The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1862-09-12
nOvy TWO EEEROGNEs DIED.

In the year "Ol, at Carthage, suffered
tvu lcmal,s, Viva Pcrpetua and Felici-
tus.
Perpctua was widow OF two and
twenty, Of r. spectacle rank, great ACC IN
plishm. nts, aud, at the tune OF her trial,
the mother OF an iniaGt child. With the
other members OF htr family. cx.
crpt her Vthcr, shc had en- bruced the
Christian fuith and WITS Gbt Ut tu be bap-
TIED, when information was lodged again
h as being a disciple Of the forbidden
religion. She AID her companions were
kept under guard for somc d. ys before
they were cast into prison, during this
time Pcrpttua was visited by her father,
who lIycd her with great affection. lie
knew the danger she was in, oud grievcd
TO lose such loving daughter; he carn-
estly bcsought her 10 rccntt aud br re-
stored to her afflicted family. Pointing
t. Uv,su which stood on the lloo she said
."Cun you gv' aLy ether name than vase
to that veSsul" and her father answers, d
in tho negative. 'Neihcr, add shc,'cun
| coll myself by any cth,r name than
that of a Christian"
Although she loved her father much,
she knew her duty, "to cb,y God rather
than man" Her father lett her, ard for
several days she did not see him. Du.
ring this period She WIS baptized, when
she again gave herst IT TO God, and be-
sought him to give her patience in the
timo Of triHl.
She aud her cCmpanions were at last
cast into Il dark, dismal prison to await
their trial. VIVA, being well educated,
wrote an account OF what thcy suffered.
She says, 81 was terrified at il, Cor | had
ulycr been in such darkness. Oh fearful
day! | was torn with anxiety about my
infant; but by tho aid OF the dcacons OF
the church my dear child was brought to
me, and we were removed TO u more npc n
partSf the prison, where | sucked the
babe, who was dying Of hunger. | then
had to part with him ognin; but was
satisfied. was as happy us if WAS in
u palace"
The miserable father forgetting his an.
ger in his grief, and learning that an cx.
animation of the prisoners was to take
place the following day, visited his duugh,
ter, and Uguin implored her 10 recant.---
"Think," said lac, "of your mother, ycuI
auut; think ofyour little son who cannot
1.-Two without you" lie then threw him.
self at her feet, weeping as ii his heart
were broken. She answered TO her low
ing iather's enJreatils, that while moth.
ing on earth wtu!d have pleuse and
delighted her more than TO obey him,
she could not do 50 to displease and DISC
hey God.'
The next day she was summoned,while
dining with her fellow w-prisoncrs, to the
tribunal, TO be cXsminGd in the presence
OF vast cuncourse Of people, who had as
hembled to witness the riul. VNia's
turn at last came, and she was about to
conless that she was Christian, when q
noise was heard in the court. twas her
father forcing himself through the crowd,
with her lite infant son in his arms, %
make in that affecting manner, his last
appeal TO change her mind. Tho Judge
was moved to tears at this sight, aud said
Squire the old age ofyour luther, and The
helplcssness of your inlant" then added,
"Are youa Christian!"
She replied, II am; have lived, and
am resolved to die, Christian"
lifl lHNhNA hhN lbh OIuAItu 10 WIN
draw, but lingering, as all fond parents
would do in such trying circumsi anees,
he received blow from the staff of one
Of the officers. ..-
Viva says,I felt that blow, given to
my iather, as il ii had fallen on my own
head.n
The prisoners were then sent to their
cells to await the execution OF their SEN
tencc, which was to be thrown TO the
wild beasts. Perpetua sent 10 ask her
father to allow her to have tho company
OF her child during tho few hours she had
to live. He had however, refused
comply with her request, as he thought
he might yet iduee her TO sacrifice to the
gods, But he sought an interview. She
was greved TO have ii; still she would
not 0eny her fathers request. He was
admitted. Frantic with grief, he tore bis
hair, tell on the ilour, used every entreaty;
but TO no purpose; her heart was in heav-
en-. She trusted in Christ to the last and
final hour.
Felicitas her companion had also lit.
tie iniunt daughter only II few days old
hfe' a fervent prayer in her behalf, she
with the utmost composure, gave her over
to her sister, and appeared free from al
earthly care. Ht4
The hour at last came when they wer,
led TO the anphhheater, TO wltncss govs