La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1917-03-01
STORY OF MARCH


honor of their god Mars. for they
thought he was born on the first
day OF this month.
He had Jupiter for his father and
Juno for his mother.
am sure he would not have
seemed very lovable to us. but the
Romans were very fond OF him and
called him the protector OF their
nation,
lie was very large and strong and
had such great voice that he could
roar as loud as nine or ten thousand
men. Perhaps that is another rea-
son for naming March for him. for
you know on some days the wind
roars so very loudly
The Sa1ons. another old nation.
used to call March the loud and
stormy month"
Mars was the god Of war and liked
fighting and battles. He was very
fortunate in battle, but once when
he was wounded he fell with such a
loud noise that I, sounded like
thousands OF men going down to-
gether. Another time the goddess OF
wisdom. Minerva. hit him with n
stone. making him fall again. and
when he was on the ground there
was so much of him that he covered
seven acres OF ground
Mars vas also. so they thought. !
the giver OF light. They fancied he |
held thunderbolts in his hand. and 4
when 1t Numbered they supposed II
was because Mars threw something
that made the sound
They used to pray to Mars TO
send them rain. and when the land
was very dry indeed. the priests took
from one OF the temples stone and
carried II through the city. hoping
that when Mars saw IL he would
send them rain This stone was sa.
cred to them.
Many temples we're built in honor
OF Mars, and when the people wanted
something from his they would 20
To one OF these temples and offer To
him a horse, or sheep. or wolf
or a yulture. or a maybe But even
then they we're not quite sure that
Mars would give them what they
wanted. So they tried to fancy Mars
sent them an answer And Wha, do
you suppose they believed brought
the message from him
In certain part OF Rome we're
some trees upon which were many
Soodp"ckers. These people used to
40 there and listen To the noise they
made tapping on the trees. and tried
10 think that Mar. made the birds
tap out the answer to their wants.
These old Romans were silly peo-
pie after all. were they mott For I
am sure that even the children In
the very lowest room in your school
know that Mr. Pieus-,hat Is the
Latin word for woodpackcr-tAps on
the trees. no, because he has a mes.
sage from Mars. but because he
thinks that the insects that live In
the bark will make him good
breakfast,
They are always looking for signs
of some sort. and had men called
aururs. whose especial business u
was to look for them. ~ they were
about 10 begin n new war some one
would 10 TO an susur Then this
wis. man. who really did not know
any more OF what was TO happen
than you or !. would take his staff
and so out OF doors There he would
pray TO Mars or some other OF his
gods. Then he would look at the
sky for an answer. He would find I,
In the lightning. or In the way In
which certain birds flew.
hut don't laugh II I tell you
wha, they did when they did not
get an au.ur. "a. for Instance. in
their long wars. There was one
thing they never neglected 20 send
with an army when II was starting
ou, II should ask you what. n
suppose you would guess guns" or
powder. or "swords' should
have to answer mo-" every time. and
at las, tell you chicken coop"
The chickens In IL were called
sacred chickens" Just before a bat.
tie. when the people were very anx-
ious to know which side would win.
they would go to this coop and
throw some food TO the sacred