Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-12-01
The Death Of Silver.
For the SPECTATOR.

Whose grave is this Horatio? Let's
read the inscription that's here writ
(Readlng ''Here lies Silver White
with age, and feeble, be was Set upon,
and his bent form could not withstand
the strokes which fell upon him. Six
teen blows his adversary strake, he
strake but one. He fell and died. We
shall not see his like again" And
is silver buried here? Methinks 1 saw
his grave elsewhere. Yes, have many
burial places seen, in my late waEder-
1ngs. In all, an epitaph like this.
Ah, now l do recall that in my archae-
illogical research two years ago, l went
into the catacOnns, and in the furthest
part, beside the bones of the great
Captain Marcus Aurelius Hannus 1,
there was tomb on which was writ
this same inscription. And YET, Hora-
tito. did we not meet such an one, upon
the steps of the Acropolis as we journied
to the Pantheon, yesterday? Horatio
let me look at thy PHILOSOPHY, and sec
would know the history of this person
age. May be twas his ancestor who
died. but if so he is of ancient lineage
and honorable. Aye, tis writ in your
PHILOSOPHY that he has played with
Kings, he has been sought by queens
and princes for his good fellowship. He
has made joyous hearts and many, and he
has been the POor mans friend. What
would give Horatio, to have his pedi-
gree, line of ancestry such as his, and
to have kept always such good CON-
panyS But why, Horatio, have his line
been slain. who the envious persons
seeking to encompass him? 1 must |
know if there lives today scion of his
race, and If twas he we met. II
All HOratiO, L went to look the lists |
upon, in the great library, and as looked
at them l found the chronology so |
pure. that [ could trace it at a glance
and whilst l looked grey haired man
cane by, and when he saw ne with the
scroll he went his way. His features
haunted me, he was the same We met,
and after which l passed out by the
way which he had G he, and when |
stood beneath the arcade, at the outer
gate l heard a shout, and as it grew
apace | went into the street. and there
were soldiers all about. and men in
gOodly robes. and all the senate stood |
IF III, |
Yassals of the king, and money changers,
ard hangers on, but the people fled and
were stricken Gamb with fear. And l
made enquiry and one said, "Silver is
dead, We have killed him." and those
with blatant mouths did shout, and
they who dealt in news made notes, and
many wrote an epitaph. l was amazed
and stood myself in awe, when all at
once sturdy youth, splendid of form,
Of feature all that art could crave,
threw back his toga, as he said to me,
Il am of the !oins of him, whom those
poor fools think, they have slain. Now
will they bury him again, and make
great feasts and eat and drink, and go be-
sotted to their homes. And when they
end their reyelry, will laugh and proc
each other with their fingers and guffaw,
each telling of the stab that he himself
did give, and how 1t happened there"
Then smiling went he i'll the street.
The people came about and showed him
reverence. / unused and said, if that be
leath where is thy sting. Oh, grave,
where is thy victory? T.