Milford chronicle., 1902-11-14

dark Roman dungeon eXcaVated I'M
der another dungeon. 1t is called
Pauls dungeon. There is a little hole
in the roof about two feet square.
Through this little aperture the prison.
ers used to be lowered by ropes Riv-
eted into the stone wall was an iron
ring, to which the helpless victim could
be chained. The walls of that dun
geOn, even on that hot summer day,
were damp and cold. As l stood there
1 wanted to place myself as nearly as
possible in Paurs position. l babe my
guide leave me and take away the
light. l wanted to be alone. As the
guide left the loneliness became appall-
ing. Even the echoes of the departing
footsteps seemed to make those prison
walls the more awfully and hOpelessly
grewsome. As the light disappeared
the darkness rushed in and seemed to
press my eyeballs like living Goals of
fire into my thrObbing brain. Then in
imagination l thought l could see
crOuching by the iron ring riveted into
the wall a little, old Jew. His shriv
eled limbs were drawn up by rheuma-
tism, the result Of his prison cOnfine-
ments. His weak eyes were now
straining themselves to catch a glimpse
of the eXecutiOner, who came nearer
and nearer to the aperture above, as
my guide with the lantern approached
the hole Then in Imagination as my
guide spoke l seemed to hear the exc
! cutioner call out in a harsh, cruel voice:
paul, Paul. come up! Cesar says
thou art to die. Come up; come up"
i Then the little old Jew answered in a
weak though firm voice, "And now
am ready to be offered" The vision
was one of the conquest Of wrong over
right.
Scene the SecOnd.-It is midnoon.
am standing upon the top Of the great
1 Coliseum. Before me are crowded to-
gether 100000 men and women, great
mass of humanity, rising tier above
tier, and height above height. YOnder
sits the emperor. surrounded by his
chief military officers and by the men,
bers of the famous senate. There is
the place reserved for the vestal vir-
gins Here are the rooms Of the peas
ants and the middle classes. All the
sightseers are flushed and excited. The
roses in the young girls cheeks blush
even to a deeper red than the drunken
flush on the faces of their intoxicated
lords As the entertainment goes OF
the bodies of the slain begin to accu
mulate. Attendants now rush in ant
drag the bleeding cOrpses out of the
arena. Then the blood soaked sand il
sprinkled with precious powders to al
lay the Odor Now an awning is draw
over the assembly to protect the nobil
ity from the fiery rays of the eastern
sun. Now the air is redolent will
aromatic perfumes. This is a natiOna
holiday. Cesar is celebrating the vic
tories of the Roman armies. Now tn
, arena is flooded with water. The ship
float in. There is a naval battle. Nov
the gladiators cut and slash and wres
, tie and die.
The Scene In the Arena.
. After awhile even this sport become
) tame. For what are they waiting
= They are saving the best until tn
last. They are now going to let loOs
: the wild beasts upon the Christian
= The twilight is coming on. Some {
: the Christians are bound and fastene
e to poles and covered with pitch and s.
Y afire to make human torches wit
i which to light the dusk. While the'
o flaming torches leap and splutter al
S play, in the center of the arena a
e huddled together scores of men al
l. women who are about to die Viii
} the merciless multitudes look on, Il
n doomed Christians all kneel, except Of
n old patriarch with long. white bear
e who stands in their midst to lead
prayer. Now the iron gates are swul
back. With one mighty leap, a hu
Is lion lands upon the sands. At fiji
IS the flaming torches blind his eyes a
L. compel him to blink. Then he loo
IS around upon the 100000 human ey
er watching him. Then the starving brU
It. suddenly sees the trembling Christia
re in the center of the arena. He squa
MS His claws begin to work cOnvulsive
ne He crawls nearer and nearer to
X prey. He makes one leap. There's
he woman's scream. Then with sava
rs ferocity the African monster drags
NJ the body and begins to MUNICH
elk bones.
&c Again the sport grows tame. I
in people are beginning to dispense;
AS human torches are going out; darkn
at is blotting out everything. With FOLD
is, arms l turn to go down the steps, s
so ing to myself as l go, rs it not aw
les that all these Christians should HI
Of been slain for nothing; that all t
he blood should have been uselessly spill
But as sOliloquized thus a young
he touches my arm. turn and look
ice her She has sweet face. She sa