The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-01-12

twenty-eight years old he became one
of the political leaders of Athens. The
King of Persia at this time was coming
against the city, and Demosthenes de-
livered Il very patriotic Grafton against
him. The next year he began the de-
livery of that series of orations known
as ''the Phillippics."
''What were they?" asked Harry.
Speeches against King Philip, of
Macedon," said grandfather. Demos
themes tried to rouse up his people to
fight for their liberties, but the Athen-
ians had lost much of their former
Independent spirit. Demosthenes, in
one of his speeches, asked of them:
when, therefore, o. my countrymen.
will you exert your vigor?' and, speak
ing of their forefathers. he said: They
had the spirit to reject even life, I'M
less they were allowed to enjoy that
life with freedom King Philip tried
to bride the brave orator to be silent
and allow his city to 90 to ruin, but he
said of this: AS to his brides, l reject
ed them. And in this | conquered
Philip, for, as the purchaser conquers
when man accepts his price and sells
himself, so, the man who will not be
sold, who disdains to be corrupted,
conquers the purchaser. And he COM
planned of the Athenians because they
no longer thought it wrong to be bribed,
but laughed at such actions and readily
pardoned them"
'Then Demosthenes was a pretty
good man, WASH heg" asked Harry.
very good for those times" said
grandfather, land that is one reason
why his death was so sad"
GLOW did he dep asked Harry.
"Well,' said grandfather, latter
Alexander the Great died, his General
Antipater, who had been left in charge
of Macedonia, came south into Greece,
and the Athenians were compelled to
surrender themselves to him. Demos
themes, as we know, had made a great
many speeches against the Macedonians,
and so he was afraid and fed from.
Athens with three friends of his.
Antipater sent company of soldiers
called Exile Hunters after them, how
ever, and Demosthenes' three friends
were taken and killed Demosthenes
himself fled to an island called
Calaurea, and hid in temple of
Neptune there; but one of the Exile
Hunters searched him out and COM
manded him to 90 with him to meet
Antipater. Demosthenes said: Only
wait awhile till | have sent nv last
orders to my family So he went back
TO the inner part of the temple and
sat down to write. He put his pen in
his mouth and bit it Gas he often did
before writing) and then covered his
head, which he bent down. The sol
diers who stood by called him cow
ard, for they thought he was trying to
put off the time of his death. But as
they were leading him out of the tenn
pie he fell by the altar and died. He
had poisoned himself from the quill
when he appeared to be biting his
pen"
$50 he was not good man after
all" said Nellie with grave face
"He showed himself very weak and
wicked at last" said grand ather He
had much better have gone to Antipater
and let him intlict whatever punishment
he chose upon him. But l did not
mean to hold up Demosthenes' life as u
model. | only wanted Harry to see
how much patience and perseverance
could accomplish. Don't YOU think,
Harry, if Il sickly boy could overco me
so many difficulties, that you can learn
to recite the Wreck of the Hesperus'
well enough to please Mr.. Stanton2''
Il am going to try" said Harry
Mary b. Banltord, IN N. Y. Observer.