The weekly union record. [volume] (Oroville, Calif.) 1864-1866, 1865-12-09
A Roman Hero.

for two years, pining and sickening in
his loneliness, while in the meantime
the war continued, and at last victory
50 decisive was gained by the Romans,
that the people of Carthage were dis
couraged, and resolved to ask terms Of
peace. They thought that no one would
be so readily listened to at Rome as
Regulus, and they therefore sent him
there with their ENJOYS, having first
made him swear that he would come
back to his prison if there should neither
be peace nor an exchange of prisoners.
They little knew how much more true
hearted Roman cared for his city than
for himself, for his word than for his life.
Worn and detected, the captive warrior
came to the outside of the gates of his
own city, and there paused, refusing to
enter. Il am no longer a Roman
citizen" he said 81 am but a barbara
ans slave, and the senate may not give
audience to strangers within the walls
His wife Marcia ran out to greet him,
with his two sons, but he did not look
up, and receive their caresses, as one
beneath their notice, as mere slave,
and he continued, in spite Of all en-
treaty, to remain outside the city, and
would not even 90 to the little farm he
had loved so well. The Roman senate,
as he would not come into them, came
out to hold their meeting in the Cam
pagna. The ambassador spoke first;
then Regulus, standing up, said, as one
task, "Conscript fathers,
being slave to the Carthagnians,
come on the part of my masters to treat
with you concerning peace, and an ex-
change Of prisoners He then turned
to go away with the ambassadors, as 4
stranger might not be present at the
deliberations of the senate. His old
friends pressed him to stay and give his
opinion as a senator who had twice been
consul; but he refused to degrade that
dignity by claiming it, slave as he was.
But at the command of his Carthaginian
masters, he remained, though not taking
his seat. Then he spoke. He told the
senators to persevere in the war. He
said that he had seen the distress Of
Carthage, and that peace would be
only to her advantage, not to that of
Rome, and therefore he strongly advised
that the war should continue. Then,
as to the exchange of prisoners, the
Carthaginian generals, who were in the
hands of the Romans, were in full health
and strength, whilst he himself was too
much broken down to be fit for service
again, and indeed lie believed that his
enemy had given him a slow poison, and
that he could not live long. 1t was
even to Romans, to hear a
man thus pleading against himself, and
their chief priest came forward and
declared that, as his oath had been
wrested from him by force, he was not
bound by it to return to his captivity.
Regulus was too noble to listen to this
for moment. ''Have you resolved to
dishonor me 3" he said. II am not
ignorant that death and the EXTREMIST
tortures are preparing for me, but what
are those to the shame of an infamous
action, or the wounds of Il guilty mind?
Slave as [ am to Carthage, have still
the spirit of a Roman. | have sworn
to return. 1t is my duty to 60; let
the gods take care of the rest" The
senate decided to follow the advice of
Regulus, though they bitterly regretted
his sacrifice. His wife wept and en-
treated in vain that they would detain
him; they could merely repeat their
permission to him to remain; but nothing
could prevail with him to break his
word and he turned back to the C aims
and death he expected as calmly as if
he had been returning to his home =
Book Of the Golden Deeds.
HERE is an item for both 'loDg'' and
"short hairs; Stiff hair is sometimes
the sign Of obstinacy; sleek locks de-
note patience curly head is always
accompanied by wit and love Of pleas
ure. Premature gray hair denotes
misanthropy. continued suffering, ,wheth-
er physical or moral, excessive labor or
dissipation. With regard to those
abundant locks which time is powerless
to bleach, they are the badge of an even
disposition, and mediocre intellect.
t.. PDou-S SAYS a wOwam NAV