Telegram-herald., 1891-07-19

Croft. However, up to the time when
the Romans became the dominant nation
in Italy and prior to the trouble in the
New Orleans dynasty, the Etruscans had
extended their influence over South
western Europe and managed to
undersell many of the Jewish cloth
ing merchants of that country. They
were bold in war and enterprising
in business. Their standing army
rarely sat down and their navies
were seldom seasick. All this was the
case up to about $50 B. C.-to the best of
my recollection. After that they had
the air of having been checked up too
high. Their pride prevented them from
sweating and they perspired very little
too. Finally their letters were all 'dic-
tated" to a stenographer by private sec
retary, and century or so later we find
the Etruscans suffering from brain fag
before their whiskers broke out. They
sat for hours trying to remember back
to when they were young people, but
finally gave it up. They did not marry
outside Of their set at all, and so man.
aged to confine all the broad heritage OF
antique and ancient diseases, which many
generations Of Incidence, insolence and
rich victuals had engendered, to their
own proud but bilious race.
And so at last. Wanda, they petered
out, to use the glowing words OF Livy,
and the places that knew them once now
knows them no more forever.
Think Of il. Seven hundred and fifty
years before the boom struck Rome the
Etruscans were powerful nation, with
a glorious history, a heritage OF liberty
for the purpose Of forking over to poster
ity and war debt.
Later on trouble broke out with the
Romans themselves. many Etruscans
having been skinned. IL would seem, by
unscrupulous real estate dealers, who
sold the Etruscans lots in Uncle Re
mus addition TO Rome which after
ward turned out to be in another county.
This prscipitated upon the Etrsscans =
war which was most disastrous, many
of the choicest and best dressed Etruscan
officers of toe regular army having been
killed or overhet in their fight, - that
they were no good after that. or their
uniforms were so mussed up that they
were ashamed almost to go to large
place Ike Rome. where toe next battle
was advertised for.
Eighty-nine years before Christ the
Ftruscsns were admitted To the Roman
franchise, but still even rs subordinate
power they constantly threw 1t up TO
their conauerers that they were a very
Old people. and it was indeed raw, disa-
creeahle day when some Etruscan did
not 90 home With beautiful Swiss sun
set under each eye and tell has wife that
he got IL while reaching the tail Of .
casual mule.
The Etruscsn writers were not of a
high order generally. but they excelled
in all the arts. AS a people. they al
lowed nobody 10 outdo them ia art
Sculpture. painting. etc. etc, hal .
great hold on the people. and home deco
ration was ran into the ground. Ever
lasting flowers and dried grasses with
powdered alum on them were in their
full meridian when the Etruscsns eurlei
up and died a. people. leaving their
glitterinz bones 60 ornament the shores
Of tina
The SO called Tuscan architectnre is =
mobilization ~ the Dorie, ard looss well
On an uneneura erred piece u property
The Closcs Msxima. A. Rome. which
many travellers viii remember has hesa