The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-15
NUMBER 2.

like dusky copper, and whose eyes glitter Tx
the eyes Of the wild animals in the arena
when the prooonsul of Greece gives tn,
| shows mean those who ride the small, long
| tailed horses without saddle cloths, and ever
without bridles-the soldiers in flowing dress
with rolls of linen round their heads 2"
"They are the Numidisns," replied Philip
cab. Rome dreaded those horssmen once
when Hannibal the Carthaginian and his
motley hordes had their will in these fair
plains"
AS he spoke, strange movement occurred.
The general dismounted, and, giving the
bride of his horse to a soldier, began to walk
slowly up and down the side Of the road. 10
sooner had his foot touched the ground than
the whole of the Numidian squadron seemed to
rise like n covey out of q stubble field with
little clang of arms, but with one short, sharp
cry, or whoop, it burst from the high road into
the meadow land. There the evolutions which
they performed seemed ut first to be all conTu-
sion, only for the fact that, although the
horsemen had the air of riding capriciously in
every direction, crossing, intermingling, sepa-
rating, galloping upon opposite curves, and
tracing every figure which the within and fancy
Of each might dictate, yet no two of them
ever came into collision. Indeed, fantastic
and wild az that rhapsody Of manouvres into
which they had broken appeared to be, some
principle which was thoroughly understood by
every one Of them governed their may gallop.
1t was as accurate and exact AS some stately
dance of slaves at the imperial court. 1t was,
in short, itself wild dance of the Numidian
cavalry, in which their reinless horses, guided
m y l,v the 1ashin0 h1adaa 4 ha 81
their riders, manifested the most vehement
spirit and a sort of sympathetic frenzy. These
steeds, which never knew the Bride, and went
thus mouth-free even into battle-these horses,
which their masters turned loose at night into
he fields, and which came back bounding and
leighing at the first call, were now madly
'lunging, wheeling, racing, and charging, like
gigantic dogs at sport. Presently they began
o play a strange species of leap frog. Nu-
indian boy, who carried q trumpet and rode
) pony, or at least horse smaller and lower
han the rest of the barbs, {" Berber horsesy)
uddenly halted upon tho outside Of the mad
avslry whirlpool which had been formed, and
ung himself fat at fall length upon the back
( the dininutive animal. Instantly the
1hirl, as it circled toward him, Strengthened
self into q column, and every horseman rodS
al upon the stationary pony, and cleared
9th steed and rider at @ bound, o torrent of
avalry rushing over the obstruction with wild
FONTS.
THAT is Numdiau sport, Master Paulus," 4
i'd the freedman; but there is not a rider
nong them to be compared to yourself" 4
" Certainly 1 ride" said the youth. K
but pretend not to be superior to these
,ntaurs."
q Be these, then, the Centaurs / have heard
J" asked Agatha; "be these the wild powersp
The hubbub had prevented her. and all with i,
r, from noticing something. Before an an
or could be given, the Numidans had re-
ned to the Highway as suddenly % they had
ltted it, and the noise of their dance was
'ceeded by pause of attention. The
leral was again on horseback, and our
vclers perceived that two Iitters one of
we'd ivory and gold, the other of scuIptured
NEE, borne on the shoulders Of slaves, were
ide th EN-.
NO gentlemen on foot had arrived with the
'rs along the broad pathway already no.
d, aud group Of attendants At = little dis
20 were following.
1iS now party were now hating with our
eiera beneath the far-spreadiDg shade of
Same trees. In the ivory litter reclined .
Of about seventeen, dressed in q long pauG
'luo elk, material then only just intro.
ID from India, through Arabia and Eeypt.
30 expensive ~ to be- beyond the reach Of
but the richest class. Her hair, which
Of q bright gold color, was dressed in the
ionable form of helmet, and was inclosed
nd in gauze net. She wore large ear.
,. of Some jewel. . gold chain, in every
of which was set gem, and scarlet shoes
Oidered with pearls. The lady in the
20 litter was attirod' in the sGsLs Of 9
on, with circular robe, thrown back