The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-01-12
NUMBER 10.

Eyes" said grandfather. Tho sus-
ceeded ut last. When he was about
twenty-eight years old he became ono
of the political leaders of Athens. Tho
King of Persia at this time was coming
against the city, and Demosthenes de-
livcrcd very patriotic Grafton against
him. The next year he began the de-
livery of that series of orations known
as "the Phillippics."
"What were theyp" 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 vigorp and, speak
ing Of their forefathcrs. 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 bride the brave orator to be silent
and allow his city to go to ruin, but he
said of this; AS to his brides, reject
ed them. And in this l 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,
conguers the purchaser And he COM
planned of the Athenians because they
no longer thought 1t wrong to be bribed,
but laughed at such actions and readily
pardoned them. +"
"Then Demosthenes was a pretty
good man, wasn't hep' asked Harry.
Every 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 Athcnians were compelled to
surrender themselves to him. Demos
themes, rs we know, had made great
many speeches against the Macedonians,
and so he was afraid and fled 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 go with him TO meet
Antipater. Demosthenes said: Only
wait awhile till | have sent my last
orders to my family So he went back
to the inner part of tho 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 lie was trying to
put off the time Of his death. But Us
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 ut last" said grandfather. He
had much better have gone to Antipater
and let him inilict whatever punishment
he chose upon him. But | did not
mean to hold up Demosthenes' life as a
model. / only wanted Harry to see
how much patience and perseverance
could accomplish. Don't you think,
Harry, If a sickly boy could oyerco me
so many difficulties, that you can learn
to recite the Wreck of the Hesperus'
well enough to please Mr.. Stanton"
II am going to try" said Harry.
Mary b. Bamjord, ~ N. Y. Observer.