Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-13

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Voluntina gazed silently upon him:
some ghastly dream seemed to have
chained her fancy. She only paused in
her continual tread to and fro across the
apartment.
"Dost comprehend lady al tell thee
thy husband, Maximin is dead-Maceni-
us hath killed him, not three hours since.
Now, thou needest have no scruples: for
Twill be unto thee, even more loving than
thy late husband could be: I II make thv
whole familynoble. Dost yield? Speak.
LADY,"
Like statue Voluntina again stood, as
she paused, gazing with vacant stare, as
II half ignorant of the words she heard.
And so she. was TO all save the sound,
their meaning she was past divining.
"Ah, | do love thee, beauteous crea-
ture, said the Emperor, rs he advanced,
with open arms, as if to clasp her. Just
then a loud shout and tramp, as of a
numerous body of men, caught the ear of
Carracalla, which caused him to rclin-
quish the intention, for moment, of
embracing his victim.
This hustle and this shout was the
noise of the arrival of Maximin and the
Senators who had followed him. The
morning was just dawning, and the mob
from the Senate had now become consid-
erably enlarged by the hundreds of plcbi-
ans, who, rising early, had caught the
shouts of the infuriated Senate, and had
joined it.
Maximin led the whole mass, MANY
PAGES III advance: being, as he was,
swift runner As he came into the outer
porch of the palace he espied the two ruff
fans just dispatched from Carracalla
passing out. Detecting them at once as
those pointed out to him at the banquet,
during the preceding night, he rushed
upon them in the widest rage, clenchine
each with hand at the same moment.
"Nillains," he cried, "lead me to the
chamber where the Emperor hath NV
wife, or by eternal Jove, We never shall
breathe again."
Terror-stricken at this unexpected
event, the two comrades in Carracallas
crime were impelled by the strong arms
OF MaNimin within the palace. Here,
letting go his gripe on them, he drew the
| huge dagger yet red with the blood of
Macenius.
q Now lead on" cried he, in thund der
| tones. Lead on, nor hesitate whilst
one may tell five, or We both die from
this dagger and go straight tell thee,
lead me straight, or periled are thy lives:
Beneath the frowning daggers of the
enraged Maximin, the two villains led the
way towards the apartment wherein they
had, at the Emperor's command, lodged
the wife of MaNimin. They dared not
deviate, else death were certain. and in
slant.
'Yonder lieth the chamber" said one of
the villains, pointing to an apartment at
the head of long, wide hall. By this
time the entire body of Maximin's follow
ers had arrived, and stood with him in
the palace.
Bounding forward, he threw his massive
weight against the door, which yielding
to the pressure, burst open as if it pos
sessed no power of resistance. There
MaXimin saw the Emperor and his wife
the former not yet recovered from the pos
ture in which we last saw him, ready to
embrace the Thracian' 5 bride.
'tOh, thou damned impersonation of
horror, thou eternal villain, tyrant and
traitor, die, die, die, and down to the
eternal pit of woe and misery be accursed
throughout the ages yet to come," cried
the infuriated MaXimin, as he rushed upon
the Emperor, literally covering him with
gaping wounds with the fatal dagger.
Bring those two other accursed vii
lains-this tyrant's aiders in this nights
horrid work. Come forth, men-come
forth, say"
The two unfortunate men were thrust
into Maximin's hands by the infuriated
mob, and ere word of mercy he from
them heard, plunged his reeking blade deep
into their hearts, and cast them upon the
magnled and bleeding corse of the Empe-
ror. Then turning to his comrades, he
said
Romans and brothers, at last | rid
you of your tyrant. Go now to your
places in peace. Senators, | will meet
you in the Senate at the appointed time"
A loud shout went up from those who
stood around, when they knew that the
oppressive tyrant, Carracalla, was no
more; while Maximin pressed forward to
clasp his wife, who was already surround
ed by her father, Homedus, and many
other friends. Voluntina recognized Max
imin at once; her stupor passing instantly
off when she beheld that he was not dead,
but in her presence, and revenged upon
his enemy and her outrager.
The crowd seemed quickly to disperse,
for every man was anxious first to bear
the glad news to his friends, and proclaim
to the city the end of the scourges of
Rome, and the curse of the empire Vol