The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-06-20

Mind-Ghn~tS of the Men Who Wer,
Stars In the Forum.
Marion Craw ford in an article for Tn,
Century, entitled "A kaleidoscope q
Rome says:
There is IL plan OF the place in every
%guldcbock, with a description written t.
be read while running. And get. without
much definite knowledgc-with Little
Latin and less Greek perhaps-many
men and women, the guidebook in thei,
b.. e"ce:tc-- g &C -. h..
leu 49,. lick If Llarblo with hal
closed, musing eyes, ard breath drawn
SO slow that it is almost quiet, held il
day dream wonder, and they have seen
rise o vision Of past things and beings,
even IL tic bread afternoon sunshine,
out OF stones that remember Cesar
footsteps and from walls that have
echoed with Antcny's speech. There
they troop mp the sacred way, the shoc!!:
headed, wool draped, beak nosed Ro-
mans; there they stand together in
groups at the corner Of Saturn g temple
there the half naked plebeian children
Chamber upon the pedestals of the col
umns to watch the crowd and double the
mems deep tones with treble Of child
lsh clatter; there the noble boy, with
his bordered toga, his keen young face
and longing backward look, il hurried
home out of the throng by the tall house.
hold slave who carries his school tablets
and is responsible for his safety.
A consul goes by. 10 lictors marching
with him-black browed, square jaw
ed, relentless men, with their rods and
axes. Then two closed litters are carried
past by big, black, oily fellows, beside
whom walk freedmen and Greek slaves
and three OF four becnrled and bescented
parasites, the shadows of the great men
III the litters. Under their very feet the
little street boys play their game of
pitching at tiny pyramids Of dried lu-
plns-because they have no flberts. and
lupins are almost as good, and as tho
daudlf1ed hanger on of Macenas, strain
ing his ear for the sound Of his patrons
voice from within the litter, heedlessly
crushes the little yellow beans under his
sandal. the particular small bow whose
stake is smashed clenches his fist. and
with flashing eyes curses the dandy's
dead to the fourth generation of ascend
ants, and he and his companions turn
and scatter like mice as II of the big
gest saves threateningly raises his hand.
ABSURD details rise in the dream. An
Old crone Is selling roasted chestnuts in
the shadow Of the temple Of Castor and
Pollux; q tipsy soldier is Keeling to his
quarters with his helmet stuck on wrong
side foremost; a knot of Jewish money!
changers, with long curls and high caps.
are talking eagerly III Hebrew. and
clutchlng the little bags they hide in the
sleeves Of their yellow eastern gowns a
bright eyed, skinny woman of the peo- ,
Pie boxes her daughters ears for having
at one Of the rich men s parasites
the girl, already cnying, still looks
after the fashionable good for nothing
her mothers appraised arm.
All about stretches the vast hummine |
Guy OF low built houses covering the |
short, steep hills and filling all the bol-
lows between; the seething Subura lies
northeastward; the yellow river is he
FOND the few buildings to the west.
southwark rise the enchanted villas Of
CAESARS; due east is the Esuuiline Of
wi Tame redeemed and planted with
rees y beautifed by M@cenas, but
1aunted ever today, say modern Ro-
mans, by the grim ghosts of murderers
md thieves who there died bloody
leaths Of quivering torture. All around.
s The sun sinks and the cool shadows
luench the hot light on the white ave.
the ever increasing crowds of men
always more men than women-moye
inward, half uncousciously and out of
nborn habit, to the Forum, the center
I the empire, the middle of the world
ne boiling point Of the whole earth's
lches and strength and life.
Then, as the traveller muses. ont his
mort breathing space, the vision grows
oniused, and Rome's huge ghosts 90
riding, changing, raving through
surglng dream throng-C@sar. Brn-
u.s. fompey. Catiline, Cicero, Caligula, !,
lteilus, Hadrian-and close upon them I,
auls and Cloths and Huns, and all bar
arlans, till the dream is q Kaleidoscope ,
school learned names that have sud ,
MY K shadows of great faces ont :
Rome's shadow ~storehouse. and /;
arms and streaming draperies, )
ID all at once the sightseer shiyers as .
9 sun goes down. and passes his hand !
DIS eyes, and shakes himself, and y,
es away rather hastily. lest he should :
the fever and turn ghost himself. =
Japanese Journalism. u
. Japanese correspondent Of the Bal '
nore Sun says: considering the fact "