The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-22

in the circus! Why, all VINO KNOW me, kno"
that I'm an arrant coward"
Like burst of bells, peal upon peal, irrre-
pressible, Joyous, defiant and frank, as If ring
ing with establishment and scorn at the thing
yet also full of friendliness and honest, pity
ing love for the person, broke forth the laugh
of Paulus. 1t was 80 genuine and so lnfectu-
GUS, that even Dion smiled in . critical, musing
way, while all the slaves chuckled audibly,
and the slave chained to the staple near the
door ratified his brass fastenings at his sides.
Only three individuals preserved their gravity,
the shan e-faced steward, poor little frightened
Benigna and the astonished Claudius himself.
"In the second place." persued the magister
or steward, besides choosing for you the very
animal, the individual and particular horse,
which you are to ride, the Cesar has consider
ately determined and decided, in view of your
| deserved popularity among all your acquaint-
ances, that, if any acquaintance of yours, any
of your numerous friends, any other person, in
| fine, whoever, in your stead, shall volunteer
to break this horse for Tiberius Cesar, you
shall receive your freedom and the fifty thou
sand sesterces the very next morning, exactly
the same"
| Arather weak and vague murmur of applause
from the slaves followed this official statement.
"And so the CSsar," said Claudius, I" has
both selected me the steed, and has allowed
me substitute to break him, if can find any
substitute. Suppose however, that decline
such conditions of liberty altogether-what
then 7"
"Then Tiberius Caesar sells you tomorrow
morning to Vedius Polio of Pompeii, who has
come hither on purpose to buy you, and carry
you home to his Cum9an villa"
"To his tank, you mean," replied poor Clau-
dius, 4" in order that may fatten his lampreys.
1 am in pretty species of predicament. But
| name the horse which am to break at the
games"
Dion turned his head slightly toward the
steward, who was about to answer, and the
steward remained silent. A sort of enchant-
ment shot through the apartment.
"Name the horse, if you please, honored
magister," said Claudius. Even now the stew
ard could not, or did not, speak.
Before the painful pause was broken the
attention of all present was arrested by sud-
den uproar in the street. The noise of a furi-
GUS trampling, combined with successive
shrieks, whether of pain or terror, was borne
into the palace.
Dionysius, followed by Paulus, by Claudius
by the steward and Benigna, ran to the win.
dow, if such it can be termed, drew aside the
silken curtain, and pushed open the gaudily-
painted, perforated shutter, when strange
and alarming spectacle was presented in the
open space formed by CROSS streets before the
left front of the mansion.
magnificent horse of bigger stature yet Of
more elegant proportions than the horses
which were then used for the Roman cavalry
| in he ct nf xyit at liz
of his fore feet, on coming down, lay man
face under, motionless, q wooden tunic ripped
open behind at the shoulder, disclosed som'
sort of wound, from which the blood was flow
ing. The horse, which was of bright roa,
color, was neither ridden nor saddled, but CIR
with q cloth round the belly, and led, or rathe
held back, by two long cavassons, which
couple of powerfully built, swarthy men
dressed like slaves, held ut the further ends Oh
opposite sides of the beast, considerably apart
and perhaps thirty feet behind him. One o
these lines or reins-that nearest the palace
was taut, the other was slack and the slav
who held the former had rolled it twice O
y thrice round his bare arm, and was leanin
back, and hauling, hand over hand.
: The animal had apparently stricken on til
. back, unawares, with fore-foot play and
paving blow, the man who was lying 80 sti
and motionless on the pavement, and the beas
u. u. having reared, was now trying to come dow
upon his victim. Bot no sooner were his for
= legs in the air than he, of course, theret
yielded a sudden purchase to the groom WI
was pulling him with the taut cavasson, ar
this man was thus at last enabled to drag hi
fairly Oft his hind-legs, and to bring him Wi
a hollow thump to the ground upon his sid
ID Before the brute could again struggle to b
d, feet, four or five soldiers who happened to
lie nigh, running to the rescue, had lifted, al
s. carried out of harms way, the PROSTATE al
Is wounded man.
"a THAT is the very horse" exclaimed Il
III magister, stretching his neck between t
at shoulders of Dion and Paulus, at the smi
1e window of the palace.
n al Observe" said Paulus, "that the cavass
I'D is hinged to q muzzle-the beast is indisputab
Id muzzled."
ne "Why is he muzSled ~
Id Because" replied the magister, "he ea
Oh people"
n "Eats people I" echoed Paulus, in surprise