Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-07-27

EYrHEar.T CONTRIBUTION"

BTTHE "FAT Contributor
The Knights of Pythias, says the
Omaha correspondent of the Cincinnati
Tawes..s-s making quite sensation in
Omaha at present. | can find out very lit
tie about that nv s.erious order. The title
Of the order wss doubtless suggested by
the history of those ancient Greek buffers
who carried on general friendship bust
ness under the firm name of Damon Il
Pythias." These worthies lived in syrs-
clse IN ". and were consequently known
az salt Plnters." Their back doors
fronted esch other, and they were the
6armes. kind of friends, even in midwin
ter 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, Da-
mon got licking from the school master,
ne wasn't satisfied until Pythias got one
100. Pythias got the measles once, and ne
went right off and gave them to Damon.
They shared everything together. Damon
found his fathers whisky bottle one day,
bat he didn't keep 1t TO himself Not he.
He went and got Pythias drunk If
Pythias run all night Damon kept it up
ali the next day, so that the days Of Da-
mon were equal to the Knights of Ply
thias.
Damon WIS member Of the City Coun-
ell Of Syracuse, while Pythias belonged TO
the National Guards 1t appears that one
Dionysius had been schs ming TO have the
Council declare him Mayor of Syracuse
without a vote Of the people, and succeed
cd one morning when Damon was absent.
A5certainiDg what had been done, Damon
FASTENED to the council chamber, denounc.
ing Dionysius and his fellow councilmen
who sustained the fraud Meeting Do
nysius, he attempted TO stab him with An
ivory paper-cutter, remarking as he did
So
BY all the godsl one blow
And Syracuse is free!"
(There had been heavy duty on SYRIA
cuse up to that time, owing to the salt
monopoly, and Damon was free trader)
lie might have freed his beloved city from
the tyrant had he not stopped to "6uy all
the gods, and blow about it. He was
secured by the mayors new police and
condemned to death.
Pythias had q sweetheart named Cal
antbe, 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 Cal
anthe only 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 petit
tioning Dionysiu for few hours respite.
in order that he might see his family, but
the tyrars wouldn't listen to it.
Pythias then offered to take Damon's
place for the space of six hours, and If, at
the expiration of that time, his friend re-
turned not, he would perish in his stead
hoped TO die if he wouldn't The propo-
si,ion 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 neces-
sarily brief He had to hurry back, or he
wouldn't be in season To see himself die.
Damon was much affected, and when he
tore himself away there was a dame on
the floor in a swoon.
Fetch up the old marei" yelled Damon
TO his hired man, Lucullus. He was
excited, because, you see, it was getting
late, and he didn't want TO keepthe execu-
toner waiting on his account. Then It
was Lucullus acknowledged that, in order
to save his master, he had given the old
mare dog-hutton, and the coroner was
even then sitti z on the body. Furious
at the thought OF not reaching Syracuse
within the allotted time and knowing how
mortified Pyrhiss would be if compelled
TO die in consequence, he seized Lucullus
TO rend him to pieces. L. would have been
good bye Lucullus had not a hcrseman
appeared al Ihat moment, whom Damon
persuaded to dismount, taking him gently
by the throat. Then, mounting in his
stead. he dashed away towards the city.
In the meantime, every preparation
had been made for the execution of Pyth-
! las.
Time was up, and no word from Damon.
| The people sneered, and asked If anybody
suppose 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
| cloud Of dust was seen 10 rise UP ia the
direction Of the sslt.works L. approached
| rapidly, and in short time Damon came
| tearing in on horseback, at a pace that
would have made Phil Sheridan so
ashamed Of himself that he would have
| ridden twenty miles away" and hid
There was just shade of disappoint-
ment on Dsmon's face when he saw that
Pythias still lived; but he jumped off his
horse, threw a hand spring on the scat
fold, and shouted Bring on your cleaver !!
Damon is on deck"
Dionysius wa 40 struck with this exhi-
bition Of friendship that he psrdoned them
both at once. They then fell into each
others arms, exclainiing:
"Pythy!'
"Damyr'
SCRATCHES "A farmer writes to the
Rural Ncto Yorker from Canandaigua, N.
Y, that the following is recommends for