The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-04-13

DAMON AND PYTHIAs.

| DAMOS AMI L
These worthless lived in Syracuse On Y
and were consequently known as "Salt Pin.
ters." Their back doors fronted on each
other, and they were the warmest kind Of
friends, even in midwinter. Their friend
ship dated back to the days of sunny child
hood. IF one of them had anything he al
ways wanted the other to have some Of it.
the schoolmaster, he wasn't satisfied until
Pythias got one, too. Pythias got the mea-
sizes once, and he went right off and gave
some of them to Damon. They shared every
thing together Damon found his fathers
whisky bottle one day, but he didn't keep ali
to himself Not he. He went and got Fy-
thias drunk If Pythias run all night, Da-
mon kept it up ali the next day, so that the
days of Damon were equal to the knights Of
Pythias.
Damon was member Of the City Coun-
Gil of Syracuse, whllc Pythias belonged o
the National Guards II appears that one
Dionysius had been scheming to have the
Council declare him mayor of Syracuse with
out vote of the people, and succeeded one
morning when Damon was absent Ascer-
tanning what had been done, Damon hasten
| ed to the Council chamber, DAMN Dionysius
and his -councilmen who sustained the
fraud. Meeting Dionysius he attempted to
stab him with an ivory-cutter, remarking as
he did So
! Ely all the gods one blow
And Syracuse is free'
(The1c had been heavy duty on Syracuse
up to that time, owing to the salt monopoly,
and Damon was a free-trader) He might
have freed his beloved city from the tyrant
had he not stopped to "1uy all gods" and
blow about it. He was secured by the may
ors new police and condemned to death
Pythias had sweetheart named Calanthc,
whom he loved next to Damon. Their we'd
ding day was appointed, and, just as the mar
rage ceremony was being performed, news
was brought to Pythas Of what had occur
red, aud leaving Calanthc oaly about half
| married, he fastened to the station house.
where Damon was confined, arriving just as
he was being led forth to execution Damon
was petitoning Dionysius for few hou s. re-
spite, in order that he might see his family,
but the tyrant wouldn't listen to it.
Pythias then offered to take Damon
| place for the space of six hours, and if at
the expiration Of that time his friend return
ed 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 away 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 wouidn t
be in season to see himself die. Damon was
greatly affected, and when he tore himself
away there was u dame on the floor in a
swoon.
Fetch up the old marcn' yelled Damon
to his hired man, Luculus. He was excited,
because, you see, it was getting late. and he
| didn't want to keep the executioncr waiting
on his account Then it was Lucullus ac
knowledged 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 reach
ing Syracuse within the allotted time, and
knowing how mortified Pythias would be if
compelled to die in consequence, he seized
Lucullus to rend him to pieces. 1t would
have been goodbye Lucullus had not horse
man appeared at that moment, whom Damon
persuaded to dismount, by taking him gently
by the t..roat 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 mp, and 10 word from Damon
The people sneered, and asked if anybody
supposed Damon 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. It approached rapidly
and in short time Damon came tearing it
on horseback at pace that would have made
Phil. Sheridan SO ashamed Of himself he
would have ridden 'twenty miles away anc
hid , at.
There wasj just a shade of disappointment
on Damon's face when he saw that PythiaE
still lived. but he jumped off his horse, threw
a handspring on the scafold, and shouted
"Bring on yur cleaver! Damon is on deck
Dionysius was so struck with this cxhibi
ton of friendship, that. he pardoned then
both at once. They then fell into each OIL her
arms. exclaiming:
s0'''Pythe y e a5s A2'#a 0f iati 1914
'iDam' me Y ID ss.a.,s I'll Ht'l l+5e
Curtain falls s.! 5aaa M .iss.
IA TOUCHING ScENE-A MOTHER CLAIMS
HER NATURAL CHILD.-A Sussex paper o
the 17th ult gives the following details Of
scene 10 Georgetown 49,. .,4.3 i,4
Con Monday last writ of habeas corpus
was issued at the instance of Mary Lewc.
against Mrs. Burrows, of Milton, to show
cause why she illegally detained little boy
Warren Lewis son OF the aforesaid Mary
Lewes The following facts were elicitc2.
The boy Warren is an illegitmate chil,' Q
Mary Lewes and was when quite younc. give,
to Mrs Burrows to raise. The boy b'.s grow
to be seven years of age, deep sfcct,on OK
lists between him and his g,1arl.ian. TIL
mother has recently marrica. aid claimed he
child, while Mrs. Burr 5wa refused to Nv
him up. After hear the facts, the judy
ordered the sSherlt to give the child to hi
mother, his natF4ral guardian. Then follow
cd scene cen. ' hich boggars description. Th
boy chung 20 his adopted mother, and the Of
lady Wit. prayers aud tears, pleaded that Sh
might be allowed to keep him. The litti
bog resisted the approach Of his real mother
aAd ted her that he knew she was his moth
9 err, but that when he was an infant she ha
= dosorted Him and hut for Mrs Burrows n