The Branding iron. [volume] (Atoka, I.T. [Okla.]) 1884-1884, 1884-03-01
Tic srrlan Way.

Tho ippian Way was The cr2at south.
arn'road from Rome, leading through
Dapua 10 Erindusum, and YVES built
81 l.. &. The manner of It's building
showed that the ancient understood
lhc art aud their method % con.ir.ic-
lion might ho adopted 10 day. They
nj two parallel furlUws 20 indicate t.
width. aud then they removed the carta
I'LL they came 10 The hard bottom, onL
began construct on witt sand.
1t was paved with stone, ihc hard -;
that could be found, which, alter lc.ng
smoothcd ani polished, were cut IN co..
responding angles so ~ TO bite together
in ioinlurcs witnout the iutcW ntion OF
copper or any ot',er metal to bind them.
making u perfectly smooth road which
Dvcrtwo thousand years OF the Heaviest
Kind OF wear has no, broken or materi-
ally Injured. To day tn road is smooth
and good. and VIII fc tor ages.
The famous road was constructed Y
hppius CIaniius, and it has immortal
lied him. The "Appian Way viii be
known after the deeds OF Caesar are for
gotten, and which is a. it should be.
Appius did something for the men and
mules OF all time. This is n hin, for
some American who Il thlrsting after
immortality. Let him build q good
road from somewhere 30 somewhere.
and get his name tackled upon it. The
"Smiil,ian Way would he more cndur-
ing Than lath ana plaster female som
mary or "a sea. in Congress.
1t is y u.rrow stroSt, bus ~ vehicles
may pass without interference il is wide
enough.
However. it is a depressing road. and
one which one having no business but
the investigation of the ancient, does
not care to pass over but once. Every
foot of IL is sacred TO the memory oi
some man or event, and it is lined IFS
whole length with tombs or rather the
ruins of tombs. II was the favorito
place to bury the great dead, or rather
along its length were built the tombs
which were To cmbalm their memories
forever.
Forever How little men who have
the insane notion of living in memory
forever" comprehend the meaning oi
the word. Thousands of men prominent
in their day died expecting to be re-
mcmbercd forever and imposing
tombs were built to hold their ashes
and Inscriptions upon them record theil
names and deeds, and after n lapse o
two thousand years all that is left %
them Is II mass of ruins which traveller.
punch about with their canes. after
which they go back TO their hotels and
read up their histories, or pretend to-
in the guide book. Forever is ;
long time. II Is better to live for tn,
immediate present. for the forever
is unattainablc for the greatest. There
were forgotten Napolcons and Caesars
long before the Appian Way was built
and there are CAESARS and Napoleon,
coming who will take the place Of thos,
whom we now worship. As children
are being born every day. and Away.
will be, Immortality is rather ditiicul
thing to achieve. Time has been roll.
ing on, time will roll on. and tim,
is a great engufer. 1t will wear out
the greatest deeds and swallow up the
vastest rcnown. Yet there are thos,
who. with their eyes turned toward
postcrity. feel good at being elected to
u State Legislature, and many men
take great pride in being made Sccrc-
tary OF. aScount1 political convention
ID. II Locke, 6a Toledo Btadc.