The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1868-05-03

trembling, frightened gifl,-w who 1s accused OF
contemning his sovereign decree. She raises
| her timid eyes for q moment, and as far as its
| gaze can reach, in all directions she sees the
pitiless faces of the turbulent Roman mob al
ready heaving and moaning with its suppressed
thirst for blood. At her side is the rack, behind
| her the arena and the lions. And she alone
| before them all No, not a10ne
For moment the tyrant gazes frowningly
OH the accused; then her youth her beauty,
the palencss of terror settling her features,
soften him into something like compassion.
Foolish child.' he said, you have suffered
enough for your folly. Go; sacrifice to the
gods and return to your home" $50.
But the maiden moves not. 20. -
| "Gow he repeats. '.f "
And the only response is the clasping of her
hands in prayer. >..5 --., :
| "Wretched girl, )" exclaims the emperor as
his eyes flash with anger, "Do you reject my
clemency! Do you forget the long and illus
trious lineage of your family, that you should
| drag the senatorial robes of your fathers under
| the feet of vile populace, and cover an ancient
Roman name with infamyf Are you crazed
that you should despise the princes OF the
| earth to follow in the train of this low<born
;mpostor, Christ :"
Then as though aroused by an electric shock,
the girl stands erect; her terror is gone. The
blood of the old warriors who founded her
house, comes back into her cheek, and the eagle
glance of the old Roman race blazes for mo-
ment from her eyes, as she fixes them unflinch-
ingly on this upstart emperor. Then, gently
turning her look to heaven, she sighs, My
Lord and my God.''
Ito the rack with her. exclaims the enraged
tyrant, and in a moment that fragile form is
stretched in torture. Another turn of the wheel,
the cracking of the joints is heard, and
without one moan of anguish the sufferer has
swooned as though in death
But pagan rancor is not satisfied to dispatch
it's victim 30 expeditiously. Restoratives are
applied, and the agonized frame is brought back
to consciousness.
"Will you now sacrifice I" is asked again
and the only reply is murmured prayer to
Jesus.
ITO the lions with herw
The cry is taken up by the mob, and the am
phitheatre resounds with their fierce shouts
"To the lionsv'
The helpless maiden is placed in the arena
and the most savage lions of Africa turned loose
upon her. A hoarse cry goes up from the dis
sppointed spectators as the savage beasts lie
down at her feet
"They are tame! away with them. Bring Ills
the axew
Wild beasts have compassion where human
beings have none. The axe will not fail
The crowds have dispersed. The emperor
has gone to his orgies. There are Christians
among the guards of the arena. Some Of their
brethren gain silent admittanee.-A bottle is
filed with some of the blood; handkerchiefs
drink up the rest, and the body, with its severed
head, is conveyed, in the darkness Of night, to
the Catacombs. s..,-. -
Such scene as this was of frequent OCCUR
renee at Rome in those daysy and though the
reverend orator did not give these as authentic
details in the martyrdom of st. Valeria, they
afforded an insight into the character of the
persecution then raging, and were illustrative
of her own tragical end in all essential partic-
ulars.
After the sermon of Rev. Father Chalon, the
procession again formed, and with the theca
borne in great state, and to the sounds of sacred
music, left the church and moved along a route
appropriately marked out for the solemnity.
This part of the ceremonies is said to have been
peculiarly interesting. There were some fifteen
hundred persons in the procession proper ex-
elusive of about twenty-five hundred specta-
tors. Besides the venerable prelates and priests
above mentioned, there We're societies with
banners and badges, and the congregations from
three other parish churches-Labadieville |
Paincourtville and Assumption-each headed
by its pastor. There were present associations
OF the Ladies of Bon Secours," of st. Joseph, |
the Children of Mary, and others. At one part
OF the line were five hundred young ladies |
dressed in white, at another fifty little girls
similarly dressed, and wearing wreaths of flow
ers The procession was so long that while the
children were singing their favorite hymns, the
Ladies of " Bon Secours" were singing different