The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-19

ceeded at last. When he was about
twenty-elght 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-
liyered a very patriotic oration 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, ., my countrymen.'
will YOU exert your vigorp' and, speak
ing Of their forefathers, he said; They
had the spirit to reject even life, un-
less they were allowed to enjoy that
life with freedom King Philip tried
to bribe the brave orator to be silent
and allow his city to 90 to ruin, but he
said of this: AS to his bribes, Ireject-
ed them. And in this conquered
Philip, for, as the purchaser conquers
when q man accepts his price and sells
himself, so, the man who will not be
sold, who disdains to be corrupted,
conauers 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 pretty
GOOD man, wasn't hep" asked Harry.
"Very good for those times" said
grandfather, "and that is one reason
why his death was so sad"
GLOW did he die?" 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 fled from
Athens with three friends of his.
Antipater sent a 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 60 with him to NEE
Antipater. Demosthenes said; 'OnlJ
wait awhile till / have sent nv las
orders to my family So he went back
to the inner part of the temple an.
sat down to write. He put his pen il
his mouth and bit it Gas he often die
before writing) and then covered hi
) head, which he bent down. The sol
ders who stood by called him q COW
1 ard, for they thought he was trying tt
put off the time Of his death. But a
they were leading him out of the tenn
pile he fell by the altar and died. H
$ had poisoned himself from the quill
when he appeared to be biting hi
pen"
=: $50 he was not good man afte
ALL" said Nellie with grave face.
"He showed himself very weak an
; wicked at last" said grandfather. H
had much better have gone to Antipate
and let him inhict whatever punishmen
> he chose upon him. But did nc
g mean to hold up Demosthenes' life as
model. I only wanted Harry to Sc
; how much patience and perseverance
u could accomplish. Don't you think
: Harry, if a sickly boy could overcom
so many difficulties, that you can lear
> to recite the Wreck of the Hesperu'
;, well enough to please Mr.. StantonP"
Il Il am going to try" said Harry
2. Mary b. Bamtord, IN N. Y ObServei