The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1866-03-15

! cd himself by MS talent ana zeal ana y
10 way noye thai txthe .h activity will wit
which he pursued those, enemies Of tn
old religion enshrineda in the history
literature and arts 81, Rome. sdy 10 /.
}iiIn0ne of his expeditions against iths
liChristians, he entered thel house Ia
EAgrippa,, 4 eitizepof high POSITION, yh.s
had been accused as convert to. .thspev
and despised faith. He did not find
him, There were christians everywhere,
even in the Imperial palacte-andq one ne. q
them had warned Agrippa of his danger
But in place Of Christian, whom he
would havb joyfully draseed to- prison,
to be consigned, in turn, to the torture
and the wild beasts, Octavisn found a
young lady,, whose beauty was acconpa-
MED by sweetness which charmed the
! young and susceptible officer.
AS he knocked for admittance she met
him at the gate. His soldiers were scat
tered about the mansion to prevent es-
cape. Calm and sweet, with an air OF
purity and resignation, the maiden clet
him. .. ,..t
"You seek my father ?' she said. "Hc
is not here"
"Do you know where he is?' asked
the officer, gazing at her with an admi-
ration he cared not to conceal.
"If knew, would you ask daughter
to betray her father?"
"That father is accused of being Il
member of an infamous and supersti-
tious sect, which is endeavoring to un-
dermine and destroy our ancient reli-
gion." ...@"
"My father" said Claudia, "belongs
to no sect, and nothing infamous can at
tach itself to the name of Agrippa."
'Is not your father Christian? Does
he not worship man who was executed
as malefactor?'
again you ask daughter to betray
her father. When you nave found him,
man of truth and will not deceive you"
Surprised at the mingled dignity and
sweetness of the beautiful maiden, Octa-
Wan was forced to withdraw, baflled in
his search. But he could not forget her
She came like vision. He could see the
flush Of her face as she had defended her
father; and he asked himself the qies-
ton, which he had not been able to ask
her. 50 awed had he been by her pres
ence "Can she, also, be one of those
Christians whom we have undertaken to
exterminate ofithe face of the earth:"
Her image sank deeper into his heart.
Her ptesencc her sphere, as modern
philosophers have termed it--her spirit
ual being had impressed itself upon his
memory and heart in inefl;iceable char
acters. A sensuous woman makes her
impression upon the sensual nature.
A intellectual one inipressas the intel
lect; but pure, high, spiritual, loving
woman goes home to the most sacred re-
cesscs OF the human heart and when it
is said that the Greeks and Romans
knew little Of the love Of sentiment, we
must remember that the reason is, there
We're but few women fitted to inspire it
The persecution ragged on. Octavian
was not SO Jealous as formerly; but the
taunts of his companions spurred him
forward. One day a spy brought him
word that he had found the entrance to
one of the secret hiding-places of the
Christians. Losing no time, he took Il
file of soldiers, and, following his guide,
came to the entrance of one of the cata-
combs. They descended to the dark
passages, their steps lighted by torches.
Octayian read the inscriptions OH the
graves Of the martyrs of past eras OF per-
secutiops. He heard music in the far
distance, sounding ~ if it came from the
bowels of the earth. Then came the
smoke of incense. Following the guide
with stealthy steps, they came to sub
terranean chapel crowded with worship
ers. They were all upon their knees in
a posture Of alteration, while n white
haired priest, robed in flowing vest
ments, stood before an altar made Of a
martyrs tomb.
The armed men gathered in the dark
space, in the back Of the chapel, for the
a!taf was lighted with tapers, and lamps
were suspended from the ceiling. All
was hushed in profound silence for a
few moments. Then the worshipers
arose and woman, turning her head
discovered the soldiers, and was surpris-
ed into a cry of alarm.
The venerable priest turned from the
altar, and approached Octayian.
us it l for whom you search ?' nc
asked. Il am ready. Lead on.'
| But before Octavian could give an or
der to his soldiers, another form stooC
before him. Claudia, in her white pur
ity; Claudia, in her more than morta
beauty, as it seemed to Octavian, threw
herself between him aud the aged priest