The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-08-04
IN IMPERIAL ROME.
A Jewish Boy Who Entered One of
the Famous Foot Races.

A Jewish Boy Who Entered One of
the Famous Foot Races.
Rome was mighty city in those
days. 1t had many mile of streets
and avenues, reaching out into the sur
rounding country, until nobody could
tell where the city ended, although
everybody knew that its center was on
a hill at the capitol. Far from the
capitol, but still within the city, was
the amphitheater, or circus, where the
most wonderful shows were given that
the world had ever known. There wild
beasts and men were made to fight by
thousands for the shows were MUIR
derous, and the vast sandy area OF the
amphitheater was often stained with
blood.
Cyril was walking along a narrow.
crooked street. that led away from the
capitol in the direction of the circus.
At that moment he almost ran
against q wall, and he stood still. 1t
was one side of vast marble arch at
the main entrance to the circus, and,
as he looked up, he saw a placard,
with an inscription in several Ian
guageS. He could read some of them.
They were all alike, and they told
him that the enIperor's project Of the
circus had arranged for prize foot
races. One of these was free to all
who could pass the trial race for adj
mission. There was to be a prize of
ten sestertia, and Cy1iPs brain Whirled
little at the thought of so much
money.
'More than six hundred shekels!' he
exclaimed, after a calculatiOn-"and
can yet run! 1t says the sub-prefect
will see all who apply" He stood gaz-
ing at the placard and reading it aloud.
Suddenly a voice near him said:
THAT he will, and he will scourge
you we'll if you fail at the test. Can
you run? You look like it. Come"
Black as jet was the face of the
dwarfish figure that Cyril at once
turned to follow through the arch and
a side door and along tiied-fioor pas
sage. In a few minutes more he stood
in the presence of richly dressed Off
cial who for a moment eyed him
sternly. The dwarf had addressed
this great man very reverently, calling
him Crispus, but strange thought
flashed into the mind Of Cyril, for he
had never seen Roman whose face
was like that of the sub project.
'Oh, Jewish boy, who are thou!
asked CriSpuS in Aramaic, with an ac-
cent that made Cyrils heart beat
81 am Cyril Ben Ezra, of the house
of Kish," replied Cyril, sta1ing hard at
the grim, iron-mOuthed official for
something in the mans face seemed
familiar.
Amen said CrispTs. ANSWER in
thine own tongue, for thou art Gal
lilean. l am Reuben Ben Nassur, of
Cana. l am thy kinsman. KnoWeSt
thou aught of thy house?"
Isaac, the Rabbi, is we'll" replied
Cyril, and on he went, for Reuben, or
Crispus, asked him many questions,
and they talked in Hebrew, which
none near them could understand.
Perhaps another reason was plain
when he said of the circus:
what is it to me or thee if all the
heather Slay one arother! Thou shalt
run. l will give thee week of train
ing before the trial, but know that
cannot save thee from the scourge, If
thou fail before the project. Mark
this. alSo-fOrget that thou art Jew
until thy feet have told Tallienus that
thou art good runner Thou hast
nothing to do with the Law whilst
thou art beast in the Roman circus.
Bitter, indeed, was the cup of pow
erty that Cyril was drinking. He had
put away his pride. driven by starva-
ton. and now a brother of Ben Nassur
himself was bidding him put aside his
religion No opportunity for an an
swer, yea or nay, was given, hoWev-
er. and he was led away by the dwarf
to one of the outbuildingS of the am
pSiteater. 1t was, as he at once, dis
covered, a kind of jail, in which were
kept the men who were training for
the races. Many of them were mere
slaves, put there by their owners. in
hopes that they might win prize for
their masters. At all events, Cyril
was to have shelter and food, but the
boarding house or Jail of the runners
adjoined great dens of wild animals,
and he was kept awake by the roaring
of many lions; for a thunderstorm
swept over Rome, and the imprisoned
kings of the forest or plain responded
with thunderouS roarS of their own
making.-From 'SThe Swordmaker's
Son." by w. 0. Stoddard, in August
st. Nicholas.
A Fish story.
There is an old darkey who can be
found any day perched on such freight