The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-08-28
Some AncientS.
BY SELIM.

VIII serve to point moral, or somcthin;
like that.
TarquiDius Superbns was noble Ro
man, aud might have been a very superb
fellow, in his way, but greatly doubt i
he would have made much of "shor
stop" for professional "ninc," or would
have had the moral courage to refuse his
back pay as Congressman lie secured
the job Of King by having his father in
law, the former King, brutally murdered
"and still he was not happy -
Tarquin was much given to dreams and
nightmares Frequently there appeared
to him, in his slumbers, a hybrid picture
of rams, aud vultures, and snakes, doubt
less couture up by guilty conscience
or an impaired digestion. Often he
would wake up in the middle of the night
and yell for his attendants to take the
public buildings off his chest He was
selfish, tyrannical sort of chap, and was
finally baoished by the people, who rode
him on rail outside the city walls, where
he managed to gain precarious living
by close personal application to the
retail peanut trade, sand still he was not
happy !"
Mutius Scavola was geranium pluck
ed from different bush. Although in
his character we see much to admire and
commend, yet we can scarcely point to
him as a pattern for the educated readers
Of this enlightened journal to copy after.
Still, in the moral scaeI, he rated con-
siderably above MIR. Tarquin. The follow.
ing true story is related of Scavola
Once, when Rome was besieged by the
Etruscans, under the leadership of King
Porsenna, aud when the besieged were
reduced almost to starvation, being com
PEELED to subsist on ST. Johns bread, and
desscated oyster shells, Mutius, with the
appreciation of the Senate, undertook to
slay Porsenna. Slowly and quietly, at
dead OF night, he crept into the Etruscan
camp, and with tomahawk, cleft the skull,
not Of Porsenna-DO-some other fellew
happened to be standing around, and re.
ceived the blow. Scevola thought it was
the King, but it proved to be u sutIer, or
a corporal, or some inferior rat of that
kind. So "Pors" cleared his skirts, but
"Mutie"-poor Mute He was in bad
fix. They had him sure, and threatened
him with torture; but he didn't care a
toss, but just smiled smile, and exclam-
ing, Pm sick, send for McGinnis,"
thrust his hand into the fire. where he
held it until it was consumed. This
exhibition of pluck so delighted the King,
that he gave Sc9vola his life and liberty
He at once returned to Rome, told the
folks all about it, and to this day, he may
be seen manipulating hand organ in the
vicinity of the forum.
Cincinnatus was a blooming flower iu
the hot.bed of Roman wickedness, an
honest, simple minded, patriotic and able
man. lie 1t was who saved the Roman
army when surrounded in defle by the
hostile Equians. The Senate chose him
dictator, and sent a committee Of ten, con-
sisting OF three lictors, and another near.
sighted girl, to inform him of the fact
They found him in a field hOeiDg ruta
bagas. Being Informed of his election,
he evinced DO hilarious emotion, but just
put on his duster, and busted for Rome
He soon raised an army of "a hundred
days men," surrounded the curroundcrs,
and took the entire force prisoners, thus
accomplishing the deliverance of his
country. In sixteen days from the time
he put on the duster in the turnip field,
he again doffed it, and retired to private
life, and the enjoyment of agricultural
and literary pursuits. lie wrote several
books on agriculture and kindred matters,
the most prominent of which we're
"Cincinnatus on the Mushroom" and
"What | know about Plums."
Nero was cruel and ungrateful viper.
as would any fellow deserve to be called
who would cause his mother to be put to
death, and his prime minister to be
poisoned. He was guilty of all kinds OF
crimes and excesses, and played on the
harp or Tyre. or something like an angel.
By his orders, fires were started in various
portions of the Eternal City" which
resulted 10 general conHagraton, last
ing nine days. Then Nero was in his
for he was foreman of No. 6 ma.
chine, and loved to see her squirt. He
sat on fire plug, and yelled out words of
encouragement to the "boys," such as
'go it my lads" "shake 'er," "lively
now," etc., etc Then, by way of
subtle joke, he circulated report, that
it was the Christians who fred the city,
and they were, in consequence, mer-
cilessly prosecuted. hunted down by wild
beasts, aud brutally butchered in the
arena some even were encased in in
flammable garments and set fire to, and
made to serve as torches to light the
Emperor's garden by night This is sup
posed to have been the origin of Roman
candles. No more ancients = Sunday
Times.