Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-11-11
EP1NIMA.

The following little history ha
in it something SO peculiarly inter
esting and efiecting, that it Cal
scarcely be read without the mos
lively emotion.
d rirg the struggles of Ohio
Vitelins, and VeSpasian for tn
sovereignty Of Rome, and in th,
unsettled state OF the empire, Sa-
hinus, a native OF Lsnyres, an am
bilious and wealthy man If higl
quality, put in his claim, among
others, to the possess on of the
throne. Encoara red by his coun
trvmen to this bod undertaking, he
pretended, by casting an imputa-
ton on the clIas Itv of his grand
mother, t" trace his lineage from
Julius Cesar. II Living revoited
against the Romans, he caused
himself. by his followers, to be
saluted emperor.
Bat his temerity anl presumo-
ton quickly rece vel check,
His troops, who were defeated, and
>cattere'. in all directirns. be:ook
the.ns. I've, to flight; while Of those
who tel! into the hands Of their per-
>ners not one was spared. In the
heart OF Gau! S:,binu~ might have
found safety, had his tcDderue, =
for lis wife permitted him t. seek
it. E~poused to Ep"nina, lady
Of admirable heauty AMI accom- :
plishinent>, from whom he c,uld
not believe upon himself 10 live ut
a distance, he retired from the field
ot battle t. his connlry-hnu>e.
Having here called toye her his
servants and the rcmnant OF lis
disaster, and of the miscarriage OF
his enterprise, willie he declared To-
them his re.''iution of putting a
voluntary period to his exi-trnce
t" escape the tortnres prepared for
him by the vict =, and avoid the
fate OF h.s unfortunate compan; on>.
He pro ..eeded to tllank them to
their services. after Iiich Iie yavt
them a solemn discharged. L.
tnen ordered fire to be set to his
nlansion, in which he shut hinlselI
up; aud of this stately e'iiice in
few hours nothing remained but "a
heap OF ashes and ruins.
The news OF the melancholy
catastrophe being spread abroai,
reached the ears OF Epolina. vino,
during the prece-diny events, had
renamed ri Rome. Her grief and
despair on learning the fate OF
husband whom slie dearly loved,
and who had fallen q victim to Iii,
tenderness tor her, were too poi z
nant to be long supported. IN
vain her friends aud acquaintance,
offered her c"n>olation their ct
forts to reconcile her to her loss
served but TO aggravate her distress.
She determined to abstain from
nourish,uent, and to re- unite her
self III the grave TO him without
whom she felt existence to be an
intoierable burden.
For three days she persevered III
her Restitution On the fourth
Martial, a free !mar, who had been
"A iavorite domestic in the service
of her husband, desired to be ad-
united by his mistress to a private
conference on affairs of the utmost
Importance. In this interview
Eponina learned, with an emotion
that had nearly shaken to annliia-
ton her lnnguid and debilitated
frame, that Sabinu>, whom she SO
bitterly lam"nted, was sill living.
and concealed in a subterrane"ue
cavern under the ruins of his house,
where he waited with imptti-
ence to receive and embrace
his beloved and faithful wife.
This scheme had been concerted in
confidence with two of his do
mesrics, in whose attachment Sahi-
nus entirely confIied. 1t had been
hitherto concealed from Eponira
that, through her unaffected griet
on the supposed death of her hus-
band, greater credit might be g,vei.
to report on which his presrrva-
tion depended. To these welcome
tidings Martial presumed TO add
his advice, that his lady should still
preserve the external marks ct sor-
row, and con.inct herself with he
utmust art and precaution.
Eponina promised, with trans
port, to observe all that was pc
quired of l,er, however difficult
might be the task OF discrimination ;
and 20 endure yet u short delay,
lest suspicion should be awakened,
OF the meeting which she anticipat-
ed with SO much tenderness and