Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-11-18

daily to the mansion Of Rome's most
beautiful woman, Poppaea Sabina
There they were MIXED. The milk
was poured into a huge marble tub.
In this tub Poppaea took her morning
bath, on the plea that washing in
donkeys' milk added to her beauty.
However true or false this theory may
have been, It certainly had the effect
Of advertising Poppaea. It even
brought her to the notice Of the en-
peror, Nero, and led to q love affair
which was to cost thousands Of inno-
cent lives.
Octavius Julius Caesars nephew
had turned Rome from republic to
an empire, with himself as emperor.
His successors kept the title without
lnheriting any Of its originator's
genius. At last a weak, foolish man
named Claudius came to the imperial
throne. In 40 r. G. he married his
niece, Agrippina, wicked, clever wo-
man, who induced him to disinherit
his own son and to proclaim her young
son Nero as his heir. Having accom-
plished this, Agrippina poisoned
Claudius and set Nero on the throne.
The young emperor was at first gen.
tie and wise ruler, meekly obeying his
ambitious mothers commands. But
fiatterers at court finally prompted
him to defy her and to run the empire
to suit himself-and them. Still Agrip-
pina's influence was more or less pow.
erfrl over the youth until he met
Poppaea.
,..,. Poppaea Sabina
u,..IS was wealthy and
of patrician fam.
lily. AS a girl she had married a no
bleman who had divorced her. Then
she had married a daring young SOL
der and profligate named Ohio. one Of
Nero's boon companions. Ohio loved
her jealousy. So when Nero, falling
in love with the beautiful woman, sug.
gested that Ohio give her up, the hus-
band fatty refused. In this refusal
he was backed by Poppaea herself.
Not that she cared for Ohio, but she
read Nero's nature, and knew that op-
position would fan his fancy for her
into worship. She was justified in this
belief, for Nero before long found
means Of separating her from the
heartbroken Ohio.
Poppaea had made up her mind to
be empress. Agrippina- hated her.
Nero also had a wife, Octavia. But
these obstacles did not check Pop
paea. One fy one she cleared them
away. She persuaded Nero that his
mother was conspiring against him,
and worked him to such a frenzy of
rage and fear that he had Agrippina
murdered. Next Poppaea induced him
to divorce Octavia and to consent to
her death. Nothing now stood in the
fair adventures way, and she and
Nero were formally married. Pop
paea's ambition was gratified. She
was empress of Rome. Moreover.
Nero loved her so madly that her light.
est wish was his law. She could
frighten or cajole him INFO doing any
thing she desired. At her order one
after another Of his saner advisers
were put to death.
And now began a period Of reckless
dissipation on the part Of Nero and
Poppaea that nearly wrecked the EN-.
pire. Poppaea brought out all that
was worst and maddest in Nero, and
spurred him on to terrible deeds
Among these (which she is credited
by many authorities with suggesting
to her husband) was the burning OF
Rome in 81 A. d. While the city
burned the emperor composed and
sang an ode in honor of the conhagra
ton.
The plain people had been patient
~~N|~Ne-~~