Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-29
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
The Fat Contributors Version of
she Legend.

II . Il
Omaha Cor. of the Cincinnati Times.l
The Knights of Pythias are making
quite a sensation in Omaha &C present.
/ can find out very little about that mys-
terious order. 1he title of the order was
doubtless suggested by the history Of
those ancient Greek buffers who carried
on general friendship business under
the firm name of Damon & Pythias.
These worthless lived in Syracuse, N. T.,
and were consequently known as Salt
Pinters." Their back doors fronted on
each other, and they were the warmest
kind of friends, even in midwinter.
Their friendship dated back to the days
Of sunny childhood. If one of them
had anything he always wanted the other
to have some of it. II, for instance,
Damon got a licking from the school
master, he wasn't satisfied until Pythias
got one, too. Pythias got the measles
once, and he went right off and gave
some of them to. Damon. They shared
everything together, Damon found his
fathers whisky bottle one day, but he
didn't keep it all to himself. Not he.
He went and got Pythias drunk. If
Pythias run all night, Damon kept it up
all the next day, so that the days of
Damon were equal to the Knights OF
Pythias. fh "a. Co.
Damon was member Of the City
Council of Syracuse, while Pythias be-
longed to the National Guards. 1t ap-
pears that one Dionysius had been
scheming to have the council declare
him mayor of Syracuse without vote of
the people, and succeeded one morning
when Damon was absent Ascertaining
what had been done, Damon fastened to
the council chamber, dania Dionysius
and his fellow-councilmen who sustained
the fraud Meeting Dionysius, he at
tempted to stab him with an ivory paper
cutter, remarking as he did So
by all the gods! one blow .o
And Syracuse is free !"
There had been heavy duty on Sy-
racuse up to that time, owing to the salt
monopoly, land Damon was free-trader.)
He might have freed his beloved city
from the tyrant had he not stopped to
bay all gods and blow about it. He
was secured by the mayors new police,
and condemned to death. 0
Pythias had a sweetheart named Ca
lanthe, whom he loved next to Damon.
Their wedding-day was appointed, and
Just as the marriage ceremony was being
performed, news was brought to Pythias
of what had occurred, and leaving Ca
lanthe only about half-married, he has
tened to the station-house where Damon
was confined, arriving just as he was
being led forth to execution. Damon
was petitioning Dionysius for a few
hours respite in order that he might see
his family, but the tyrant wouldn't listen
to it.
Pythias then offered to take Damon's s
place for the space of six hours, and if
at the expiration of that time his friend
returned not, he would perish in his
stead-hope to die if he wouldn't The
proposition was accepted, and Damon
hurried away to his family, who lived
way out in the vicinity of the salt-works.
Sad indeed was the parting of Mr..
and Mrs. Damon. The interview was
necessarily brief. He had to hurry
back, or he wouldn't be in season to see
himself die. Damon was greatly af-
fected and when he tore himself away
there was dame on the floor, in a swoon.
Fetch up the old mare yelled Da-
mon to his hired man, Lucullus. He
was excited because, you see, it was
getting late, and he didn't want to keep
the executioner waiting on his account.
Then it was Lucullus acknowledged that,
in order to save his master, he had given
the old mare dog button, and the
coroner was even then sitting on the
body. Furious at the thought of not
reaching Syracuse within the allotted
time, and knowing how mortified Pythias
would be if compelled to die in conse-
uuence, he seized Lucullus to rend him
in pieces. 1t would have been goodbye
Lucullus had not horseman appeared
at that moment, whom Damon persuaded
to dismount, by taking him gently by
the throat. Then mounting in his stead,
he dashed away toward the city
In the meantime every preparation
had been made for the execution of
Pythias. ~
Time was up, and no word from Da-
mon. The people sneered, and asked If
any body supposed Damon was such
fool as to come back again, and even
Pythias began to fear. his old pard had
gone back on him.
Suddenly great shout was heard. A
great cloud of dust was seen to rise in
the direction of the salt works. 1t ap-
preached rapidly, and in short time
Damon came tearing in on horseback at
a pace that would have made Phil Sheri-
dan so ashamed of himself he would
have ridden twenty miles away and
hid.
There was just shade of disappoint-
ment on Damon's face when he saw that
Pythias still lived, but he jumped off his
horse, threw handspring on the scat
fold, and shouted; ft
Bring on your clearer Damon IS
1n deck.
Dionysius was so struck with this ex-
libition of friendship that he pardoned
hem both at once. They then fell into
zach others arm, eXclaiming; |
+" PythyI"
Dam me
(Curtain falls.
rnMn TITUml ANn uEVDC