People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-12-23

This week l will give you the
story of boy who was born a few
years after the other one, and whose
folks belonged to one of the highest
families in Rome. They were
wealthy, educated and aristocratic.
They did not belong to the rag-tag
and bob-tail, and they had no feel
ing, but contempt for those beneath
them in riches and social position.
They belonged to that select few
who seem to believe that God made
the world for the benefit of a special
class, and that they are the class.
The young man 1 am to write
about was named Sylla. lie was
taught IN all branches of learning.
He became what was called "cul-
tured" and accomplished" In his
youth he was very wild. He frol-
licked all rround the town and spent
all the money he could lay his hands
on. He drank, he gambled, he did
no work, and he had fine contempt
for those who did. Many of his
vices were SO bad [ cannot name
them to you.
About the time this young man
had run through with all his money!.
and had got tired Of his old vices,
and could not think up any new
ones, Marius, the plow-boy, was
enlisting an army to go to the wars.
Sylla concluded he would Join.
He wanted to be an officer at the
very jump. He was not willing to
work his way up from the ranks as
Marius had done. He must be an
officer. Marius knew of his habits
and did not wish Sylla to be one of
his men. But somehow or other, he
finally decided to accept him. It is
said that Sylla had female friend
who got him the place. Quite likely.
Anyhow, he got it, and off ne went
to the wars.
He struck his talent. The excite
ment kept him from his worst habits,
and he soon became the best officer
in the army.
sn the story Of Marius, told you
about his having a king among his
captives, in the street parade at
Rome.
Well Sylla was the officer to
whom this king made bis actual sur
render, and he and his friend claimed
that Sylla, and not Marius, ought to
have the praise. This caused bad
blood between the two generals.
Human.nature was just the same
then as it is now. The jealousy be-
tween Marius and Sylla reached
such pitch that they almost had a
civil war over this question as to
who captured that king. And he
was an African king at that!
Two nations once went to war
over an Old bucket. Ten thousand
men were killed. By the time the
fighting was over aud most of the
dead had been buried, they had for,
gotten about the bucket.
AT the time this dispute over the
African king w@s getting to be most
interesting, the Roman country was
invaded by the German armies men
toned last week. Hence, Marius
and Sylla, instead of killing one an
other, went out to kill these Ger
mans. They did it.
When they got back home they
not only had the African king ques-
ton to hate each other about, but
they had many others. Chief among
these was the claims which Sylla
and his friends put forward that
Syua, and not Marius, had done the
finest work in putting down the Ger
mans.
These two men not only hated
each other personally, but the friends
of the one hated the friends OF the
other. They were leaders of rival
parties.
Marius had sprung from the peo-
pie. He was ignorant and rough in
his manners. He had the mfortu-
nate habit of saying what he thought.
He was noted for telling the truth
and fer being honest. His friends
were mostly the laboring people.
The country farmers all had conf
dence in him and followed him.
Sylla, on the other hand, had
been born among the aristocrats.
His natural sympathies were all with
the higher classes. He loved money.
II, d;d,,,f oara how he cyot 81 he rtot