Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-05-21

more than enough to make up for all
this suffering. The Republic will be
grateful"
"Grateful!' exclaimed the younger
son. ''Rome does not know the mean
ing of the word, else why should she
make such cruel laws?"
But thirty days ago." said the
mother. 'when Caius said he must have
the debt paid, and your father took the
choice the law allows between hopeless
slavery for himself and you-think of
that, my grown-up sons.-or answering
with his body for the debt, / never
really thought that Caius would press
him to the limit of the law. Thirty
days has your father tried to get the
money, but it has been useless knew
it would be. Now nothing remains, if
Caius is still merciless, but for your
father to be chained like dog with
heavy irons in Caius' courtyard for
Caius' worthless sons to make sport of
OH my boys, the very thought makes
me wild! Think of the sixty days mis-
cry and shame that must follow, during
all which time they will feed him like
beast with just food enough to keep
him alive to feel his degradation, and
then-hopeless slavery or a cruel death.
Are you men, my sons, to see your old
father, bent with age and crippled with
wounds"
Mother" interrupted Marcus,
speaking slowly and heavily as men do
when their passions are too fierce and
deep for words, this shall never be.
We have borne a great deal already,
but this is too much. There he comes,
let us meet him." And they walked
down the road where tall and soldierly
old man was seen slowly approaching.
well, Valerius," said Virgilia, the
mother lis it all over?"
Yes said he: 'Caius' only answer
to my entreaties was, You had your
choice: the law must take its course.
And his miserable son Knocked and
ieered at me-the prohigate. But it is
the last time" And the old mans
eyes flashed ominiously. There is
only one thing left" he continued
slowly, 1--WE must leave Rome. There
is surely free air enough somewhere for
a Roman soldier to breathe. The 9TH
er plebeians will go with us, and we will
found a city that some day may bring
these proud patricians to their senses.
Virgilia," turning to his wife. and his
tones softening little. could you bear
to give up this home, poor as it is,
where we have lived all these years,
where our children were born, where
our little Julia dropped and died?"
YES, my husband" answered Vir-
gilia, though her eyes were filed with
tears. Anything that will give you a
fair chance"
What have we to lose?" vehemently
interrupted Marcus. Haven't we all
been tied down to hard work and poor
living, going without everything we
wanted, and doing everything we didn't
want to do, all these years; and what
have we gained but TO sink deeper into
debt year by year? What better
chance is there for me and my chill
dren?"
Nalerius and his family belonged to
that great class of common people who
in all countries and in all times have
been worth SO much To the rich and
noble, but yet have suffered so much
from their hands. Cruel debtor laws
for fifteen years had borne very heavily
on the plebeians, as the common people
were called in Rome. There had been
open protests and low mutterings; but
plebeians everywhere bear very much
before they rebel against those they are
accustomed TO serve. Yet now the
thought of seeing the brave old soldier,
whom they all knew and respected,
chained like beast, was too much for
even their long suffering. They knew
too well all he had done for Caius the
Patrician; they knew quite rs well that
this money which Caius would eXtort
was only to go to buy Caius' prohigate
sons more white horses and gilded
chariots. The plan of leaving the
mobiles to fight their own battles had
been often talked of AS a last resort.
Mount Aventinus was not far away 1t
wonld not take long, I'M the sunny ltal-
ian climate, to make comfortable homes
there for their families. In case of
need it might be fortiied-who knows?
against even Rome herself.
There was little sleep that night in
the humble homes of the plebeians.
Men came and went, talking in low
tones; women were busy gathering to-
gether their most precious possessions.
If the tears fell as they worked, they
fell quietly; for though women dread to
give up their old homes for new and UNI