Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-05-16
LEGEND OF PLACIDUS.
a Strange and Interesting Story OF the
Second Century.

SeCOna tenlHiS'
During the reign of the Emperor Trajan,
in the early part of the second century, the
armies OF Rome were led by the heathen
General PlaciduS, whose noble virtues and
splendid courage had won the Emperor
favor.
Placidus was passionately fond of hunt
inc and one dav he was so absorbed in the
wild pursuit of noble stag in the forest
that. becoming separated from all the rest
of the party. he found himself, late in the
day. in the gloomy depths of an unknown
part of the forest where the stag had sud
denly disappeared from him. Here, weary
with the fruitless chase, Placidus dismount-
ed from his painting horse, and sat down
beside cool mountain stream, where the
murmur of the water and the solemn silence
of the dark forest plunged him into pro
found reverie. He thought of all he had
heard from two of his faithful servants,
who were Christians of the God they loved
and worshiped and he breathed prayer
to the unknown God. Suddenly a
strange light dispeled the gloom OF the
forest, and looking up he bchelG the stag
he had SO hOtly and SO vainiy pursued,
standing like piece of sculpture on a Wild
rocky hight above him, and between It's
antlers rose the luminous figure of the cru
cited Lord Impelled by heavenly grace,
he fell upon his face and cried, What Is
thy will, 0, Lord?' a voice OF thrilling
sweetness answered him
Return TO Rome, seek out the Christian
bishop and do as he shall tell thee.
When he reached Rome his wife, Tralana,
had such strangely beautiful look on her
face that he asked in amaze What has
happened that you look like that" and
she related to him heavenly vision. She
too, like Placdus, had prayed to the I'M
known God and then, sleeping, she had
seen q cloud. and III it, lone who told
her that the next day she and her husband.
Placidus, would find what they sought"
Placidus told her that the holy one she
had seen was the Lord who died for them
the same who had talked to him. Fearing
that he should be discovered before he
could see the bishop, Placidus sent to ask
him how he should reach him, and the
bishop came himself to his house and
there instructed him and his wife and his
two boys, baptZing them all, Placidus re-
ceiving the Christian name of Eustachius,
Trajana of Theopista and the boys, Aga
Plus and Theophist.
At the moment of leaving them the holy
bishop, suddenly enlightened by spirit of
prophecy. told Placidus that great trials
awaited him and his family that all earthly
things should fail, but that Gods grace
would suffice to sustain him. Soon, in
deed, the truth of the prophecy began to be
proved. His riches were lost, disease con-
sumed his hockS, bis friends abandoned
him C0ldly. and he found himself with his
wife and. children, left frjendleSs and home
less. IN his distress he applied to Trajan.
the Emperor, but even he abandoned his
faithful General 20 his fate. Then he lied
from Rome, with great difficulty obtaining
passage on snip, where the Captain proved
IL, 1 1. =. 49,
first landing ilustachus and his boys on
the desOlate shore. Here they wandered
until they came 10 wide river. which the
father tried to wade across, with one Of the
boys upon his shoulders. Leaving him
there he was midway on his return through
the water, when he heard cries from the
boy he had just left, and although he
struggled 10 reach him, the poor child was
carried OF before his eyes by q lion. At
the same timr the other child was snatched
away by wolf Then the wretched EuS-
tachius dragged himselfupon the land, and.
lying with his face to the earth, he wept as
only a strong man in his agony can weep.
Then the peace of God seemed 10 Conne
over him. and he arose and wondered on
until he came 20 the hut of poor but no
bic farmer who gave him shelter and
there he lived for fifteen years, working
faithfully for his humble master.
In the meantime war broke out again
and the Emperor discovered what a treas
ure Eus:achiu5 had been to him and sent
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