Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-11-01

Roman officer who feels himself slighted and
insulted.''
With feelings of revenge burning, Volcano
like, in his breast, Marcus sprung from his seat;
| and as though he had his victim already in his
| clutches, he began pacing his little apartment
| with a fiendish sort of delight, while the i'm
plements of military life lay in profusion
around him.
| ssBut, Yertitia gay and loving Vertitia =
Can Marcus prove thus recreant to thy plight
! ed love? 1 know thy heart is mine, though
| fathers whims may deny me thy hand;" and
| Marcus threw himself again on the old bench
| and burst into tears.
| There is an affection so powerful, that it
readily expells all others from the breast, and
| rules the minds of the sternest men with inf
mite ease. Though, when absent, the basest
| and most malignant passions may fill up and
occupy it's place, yet, soon as it returns, these
| intruders fee aghast, and resuming its seat in
the heart itrules again the whole man with the
| same mysterious and potent influence as form
erly. It's presence in the midst of the unruly
passions of the mind, is like oil poured upon
the turbulent waters of the deep. This is the
affection of pure and ardent lore; and not
even the rude, hardened soldier, or the stern
commander of armies can resist its allaying,
calming power.
SO we see in the case of Marcus. The idol
of his heart had been lost sight of in the tu-
multuous emotions that agitated his soul, but
the moment it returned again to his view, he
is subdued by its strange influence, and lies
| weeping like child, ashamed, yea, even
alarmed at his own cruel and perfidious
| thoughts.
s.But,'' said he, again springing to his feet,
| ''does not my honor as an officer in the army
demand it ~
Just at this moment an intimate friend, and
| an officer of the same rank with himself, hur-
| riedly entered. His face was red and glowing,
| and large drops of sweat were standing pro-
fusely on his forehead, while over his features
played secret, heartfelt delight.
s.Come, come!'' said he to Marcus, sscomc
quickly"
ssWhy; what's the matter ?''
go, the best sport that's ever been seen in
Rome"
EsWhat burning christians ?''
ssYes and I have just been helping for an
hour to pitch them into the flames. Only to
see how they writhe and torture, and scream,
| and tumble about, and spring up and down, and
some of them leaping clean out again! And
then the fun of catching them, and pitch
| ing them back O. its worth all the gladiato-
rial shows and fights you ever seen.''
| For the life of him, Marcus could not help
| frowning, and casting a look of indignation at
| his friend. Much as he thought the cursed
sect deserved death, yet he could not hear of
| such a wholesale destruction of life without
| the most painful feelings. Hence turning round
and deliberately seating himself, he said:
seAll burnt without ceremony, reckon
sNo, - said his friend, ssthe Emperor
graciously condescends to give them trial.
He is now in the Forum hearing their cases;
and as soon as half-a-dozen or so are found
| guilty, they are handed over to his officers
and guards, who drag them out, and pitch
| them into the fiameS."
ssBut come; make hast! It's grand sport,
assure you,'' said his friend, growing rather
| impatient.
s.Rather monstrous sport, said Marcus, ,drily.
| s|But how does the Emperor find out that
they are christians he inquired.
s'Confess, or not confess; all the same
| thing,'' replied his friend.
In few moments Marcus, having put on his
officers visor, and girt his short sword at his
side, was hurrying up the banks of the Tiber
with his eager and excited friend.
| We shall not attempt at present to describe
the monstrous spectacle which these young Of
ficers had gone to witness, and participate in.
1t must suffice to say, that in the great square
in front of the Roman Forum, several large
fires had been kindled, and were kept amply
supplied with fuel by the Emperor's slaves
Around these were congregated thousands of
boisterous, drunken citizens, with hearts hard
| ened into steel, and destitute of all the tender
| feelings of common humanity.
Every few minutes a company of soldiers
were seen forcing their way through the jeer-
ing, laughing crowd, dragging after them men
and women of all ages, and with horrid oaths
and curses, hurting them indscrimately into
the flames, while their fervent prayers and dy-
| ing groans were drowned by the shouts of the
rabble multitude.
/ That night about one hundred of Gods peo-
pie were consigned to the flames, and their bo-
dies burnt to ashes; while their spirits, releas-
| ed from their frail tenements of clay, fed away
to that bright world of which they had often
dreamed, to be dressed in robes of white and
to Join with the souls under the Altar in the
cry, .show long Lord, how long 70
Indeed the wholesale work of death contin-
ued till late hour, and until the stencil of
the consuming bodies became so intoierable
I a