The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-07-30
SMOTHERED WITH FLOWERS

probable story Of Heliogbalus and his
Il >ublesome senate? H~eliogabalus was
one OF the later emporers of Rome.
and, indeed, the story could scarcely
be credited of any other than that
wildly ~eXtravagant age. The senators
were ambitious politicians. greedy of
honors, always struggling for places
OF power and rank, and again and
again crossing the will of the emper-
CT to gain their " selfish ends.
That a tyrant like Heliagabalus should
bear this patiently was more than
one might expect, but, in secret. he
was maturing his own plan TO get
free from these overbearing officials.
One day, the emperor made a great
feast, to which all of the senators
were invited. Neither you or | could
imagine the things which were served
there, for the bill of fare, if we had
it, would read like a fairy tale. In
the midst Of the banquet, when every
body was making merry, the emperor
retired, saying that he had one more
surprise in store for his guests. And
a surprise it certainly proceeded to be.
The ceiling over their heads parted.
and the laurel wreaths and garlands
of flowers which they had coveted
as tokens Of victory and honor be
gan to rain down upon them. The
floor and tables were covered, ard the
senators struggled helplessIy in the
damp, fragrant mass. but still the
shower of blossoms continued. They
rushed to the doors, but found them
bolted and locked. Outside the win
dows were drawn up the emperor's
guards. There was no escape, and
already they were buried in the soft.
heaving drift, which filled the apart
ment with all manner Of blended Or.
fume, as they trampled it madly Ind
er their feet in a hopeless effort to-
extricate themselves.
That night, the banquet hall was
silent. The senator's of Rome had
entered their last protest against the
will of Heliogabalus. The cruel, un-
scrupulous despot had smothered
them with flowers.
The world has grown too old for
us to fear the repetition of such a
fiendish crime, but the mere reading
OF the fantastic tale sets one to
thinking.
Flowers stand for the brightest.
most beautiful side of the natural
world. 1t would be impossible to-
estimate how much they have con-
tributed to the enjoyment of life, since
the first solitary, starlike blossom ap-
peared upon the virgin earth. From
the ~scraggly little geranium in the
window of that sick room. where Dow
erty shuts out almost everything else
bright and beautiful, TO the part which
flowers play in art and poetry, their
whole ministry is one of blessing.
What a bare world it would be, if
never a flower unfolded its tinted
petals anywhere. How sorely would
we miss h "mingling odOrs of the
summer air" which many of us
never think much about, because it
is so common a thing!
II you were to go upon one of our
geart warships, and examine one of
the big guns which the skill of the
inventor is ever bringing nearer to
perfection, you would admire them
no doubt, and yet you would be think
ing all the while of the terrible use to
which they are to be put. 1t isn't
pleasant to recall the fact that all
this gigantic and delicate mechanism
really counts fer nothing, unless ships
are disabled or destroyed, and men like
oIrselves torn and mangled and killed
by it. But you wouldn't think of
such a thing looking upon a bed of
gorgeous tulips or many-colored pan
''No NtNtl tIlclcSS, tHt WlChtu Hello
gabalus smothered his senators in
sweet-smelling flowers.
What do we make of this. when
We leave the Roman emperor and his
A~eath-dealing flowers, and look out up
On life? | fancy some boy reader
cropping his head at my question
as boys have a way of doing when
the answer which comes in their heads
on the spur of the moment doesn't
seem exactly to the point and say
iHg, "TCo much of a good thing"
That phrase is q very apt one, |
think, even though 1t is rather a light,
fippant sound when used in account.
.ng for such a tragic event. The
flowers which Heliogabalus used for
his evil purpose were good flowers
flowers which had blossomed Under
Gods glorious sunshine to make the
world brighter and happier and better.
Let us keen that clearly in mind II