Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-03
BY HERMAN II. HEATH.
CHAPTER Y.
THE EVENING WALK.

1t will be remembered that on the
evening of, and few hours previously to,
the nnptials, Maximin had desired to have
another interview with the old Thracian
Homedus. The meeting. however. did not
take place on the day following tine nup-
tials, as MaNimin had suggested, for many
days were devoted to the reception of the
thousands who thronged the ancient
palace Of Ormerous: all cmulous. not
only OF doing honor to the hero of their
country, MaXimin; but they had come
from remote regions to look upon the
beautiful bride of the centurian, whose
fame for excellence was equal to that of
her surprising loveliness.
Within the halls of that Thracian
palace, then, for many days, were the
crowds going to and fro: themaster thereof
feeling too weighty sense of the reflected
honor bestowed upon his children, to
desire for single moment to stay the
human torrent that ebbed and flowed,
seemingly with force as strong as that
which raises the oceans face upward to
the sky.
At length, MaNimin began to grow
impatient of the wearisOme attentions of
the pilgrims to the shrine of his bridal,
and determined to avail himself of the
long desired interview with the white
headed old Thracian in whose divinations
he did, it must be confessed, have not a
little faith. 1t is the nature of man now
it was in the daysyof the Casars,-to
believe those things to be true, which we
hope, and deem it all but impossible,
when our schemes are well laid, that we
shall not succeed. What man desires to
win, he always expects to gain.
One evening, while Maximin and Vol
untina were enjoying quiet hour in the
extensive gardens of Ormerous, each
drinking in the gentle sweetness of con-
genial conversation-the frail, though
happy bride leaning upon the stalwart
arm of her more tllan happy lord, like the
tender ivy that cling to the rugged oak
Of the mountain, the topic of discourse
rested upon the return of Maximin to
Rome.
Nay, nay, dearest Maximin," sighed
the young bride, ''thou canst not leave
me here. and go thyself to the capitol,
canst thou {"
cit suits me i'll, Voluntina," replied
MaXimin, to 60 hence, and part with
thee again: but have labors yonder,"
SAID he, pointing towards Rome, ." which
it We're well for me to do
"Then why shall not attend on thee"
"Rome, sweet creature, is one fell pest
house, now. Carracalla, that infamous
prince, who would his father have muir
dered, and who did his brother assassi-
nate, rides sorely over even the Senate's
heads, and grinds down in the dust, not
only proud patrician families, but stalks
among the plebean crowd like one des-
tructive, bowling beast.
But, doth he not bear thee more hate,
dear MaXimin, than well accords with
thy safety, in his corrupt and dangerous
court" suggested Voluntina.
Truly and deeply Carracalla hates
me; but while he fears me, he knows full
well my hate for him is also deep and
abiding, and that | possess no fearing
thought of him. The army, tho bought
by him, is as true to me as my own right
arm. And then, the Senate, too,-my
friends are the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. all"
AT this point in the conversation, the
noble couple wandered far from the palace
and turned to retrace their steps, but
through another path than that by which
they came. Passing an angle of the high
walls of the enclosure, Maximin was at
first surprised to hear voice, or voices,
as If in earnest argument upon some very
important question.
"Hark,-Voluntina hearst thou not
the low and earnest murmuring from yon
crumbling arch2"
ooh, yes; It's old Homedus you re-
collect him, do you not, my gentle lord.
He was once your favorite among all our
fathers old men,
81 recollect him well, Voluntina; but
let us step within yon shady bower, and
hear, which we may then, what thus en-
crosses this ancient child Of Thrace."