Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1903-08-06
A TALE OF ROME At THE TIME
OF SUllA.
JOHN BIDwELL rHoMEs.


the Appian Way about four miles
from Rome. Marius who owned Chic.
was cruel master AMI often beat his
slave but Chic avoided him when
ever II was possible.
On this particular day, as Chic sat
on the bank Of a small stream. while
the sheep were quietly grazing. q
man appeared running over a neigh-
boring hill pursued by two men, who
were evidently slaves. They had been
trying to rob him. but on his quick
escape, they endeavored to catch him
once more. Chic at once took in the
situation, and, catching up his crook,
he stood ready to defend the man,
who ran toward the spot where he was
standing. Just after the fugitive had
passed, Chic struck dead the first
man and tripped the second. who fell
heavily to the ground. The would
be robber was quickly bound hand
and foot, and. after throwing the dead
mans body into the brook. the two
men sat down ON the bank Of the
stream to talk. That was a narrow
escape. said Chic. Indeed 1t was"
said the peasant, and what Is the
name Of so gallant q person as your
self"
Il am called Chic. and I was born
in Athens. My father, who was quite
rich and at one time held the highest
once In the government, fought in the
Macedonian Wars, and began to
wish that too might fight for my
country. So when Mithradates, the
Great. went to Greece. I gladly join
ed his little army. But Mithradates
was defeated In a few battles and driv.
en- into Asia, where I, with several
friends was taken prisoner. A guard
was detailed to take US to Rome,
where We arrived after q rough voy-
age. Then / was sold at public auc-
ton, where Marius bought me for q
very small sum. and set me at work
tending sheep. He makes us work
very hard and expects to sell us In a
Few years. having gotten out Of us all
the work that he can. The other day
a slave was quite sick, but Marius
cast him aside and bought another as
the cost of another was less than the
price Of medicine. AS many of US
were superior in rank to our masters,
that cause makes us more miserable.
We have to make our living on the
sheep or by robbing the peasants.
which those two men were probably
doing. These misdeeds are overlook
ed by the peasants. as our masters
are all powerful at Rome"
Here Chic paused, but after deep
thought said, II have told you all OF
my history that Is of Importance, so
tell me Of your life" "You slaves
doubtless have a harder time than we
peasants. but while We are wronged
by our own people in Rome, your trou-
bles come by the fortune OF war"
Suddenly there was a sound of gal
looping horses, and a body Of men
came into sight along the Appian Way
OOnninO
drew nearer Chic recognized Marius
OF whom the peasant inquired the
news. "Sulla has returned and in his
followers, and I fleeing" Then
they resumed their flight ard .Chilo
and the peasant went back to the
brook.
L"As was about to say" said the
peasant. my name Is Sextus and my
family Is Samnite. One Of my ances-
tors took part In the Samnite wars, at
the end Of which he came to live near
where do now. Still, though the wars
were ever so long ago, there Is some
bitter feeling between us and the Ro-
mans who still wish to keep us outside
OF the city limits. There have been
many land troubles as the wealthy at
Rome buy or take, by force. our land
from US, but every time we have sue
ceeded in getting 1t back through
some friend in the city, who
has passed a law to
that effect. or late we have been try
ing to get full citizenship, and sue
ceeded only short time ago. But,
now we have IL. many Of us cannot go
to Rome to vote, although some join
the many mobs that somewhat infiu.
ence the government. Look! Here
comes the pursuers of those horse
men"
Indeed, one Of the men called to Sex
tus and said. in the name of Sulla.
tell us whether a body of horsemen
passed this way a short time ago"
Yes" answered Sextus, they stopped
and told us Of the affairs In the city"
Then the men galloped away.
When Chic and Sextus returned to
the stream, they found that the rob
Der, whom they had left, as they
thought. secure. had escaped. and they
saw him in the distance. running to-
ward the villa Of Marius. which to
their surprise was In flames. Then he
knew that Marius was dead. What
would become of him? He would be
soid again, perhaps, to a far more
cruel master. He would run away. But
wnither! He would try to escape to
Greece. He struck OF his collar of
servitude, and. after parting from Sex
tus, started toward the Tiber, which he
reached Just after dark. He stole a boat
and glided silently down the river. Hid
ing by day and moving by night, he at
last reached Ostia, where he took pas
sage on small tender to Greece.
Many days passed by till the Third
Mithradatic War came on. Chic join.
cd Mithradates and Sextus went to
war, first under Iucuilus ana tban
under Pompey. In one OF the battles.
sextus was taken prisoner by the
squad TO which Chic belonged. When
Chilo recognized Sextus, he gladly paid
the other captors for their share I'm
MIN and took his old friend to his
nome In Athens. Here Sextus made a
deiightful visit before returning to
his home in Italy.
Csrnesie's Temperasce Lecture.
Andrew Carnegie, In sending n con-