Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-12-15
Culpurniia
A Story Of Ancient Rome
By F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

Shortly before the breaking down Of
the Roman empire there was class
Of small farmers who were being eaten
up by large landholders. This class.
called Curiales. had formerly been one
Of the governing elements Of Rome
and was considered very honorable.
But becoming impoverished they were
constantly selling out to or coming un-
der the protection Of those persons
who held thousands Of acres where
they held but q few.
There was in one of the Roman
provinces a family, the Fabii. who
had accumulated a very large landed
estate. Lying at the foot Of hill on
which was the castle Of Lucius Fa-
bius, lived one Of the Curiales, Sido-
MUS, whose affairs were getting into
very bad shape. Sidonius was an old
man and had but one child, daugh-
ter. Culpurnia. One day her father
called her into the atrium or living
room Of their dwelling and said to
her:
my daughter. we must sell our
farm. Like so many Of our class.
have found 1t impossible to keep my
head financially above water. In a
few days I. being q tax collector, must
return to the government the taxes
levied upon my district and am re-
quired to al from my own purse any
deficiency that the people cannot pay.
Go to the castle and tell Fabius that
I am ready to accept the sum he has
offered me for my property. This Will
enable me to make up the deficiency"
But. father, what shall become Of
usr'
II see nothing for Us but to grad
ually sink into slavery, as has been
done by so many Of our Glass;
Culpurnia could only obey her ia.
theirs order. Passing over the ground
between her fathers farm and the hill
on which stood the castle, she was
starting up the incline when she met
q young man coming down. He sa-
luted her and asked her where she was
going. She told him that she was 60
ing to the castle to zee Fabius to tell
him that her father must make up a
deficiency In the taxes he was unable
to collect and would sell his farm for
the purpose. !.
II have Just come from the castle, n
said the young man. ''and Fabius is
not there. Return to your home and
go again tomorrow. when you will see
him."
So Culpurnia turned back, and the
youth walked beside her. He told hel
that Fabius was a very grasping man
and would make very hard terms with
her father. to which she replied that
the terms would make no difference
for her father would be obliged to sell
her into slavery and was himself old
and broken IN health, 80 that he had
at most but few years to live.
When they reached a point where
the roads parted the young man tool
leave Of the girl. expressing his sor.
row at her piafortunes. Culpurnia went
home and told her father why she had
returned without going to the castle.
The next morning the young man
whom Culpurnia had met came to the
farmhouse.
How much" he asked. ''is the de-
nciency in the taxes your father must
return to the government"
Twenty thousand sestcrces." replied
the girl.
The young man turned a wallet up.
side down over the table and dropped
4 heap Of coins.
Count from this enough to dis
charge the debt and II there IL any.
thing over keep It till I return"
And 90 the sale Of the farm and Cul.
purnia into slavery was avoided at the
time. The young man who had fur
nished the money to pay the taxes
came occasionally to the house and
told Culpurnia that when they needed
more money to let him know and on
no account to 60 to Fablus, who would
take their farm and send them out into
slavery.
There was no courtship among the
Romans. marriage being arranged by
parents. Bethrothed persons did not
even usually zee each other till they
came together to be married. One day
an uncle Of Culpurnia came to the
farm and, after an interview with her
father, It was announced to Culpurnia
that marriage had been arranged for
her. This. lifted q burden from her
shoulders. but cast her into gloom, be-
cause she had come to love the young
man who had loaned the money for
the taxes. All she was told Of him she
was to marry was that he had some
means. belonged to her own class and
was not much older than herself. His
name was Marcellus.
When the day for the betrothal came
round chariot stopped at the farm,
and the groom came into the house at
tended by a large retinue. As he en-
tered the room where his bride await
ed him dressed In wedding costume
she started deep blush came upon her
cheek. and her eyes lighted with pleas
IRE In Marcellus she recognized the
young man who had loaned the money.
After the betrothal ceremony came the
preparations for the wedding. and aft
er the two were made man and wife
Marcellus took his spouse to his own
home. Culpurnia was surprised Mt
their taking the road to the Fabian
sastle. and when they began to ascend
the hill she asked where they went.
ITO the home recently occupied by
my father. who till his death was Lu-
cius Fabius. l am Marcellus Fabius,
his son and heir From the moment ]
first saw you I resolved that instead
Of your being sold into slavery you
should be my wife"