The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-21
SOME FAMOUS CHARACTERS.

Navasota. Texas.--Dear Happyhammers:
l have often thought OF entering the happy
band OF Happyhammers but every time I
would start l would stop. Was afraid
Well. yes, was afraid that could rot
write an interesting letter like the other
liaps OF my age. but they say practice
OF my improvement.
] saw in the Happyhammers' page that
Mistress Primrose wishes the older mem
DerS TO tell whom they think was the
giandest character In the world before the
year 1000 There are several great char
actefs to be discussed. For instance there
are the great generals Alexander the Great.
Hannibai, Pompey the Great, julius Cacsar
IraJan and Charlemagne; the PHILOSOPHERS
Socrates. Plato, Aristotle and Seneca: the
orators Domosthenes and Cicero. aud Au-
gustus Caesar and CHRISTOPHER Columbus.
Alexander the Great was emperor OF
Macedonia and Greece from 3 y. C. 10 49,
b. q. He conquered all Of the know,
world, which extended from the Indus
river IN Asia to the Libyan dese.t In Africa
ana to Macedonia In Europe. Everywhere
he conquered he planted Greek colonies and
thus spread the Greciar art science and
language
Hannibal was Carthagluian and lived
about 22l 3. 9. He WAS the Cartnaginian
leecc- in the wars between Carthage and
aome. ~ the age OF nine he was led TO
the aitar by his father and vowed eternal
hatred towards the Romans. Hannibal vas
the hrst person to cross the Alps. lie
started to make The ascent Ia November
ahu When ne reached the valley OF the yast
army that started barely half survived. ana
these locked more like phantoms tLan
men. The one falling Hannibal had WAS
ne cohidnt follow up victory wnen he
he. A.
entering Rome, but he let the opnorf',,,irv
Iuss and thus lost the chance Of conquer
ing Italy.
Pompey the Great was a spaniard BY
bNth and the son-in-law OF Julius Caesar
During the lifetime OF Pompey's wife he
and Caesar were peaccable, but on the
death OF his wife Pcmpey declared himself
caesar rival. He seized the government
at Rome and ordered Caesar 10 disbaad b.s
army. but Caesar FASTENED from his rro-
vince With hts troops 70 Rome The senate
and Fompey, hearing OF his approach fled
ron hcne, and Caesar entered the city
ana assumed control OF the government.
Caesar conquered what is now France and
ne visited the British Isles. He WAS as-
sasslnstea In - b. g. by party Of men.
among whom Was Brutus, one Of his fay
critics. II was thought that Caesar coveted
the title OF king. although he refused the
crown three times. The only charge Ir,ltus
brought against him was that he was am
bilious.
Trajan was one Of the iiye good empc.ors
OF Rome and was Spaniard and a soldier.
He ruled from 50 to III A. d. and during
his reign the boundaries Ct the Roman
empire reached their farthest limit. cx-
tending beyond the Danube In Europe and
beyond the Euphrates In Asia. Traian had
taste for literature and also a passion
fer building. He built the Tra3an's column.
Charlesmagne was king Of the Frsnks
and lived about 1853 A. ID. He ruled ferry
six years and made fifty-two campaigns,
the chief Of which we're against the i,om-
bArds, the Sarucens and saxons. Who're be
conquered he made the conquered accept
the Christian faith. He died In Sl4 A. D.
and his kingdom was divided among bis
three grandsoDs. ChArlsmaane laid the
foundation Of the temporal power OF the
pore ana was reformer and statesman.
he il called IL mat imposing character