Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-24
Letters to Aunt Laurie From NephepvS and Niecet
NERO, CAESAR OF ROME,
ROWS ON A SILVERY LAKE
FIRST PRIZE

Dear Aunt Laurie:
A l entered Dreamland / found l
was reclining among the cushions
- and silk draperies in q cool corner
of the atrum of some ancient Roman
house. dreamily watching the fountain
that played in the sunlight coming in
through an opening in the roof.
The whole room was bower of lilies
and ferns, and here and there stood
splendid statues of marble.
could hear at intervals the merry
laughter of a girl in the next room,
and as l rose to a sitting posture the
curtain parted and slight figure stood
in the doorway.
She must have been about 16, but her
face was childish yet and a smile fitted
across it that set her blue eyes dancing
with mischief and fun and all her dim
pies to playing in and out
Instead of the usual dark complexion
of the Romans she was uncommonly
fair, and her wealth of hair was plated
and wound about her head in silky
golden coils.
In spite of her childishness she had
a certain womanly dignity about her
that added another charm to her
Psyche-like beauty-a beauty that was
no less than perfection.
Going to the door that led into the
atrium, she paused, and, smiling al
luringly back at me, beckoned me to
follow.
1 arose and came toward her, asking,
"Quo Yadis?" I did not even wonder
how 1 could talk language that hith-
erto been unknown to me- but followed
in silence when she beckoned a second
time
AS she drew back the heavy hang
ings that served as the door opening
into the garden. the light from the set
ting sun kissed her hair and made a
halo of brightness about her face.
The high arching sky that in its vast
ness seemed an infinite DOME towering
above us was equal to California's own,
and the balmy breeze that drifted lazily
inland was laden with the perfume of
Verbena and myrtle.
"Whither goeth thou?" I ventured
again, unconsciously adding "domira.
She Just turned, smiled and beckoned
third time, and II simply followed.
1t had grown dark when we reached
the edge of lake, but the stars and
young moon in the deep blue sky were
paled by the many lights that lit up
the whole surface OF the lake.
In its center a big raft floated, af1ame
with color and gay with laughing
people. Al one emu VI lHlS fdlt IL lhIOlIO
of purple was erected, and in 1t, his
bloated. cruel face flushed from wine,
sat Nero, caesar of Rome.
All around him grape vines. iris and
saffron blossoms were festooned,
among which hundreds of small lights
CLEANED.
Small boats like butterflies and
swans glided swiftly about. propelled
by the most beautiful men and women
of the country.
Among all this beauty they feasted
and drank until they were intoxicated
and then fell to running about on the
wooded shore, rolling into the clumps
of flowers and vines that grew along
the banks, and chasing the nymphs
that fed into the forest.
Slowly this glowing picture grew
misty, and suddenly our flag-the
American fag-unfurled itself and shut
it completely from view.
In front of the flag appeared the
same face that ! had so admired-al-
Turing and sweet-with a band about
her head on which was written Lib
erty" Instead Of the flowing gown or
purple she had worn before, the stars
and stripes was draped about her.
Slowly and distinctly her voice came
to me as from a long distance, May
the country for which this stands be
ever free and happy, and the stars and
stripes that floats DER it be forever
and ever the emblem for which our
forefathers fought" then as slowly
died away, and this picture faded in
the morning sunshine that flooded my
room. OLA u Hall.
= BALDWIN Park. Vineland school,
grade 8.