The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-08-01
Some Lies of History.

Some Lies of History.
The African King, Prester John had no exis-
tence.
There never was such a person as Pope Joan,
the so-called female pontitf.
William Tell did not found the Swiss confed- |
Grafton, and the story of Gessler has no historic
basis.
There is no historic authority for the state
ment that little George Washington cut down the
cherry tree.
Charlemagne's paladinS had no existence, ana
the history of Charlemagne himself is so clouded
by myth as to be utterly unreliable.
Wellington at Waterloo, did not say. "Up
guards. and at 'em!'' The words were put into
his mouth by an imaginative writer.
The mother of Coriolanus did not intercede
with her son to spare Rome. The story has no
better foundation than that of Horatius.
There is no reason to believe that Tarquin in
suited Lucretia. His power was overthrown by
popular tumult, which is the only basis for the
story.
Pocahontas did not save the life of John Smith.
1t has been ascertained that this worthy man
was the most able-bodied prevaricator OF his
century.
The story of King Arthur and his round table
is myth. although what purports to be the round
table is still to be seen in a south OF England
town.
Alfred the Great did not visit the Danish camp
disguised as minstrel. There is no good reason
Ylo no no r
speak Danish.
The maelstrem is not whirlpool which sucks
ships down into the depths OF the ocean. 1t is
an eddy, which in fair weather can be crossed in
safety by any vessel.
Queen Eleanor did not suck the poison from
her husbands wounds. as she did not accompany
him on the expedition during which the incident
is alleged to have taken place.
, Cromwell and Hampden did not attemptto sail
f to America Just before the outbreak OF the Eng
l fish revolution. A number of their friends did
but they had no thought of going.
The Man in the Iron Mask did not wear {
mask of iron. 1t was black velvet secured b!
= steel springs.
e The wonderful Damascus blades that cut bar
}. |
n blades made to-day.
Seneca was not a half-Christian philosopher
. but a grasping money-lender and usurer, VIII
" died worth over 100000.
e Caesar did not say, "Et tn, Brute!' Eye-wl1
is nesses to The assassination devised that "he die
IS fighting but silent like wolf
IS Richard III. was not hunchback, but so
nrotpnSODS goo
st looks, and great personal strength and coul
ii age.
o. Augustus was not the public benefactor he
70 represented. He was the most exactlng tax co
If lector the Roman world had up to his time eve
at seen.
ty Mucius Scayola never put his hand in the fir
us The story was fabrication of Roman hlsterla
re hundreds of years after the supposed time.
Blondel. the harper did not discover the prise
ne of King Richard. Richard paid his ransom, al
d. the receipt for is among the Austrian archive
10 Horatius never defended the bridge. II
on story was manufactured byth same gifted auth
nv who gave the world the account of Scevola
to herOism
he General Cambronne did not say, THE qua
I'd. dies. but does not surrender" The words we
I'D the invention of Paris journalist and attribu
w to him.
m
ad Caesar did not cross the RubcOn. tlay on t.
av. opposite side of the italian peninsula from
,at point where he left his own possessions and
We tered Italy,.
eo The bridge of signs at Venice has no roman
De worthy the name. Most of the unfortunates W
M cross it are petty thieves who are sent to
"' workhOuse.
lid The blood of Rizzio, Mary Stuart's favor
The cannot be seen on the floor where he was M
vs.? dered by Darnley and the other consplrato
the What is seen there is daub OF red paint, AMI
en- ally renewed for the benent OF gaping touris's
Ids St. Louis (Mo.) Globe Democrat.