The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-07-29
Damon and Pythlas.
BY THE "FAT CONTRIBUTOR"

The knights of Pythias says the Omaha cor.
respondent of the Cincinnati Times, are making
quite sensation in Omaha at present. I can
hnd out very little about that mysterious order
The title of the order was doubtless suggested
by the history of those ancient Greek buffers
who carried on general friendship business un.
der the firm name of damon & Pythias"
These worthless lived in Syracuse IN. W, and
were consequently known as "Salt Pinters. I"
Their back doors fronted each other, and they
were the warmest kind of friends, even in mid.
winter. Their friendship dated back to the DAYS
OF sunny childhood. Ii one of them had any.
thing he always wanted the other to have some
of it. If, 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 them to
Damon. They shared everything together.
Damon found his fathers whisky bottle one day,
but he didn't keep it to himself. Not he. He
went and got Pythias drunk. If Pythias run all
night, Damon kept it up all the next day, - that
| the days of Damen were equal to the knights
of Pythias.
Damon was member OF the City Council of
Syracuse, while Pythias belonged to the National
Guards 1t appears 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 ab.
sent Ascertaining what had been done, Damon
fastened to the council enambel, denouncny
Dlonysius and his fellow-councimen who sus.
tanned the fraud. Meeting Dionysius, he at.
tempted to stab him with an ivory paper.cutter.
remarking as he did So
Amy And yS all the gods !. -. one blow
(There had been a heavy duty on Syracuse IN
to this time, owing to the salt monopoly. and
Damon was free-trader.) He might have freed
his beloved city from the tyrant had he not
stopped to "buy all the GODS" nd blow about t.,
lie was secured by the Mayors new police and
condemned to death
Pythias had sweetheart named Calanthe.
whom he loved next to Damon. Their wedding
day was appointed, and just as the marriage cere.
mony was being performed, ne We was brought to
Pythias OF what had occ urred, and leaving Gal.
anthe about half-married, he FASTENED to IN.
station.house where Damon was confined. arr,v.
ing just as he was being led forth to execution
Damon was petitioning Dionysius for a few
hours respite, in order that he might SEQ his
family, but the tyrant would not listen to IT,
Pythias then offered to take Damons place for
the space OF Six hours. and If, at the expiration,
Of that time, his friend returned not, he would
perish in his stesd-boped To die if he wouldn't !!
The proposition was accepted, and Damon bur.
ried away to his family, who lived away out in
the vicinity of the salt works.
Sad indeed VS. the parting Of Mr. and Mrs.
Damon. The interview was necessarily brief
He had to hurry back or he wouldn't be in sea.
son 20 SEQ himself die. Damon was much afIe,t
ed and W hen he tore himself away there was "A
ddnle on the h)or in swoon.
Fetch up the old mare !" yelled Damon TO his
hired man, Luculius. He was xcited because.
you see, 1T was getting late. and he didn't want
to Keep the oxecutioner waiting on his account
Then 1t was Lucull acknowledged that, in order
to save his MASTER he had given the old mare a
oog'outton, and the coroner was even then sit.
ting on the body. Furious ut tho thought of not