Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-11
acrus,a1l.a p.,nt.a Srsss I,f,

- uNNltM VI NNteNNa
'.ke,chsl entitled .scehes ID the Transition
|Aee from Cesar 90 aChrist.n There iss
tsrriblo reality about the following one,
A young soldier, nsmtd Rapax said 70 Q
.0reek Artlat visiting himi
"By che way, Ihave . picture Of the Cru
cihKion undergoing completion In yopder
building; be pleased 10 accompany me
Afler stopping awhile TO speak with
.Omaof III sgarden slaves. who we're plant-
ing lows Of onions beside the hedges Of
Roses, and educating a number Of large
leaved ivy plants oyerA rocky knollL-he
led the way 70 thick grove % tall, DARK
pres, surrOundlhg accomplishing ssrpc-
Iture taH tsE y 40 ,s.s.a -
sThe slave now suaering erucisxiou
Iyonder,n continued Rabax, In on under:
tone, a. he pointed TO tho building referred
. 70. SIS syrian, eond. NM d for attempting
10 originate conspiracy smong the slaves
'of bis nation In Rome. By right he should
have been delivered 10 the public exeeu-
tlonsr. but having tho object which have
mentioned In viog, from my interest ct
the Palace, essiIy procured the warrant
of death, aud had him brought hliher N suf-
Ter his punishment. II natter little, but ss
tbis course is not usual, my friends,s who
hre all interested In art, will consider the
affair az privne, especially as lfmeutioned
abroad, the slave population, now becone
90 enormous, might take exception, and
ereate . riot, as theyd have several times
hone OF late--you uuderstands" srn ~
As he spoke they wers ascending the
ateps OF the building, and In q feW moments
entsred large strium or hall, whose
windows were closed. and Into which the
ouly Hight admitted fell through q small
opsnink In the impluyium, across the
greater portion or which q thick awning
had been spread. Saving on the narrow
space beneath where tho dim glow OF light
'ell, the rest OF the chamber was Lost In
shadow.
20 still, cold and dark, was the place
that Rspax aud hls company, coming 10
from the strong glare noon, pansed awhile
before they could distinctly ses its inmates.
when the objecu revealed by the light met
their view, they remained motionless,
struck, Il would seem BY some feelings
akin 70 ave. 30 deadly chill vAs The air
OF tie gloomy stone chamber, that sym
pathetic shiver passed thu dugh their frames
Still standing 10 the deeper shadow neal
the walls, 90 silent that their advent vas
unpcrceived, they regarded for some
minutes the scene before them. fi f
There were but two ngufos In the cham
Der. .rt rsifs ~ aifv uI7yEg
eussrIon, the palnter, stood before .
large panel which rested on an easel, pain
ting with fierce rApidlty the head Of q
ngure, powerfully drawn and colored,
from which he ever and anon turned his
strong eager eyca, eagle like, 10 the shvA 20
yet calm intensity Of their expression, To-
ward his model. Of aH. --
Al lInls distance, where the light fell
stroBgest, appeared a naked figure nailed
90 cross, whose lower trunk, fixed In a
deep aperture in the pavement, was but
uessedwiLh hesyyblocks ofeemented stone.
The man, one OF strong frame and 10 the
prime Of life, who had been already two
days under punishment. exhibited In every
llneameut ths horrible Effects Of the cruel.
dxion agony, The body, wasted with pain
and emaciation, was quickly turning livid,
the great muscles twitehed sp ismodle ally
mo swollen arteries OF the neck throbbec
ylsiblyJ the death sweat yickled In SLOW
droPs from the pals aDguishei btov. The
eyelids had failep, but occasionally whom
bone excruelating pang centsred In. the
hesrt or head, opened o moment, dlsclo-
Sing the fading life looking nom the dark,
protTuded, blOod-shot ofbs with piteous
ghastliness. The breast heaved with short,
quick breathing, interrupted by palm and
the Wild tumult OF the blood; and Ia the
horrible thlrs. OF the crucinxion fever the
Idyiug Alayo rolled hla dry tongue, bitten
aud crusted with gore about hls burnipg
Jaws, feebly moaning. A dull sjckeninV
odor pervAded tho chamber. Ever and
anon vulture wheeled about The roof, OF
perched on the aide, Of Ats narrow light
opening, now looked on the dying man
pow whetted his beak on thy stone, aut
agAln soaring, cast on his hvld form for I
'e:ond, as it gyrated, the siniater shadow
Nof It's Wings. alrE vtW.p ID.
Even the Appearance Of susarion, who
Ambitious Of achieving mastery work o.
art, and conscious Of tho lransitory naturI
of the effects he sought y. Initiate, had
worked uninterruptedly fort two days Ant
nlghts, struck the sllent Rronp OF visitor
as CHASTITY aud terrible. Pate, hAggArd, II
pitllesA abe trActiou, his nerce eyes det citing
his unshaken hand representing each prom
lnent aspect Of pain and phenomenon o
dis, olution, no stood, painting death Il
whose shadow be stood, a thopgh 70
The nonce the din, remoraeless PhAnton
had become tho genius OF HE genius.
Though ne warrior, magistrate, either
Sapax had been Injured TO scenes Of dealt
which were oonsiSntly before lbe eyes {
he Romans In their daily life OF buslness an
Amusement, TIE scenes TO which he ha
Invited his artist friends had init somethln
possibly nom being dIaeonnecteA wit
ordinaFy aaeociaLions-uwhich ppssesse
him for time with Az, underlined superSt
tlouS feeling. Upon the Greeks, also, hi
scene, despite their love Of art, caused 9
distAstefnl and awful Impression that the
remained clustered In tho deep dlstaI
sbadow. ia FIcIeH
susArion, Absorbed In study and ext
ehtlon, seemed, still unconscious OF Oh
presepce Of the company. Once, vhe
eArTyiDg biz brush loaded With red color Il
the panel, q drop fell on the painted mel
lmaglng one Of blood 80 lmitabiy, thai
starling back, he muitsred, fortune favor
me, ''and then proceeded With intense eAI
peptness 70 bring out acme Of the shadow
linse Of death already deepening the fac
or HE fearful model Is5s .-r,
'1n,the Interior, meanwhile, tle rest Of Ii
kcoinpaDy stood apart eonyetslng. ~
a change At hast came over hhs aumme
day. The akF had become enveloped 4
black storm clouds % rapidly that the IN
MATES Of this chamber started 90 sudden We
II thu dafknesg which had fallan from M