The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-01

closing the door FAST
"Why, Augustus came suddenly one day
into ric'inium, where he caught nephew o.
his trying to hide under cushion some book
! which he had been reading. Augustus took
the book, and found that it was one of Tully's
| The nephew thought he was lost, remembering
| that it was Augustus who had given up Cicero
! to Mark Antony to be murdered. There the
emperor stood, fastened to the page, and con-
timed reading and reading till at last he
heaved great breath, and, rolling up the
book its roller laid it softly down, and said
Z h great mind rery great mind, my ncphcc
and he left the room"
Then it was not your fostor-son's admira-
ton of Cicero that caused his death ~
My foster-son was not Augustuss nephew,
you see but eheu how different a case the
nephew of former rival of Augustus. Nor
used the emperors nephew to talk as my poor
child would talk. My foster used to say
that for Augustus to have given up fully, his
friend and benefactor, to be murdered by
Mark Antony, in order that he, Augustus,
might be allowed to murder somebody else,
and then to discover that neither he nor the
human race could enjoy justice, nor see peace,
nor have safety, till this very same Antony
tale. Cicero had sided against and had re-
sisted Julius Cesar I; yet Julius had given
back his life to man of whom Rome and the
civilized world were proud. The same Tully
had sided ,cith, not against, Augustus, and had
been the making of him; yet the life which a
noble en- envy had spared and left shining like
q star, base friend stole, and suffered to be
quenched and this for the sake of monster
who for the sake of mankind, had to be very
soon himself destroyed. This was not nice
tale, my poor Panus used to say"
Nor was it but your Paulus p cried Aglais.
The travellers all held their breath in surprise
and suspense.
Yes"
"What! the youth whom that bust repre-
sents, and whom Augustus put to death, was
called Paulus ?"
Yes. They said he had engaged in some
conspiracy, the foolish dear! But now, lady,
I have been led, bit by bit, into many disclo-
sures, and beseech you"
Gear not" interrupted Aglais 81 cannot
but cherish fellow-feeling with you; for, OIL
though have something to ask of the en-
peror, it is justice only. I, too, look back to
experiences which akin to yours. My son
son strikngly resembles, bears the same
name, Paulus and the name of his father was
that which headed the first list of those who,
the Triumvirate agreed, should die"
Permit me, now, to ask once more who you
are lady 7" said Crspina. " l know well the
names upon that list"
"My husband" replied the Greek widow,
' was brother of the triumvir Lepidus."
The triumvir MASTER answered
the landlady; "and alas! it is too true that
he, the triumvir, was timid and weak, and his
son, about whose image you have asked me,
knew not, poor youth, when he bitterly
blamed Augustus for sacrificing Tully to Mark
Antony, that his own father had given up a
brother-that brother whom you married-in
the same terrible days, and just in the same
kind of way"
I" Whose bust, then, do you say is this which
is so like my son 7" asked Aglais.
I" The bust of your sons first cousin, lady.
My foster-son's father was your husbands
brother"
NO wonder" cried Agatha, "that my
brother should be like his own first cousin !"
No." said Aglais " but it is as surprising
rs it is fortunate that we should have come to
sons disposed to be friends, like our hostess
her good husband, and little Benigna yonder.'
There is nothing which my husband and
would not do" said Crispina, " for the welfare
of all belonging to the great 4Kmilian family
| in whose service We both were born and spent
our childhood; the family which gave us ou
freedom in youth, ard our launch in life as
married couple. AS for me, you know nov
how must feel when look upon the face O
Your SON"
pause ensued, and then Aglais said,
Your former master, the triumvr, wrote (
my husband asking forgiveness for bavini
consented TO let his name appear in the list O
! the prescribed and explaining how he got i
erased. Therefore, let not that subject troubl
YOU"
81 happen, on my side, to know for fact,
| answered the hostess, THAT the one circum
stance to which you refer has been the grea
remorse of the triumvir's life. The old ma
still mumbles and maundcrs, complaining tina
he never received reply to that letter. II
would die happy if he could but see you, an
learn that all had been forgiven"