Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-08-09
a select gale.
EARLY CHRISTIANS.
A TALE OF HEATHEN ROME.

TALE OF HEATHEN ROME.
In the reign of Marcus Aurelius Anto-
MUS, there lived in Rome good old sem
ator, who had two daughters. Veronica
and Berenice were noted, less for their
beauty and gentleness, than for the extra
ordinary resemblance they bore to each
other, and their mutual affection. These
girls were twins, their mother had died
during their infancy, and it was found,
after her death, that a mothers eye only
had been enabled TO distinguish the chill
dren. Had their father. Flavius Torqua-
tus, bestowed much OF his attention on
them, he might have acquired the same
power OF discrimination but the noble
patrician's hours were divided between the
senate-house and the court ; and when he
came home at night, wearied, he was well
enough pleased to play with his two sweet
little girls without farther troubling himself
concerning them. And yet he was kind
father; he entreated his widowed sister to
take up her abode with him, that she might
take care of the children; he allotted for
their use magnificent suit of rooms he
purchased for them a numerous train of
slaves. Veronica and Berenice had scarce
ly a wish ungratfed.
AS they increased in years, the remark
able similarity of their persons remained
undiminished, but their characters became
essentially different. Berenice was pen
siye, gentle. it might be somewhat melan-
choly, studious, and fond of retirement
Veronica was volatile, giddy, of quick
and warm affections, yet did these points
of difference not lesson their fond affec-
ton.
They had completed their sixteenth
year, when among other presents brought
by their father on his return from visit
to the East, was young female slave OF
extraordinary intelligence and merit. She
soon became the faYorite Of Berenice, and
the noble young Roman would frequently
recline for hours on her couch, while the
slave beside her, occupied at her embroid-
cry, would tell her tales of her own family
and native land. She wept when she
spoke of her peaceful home and aged pa
rents, and Berenice felt as though she loved
the girl more for her fond regret She
asked her for what cause her liberty had
been forfeited, for she knew that Alec had
not been born a slave. but on this point
she could obtain no satisfaction. Berenice
would not pursue the painful subject, but
her sisters curiosity was not SO easily
suppressed. She questioned her father,
and the reply of Flavius made both his
daughters start with horror.
" II was for crime" he said, " for crime
of blacker nature than you can conceive :;
for crime that merited death. but | pitied
her youth nay," he continued, " be not
alarmed, she cannot, will not injure you
she is gentle and skillful in the healing art,
for this reason | have her about YOU, and
You are Romans, and noble, Berenice
You will not descend to undue familiari-
ty with a slave"
Berenice heard this Injunction; she meant
to obey it; but shortly after this converse
ton she was attacked by painful illness,
and the tedious hours of sleepless nights
she could not refrain from desiring Alec to
tell her stories, and sing her songs, as she
had been wont to do. Often and often, as
she watched the quick short step of her al
tendant, and compared her wearied ASST
duty and gentle activity with the Incidence
and carelessness of her other slaves, she
wondered what could be the crime of which
so meek and unoffending creature had
been guilty. One night, she felt worse
than usual, and having persuaded her sis
ter TO retire for while, she lay perfectly
still, meditating on the past, and on the
future, the fearful future, of which she
knew SO little, and which she so much
dreaded, Alec was kneeling by her couch,
and believing her mistress TO be asleep,