The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-05-25

1t was very early The breath of the sea
blew in from the northwest cool and refresh
ing. Aurora had not yet come, and leaden
chain still barred the portals of Olympus.
Ny head felt heavy with wine but my brain
was abnormaly active, recalling the villa of
my father nestled among the valleys of Cam
pania the ripping stream where | had often
fshed for carp aud the groves on the hill
slopes-how green they were in summer and
what glowing mass of variegated color in
autumn. Then the dull sound of keel graf
ing on the sand interrupted my reverie, and
was dragged on board boat which rowed
swiftly out to sea. Thence | was transferred
| to a rotten hulk-an old breme which had
been completely decked over and at whose
stern were lying two large tigers motionless as
the sphinx with their amber eyes closed as if
in sleep. Some potent drug whose influence
would soon depart had enforced this passive
quiet.
Ye too, o monarcbs of the jungle and terror
of men, have felt the power of the despots and
my heart goes out to you in sympathy.
The legionaries under the direction of their
officer, my old school fellow, Decius Carbo,
bound me to the single mast of the vessel by
winding hempen bonds around my body and
then loosing the tigers that had been fastened
| by chain around the left fore leg of each and
leaving me to Death, aud the Fates returned
to the shore and to Life.
I'M H. 4
for some time idly in the breeze. Then Nep-
tune stirred the furthermost depths, the sail
belied outward glistening like marble with
the salt spray, the vessel began to quiver with
the impulse of the winds and sprang forward,
cleaving aside from her over hanging prov the
foamy wave. | gazed toward Corinth with
unspeakable sadness. The mist of morning
hung over the city like a blessing of the gods.
o city of thieves and merchants fair art thou
to behold Fair are thy white towers which
WOO the clouds; fair are thy green parks aud
fruitful orchards, fair is thy spacious harbor
winged with sails, the center of Hellenic com
! merce.
A low hoarse growl recalled me from this
fllcaSl1B utdd WAS ilSt iIO'h
the effects of the revel but there was strange
ringing in my ears like the subdued clashing
of cymbaIs heard through the trees in the grove
of Daphne or the silvery splash Of musical
fountain.
Was it fear or what? | do not know.
There is an agony experienced in the antici-
patton of fearful happening which over
shadows with its harpy wings the dread of the
event itself | say truthlully that if the tigers
had made short work of me | would have suf-
fered far less than / did. The waiting, the
horrible suspense chilled me with fear and
made Life seem sweeter to me than ever.
However, resolved to dismiss my fears, and,
though Greek in name being Roman, to
meet death as Roman should. | thought no
more of the tigers, though they had crept
nearer, being awake and were watching ME
narrowly. | looked up at the sky The black
clouds were massing their dusky legions at the
poles; the horizon was deep purple, sreaked
with tints of red, orange and amethyst The
breezes grew up into winds The ship pitched
violently in the trough of the and to my
ears was borne the continual scratch, scratch