Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-11-05
Of Perfect Life-A L gend from Il
"Gesta Romano uIn."

vi Ferfect Ll1e-A l. gend from q F,
"Gesta Romano um."
When Fi'us Was emperor # L M
ne made Il decree hat The natal da
IF his tirS'-horn soh should no hel
-acItd; and hat whoeoevPr violate !.
il 10y ahy kind Of labor should II
pu' 10 d,a b
Fhi- rdIc, b., z pr mHlga'ed t.
cel', d Virgil Tn h,n, AMI SAID "Go
irlend, have esl ahlishcd certa
law hu,. as fences may frcquen
Y be committed without being ii
covered hy the minister's OF il~uc
W. d, sire ytu 10 frame some curiO,
iiece Of art which may reveal 10
cry transxressor of this law
V rgil sCquie-ced, and i'm nedlate
c"mmencrd bis operations. IL CO, /
~trncied magic statue ard caus,
l. III b. 'reclrd in the midst of Il
city b vir no If III, secret p,v
tr- WIN which H. was invested.
communicated To the emperor VIII.
ever was done amlss
A d thus. by the accusation Of III
statue. al lEhnIte number OF pc,
sons were convicted aid punished.
Now, there was u certain carper.
ter called Focus, who pursued his .,
equations every day alike. Ouce, a
be lay in bed, his thoughts turh.o
upon the accusations Of the statue,
and the multitudes which it had
caused to perish La the morning.
he clothed himself. AID proceeded 10
the statue, which he addressed in the
following manner
20 statue, statue |! because Of thy
informations many OF our citizens
have been apprehendrd aud slain. 1
VOW to my God, that, if ,hou accus-
est me, | will break they head"
Having so said, be returned home.
About the first hour, he emperor, as
be was wont, despatched sundry mes
sengers to the statue 10 inquire if the
edict had been strictly compiled with.
After they had arrived. and deliver
ed the emperor's pleasure, the stat
ne exclaimed, Friends. look up
what sec ye written upon my fore
head ?" They looked and beheld
three sentences, which ran thus !:
Times are altered Men grow worse.
lie who speaks truth has his head
broken" 60" said the statue. ode
clare to his Majesty what you have
seen and read" The messengers
obeyed, and detailed the circumstan-
ces as they had happened. the en-
peror, therefore, commanded his
guard to arm, and march 10 the place
on which the statue was erected; and
be further ordered, that if any one
presumed to modest it, they should
bind him band and foot aud drag him
into his presence Tho soldiers ap-
preached the statue, aud said, "Ou'
emperor wills you TO declare th /,
name OF the scouudrel VII threatet
you" The statue made answer, Il
is + Gu, The carpenter K Try d.S
be- violates the law, a,d IN "enveI
menaces me with hr"ken head { J
expose hIm" Immediately + ca
va apprch, nd u, and cndur,ed
the emperor, who said F.I'nG.
what do hear ct the, Way ha-
n II brnk Il my laW M, lord
ah-w. r, d Focus, q" ..nnpL keep
fl | am obliged 10 ubtaIn every da
'igbi p mi = which, wI'houf incc'
SAM label | have not The means
acquiring" And Why eight pei
my said h. emperor. e =
day through ,he year" returned IT,
carp er. am bound u repay wv
pennies which | b rrowed Ia n
yuu b: ,wo ierd two lose, a.
Two ,pyud Err what reason q
YOU do this" asked the empero
NJ, lord" he replied, listen to m
am bound each day To repay Nv
pennies 80 my iathei; for, when
was by, my father exp,rd d up
me daily. tse like sum. No,
be is poor, ard needs my assis,arc' ,
and therefore | return what | boz
rowed formerly. Two other pen
uies | lend to my son, Whp is pur-
suniug his studies IL order that.
by chance | should fall into pov,r.y
he may restore the ! a, Just a. /
have done to his grandta ~. Ag-in:
| lose two pennies every day on IN ?
wife; for she is contradiction Gus, wIiiu.
and passionate. Now because of this
disposition, | accouh, whatsoever is
given to her entirely los. Lastly,
two other pennies eSpend upon
myself in meat and drink cannot
do with less; nor can blain them
without unremitting lao"r. You
now know the truth ard, pray
you judge dispassionAteIy aud truly .
Friend" said the emperor, thou
hast answered well. Go, and
labor earnestly in thy calling" Soon
after this the emperor died; and
Focus, the carpenter, on account OF
his singular wisdom was elected in
his stead by the unanimous choice Of
the whole nation. He governed 81
wisely as be bad lived and, at hi:
death, his picture, bearing on the head
eight pennies. was reposited among
the efigies of the deceased emperors
APPLICATION.
Ny beloved. the emperor is God
who appointed Sunday as q day o
rest. By YirgiI:is typifed the Holy