETI
and she kissed the ashy lips before her
"Yct, my Corstantius, it was to save thai
father that your generous heart defied the
peril Of this hour. Ii was to redeem hin
from the hand Of evil, that you abandoned
your quiet home yes, cruel father, here
lies the noble being that threw open you
dungeon, that led you safe through the con
hagration, that 10 the last moment of his lib
erly only thought how he might preserve an
protect you" Tears at length fell in flood
from her eyes. "But," said she in ton
of wild power, che was betrayed, and ma
the powers whose thuhders avenge the caus
of his people, pour down just retrbution up
on the head that dared up
81 heard my own condemnation about
be pronounced by the lips Of my child
Wound up to the last degree Of suffering,
tore my hair, leaped upon the bars befor
me, and plunged into the arena by her sid
The height stunned me; toltered few p;
ces and fell. The lion gave roar M
sprang uponme. Hay helpless under hin
| felt his fiery breath--I saw his lucid ely
glariug; heard the crashing of his viii
fangs about me.
: Gan exnlting shout arose. l saw him re-
as if struck gore filled his jaws. Anoth'
: mighty blow was driven to his heart. i
sprang high in the air with howl. /
dropped-he was dead. The amphitheat
: numbered with acciamations.
"Whie SaIome was clinging to my b
som, Constantius raised inc from the groun
I The roar of the lion had reused him fro
/; his swoon, and two blows saved me. II
: falchion was broke in The heart of the mo
ster. The whole multitude stood up, su
: pIcating for our lives in the name of fill
: piety and heroism. Nero, devil as he wa
T dared not resist the strength of the popul
t feeling. He waived signal to the guard
1 the portal was opened; and my childre
It sustaining my feeble steps and shower
e with garlands and ornaments from immune
: able hands, slowly led me from the aren
i SaldthieI.