The daily Alaskan., 1920-08-10

cence. fled even from the lover whom | she loved. But finally he understood this, which he and Petronius had not understood, that the new religion, en- grafted into the soul something un- known to that world In which he lived,
 and that Lygia, even if she loved him, would not sacrifice any of her Chris tian truths for his sake, and that, If | pleasure existed for her. It was pleasure different altogether from that which he and PetrOIIius and Caesars 2 court, and all Rome were pursuing. Every other woman whom he knew might become his mistress, but that Christian would only become his vic tim. And when he thought of this, he
 felt anger and burning pain, for he felt that his anger was powerless. To carry off Lygia seemed to him pOsSi- ble; he was even sure that he could
 do so, but he was equally sure that, in view of her religion, he himself, with his bravery, was nothing, that his pow
 CT was nothing and that through 1t he could effect nothing. That Roman military tribune. convinced that the power of the sword and the fist, whioh had COnuuered the world, would com. mand 1t forever, said for the first time
 in hls life that beyond that power
 there might be something else; hence
 he asked himself with amazement what 1t was"
 Ttis definite and concrete way that the author has chosen to show the
 mower of the new religion over human lives. Struggle as he would, backed
 by birth, by wealth and all the beauty, charm and allurementS that wealth could bring, by the ingenuity and wit
 of PetroniuS, by the strOng-arm meth ods of Croton. champion brulSer ot his time. even by the force of the known world in Nero's sway, Niniclus cOuld accomplish nothing if all he cnuld win to himself was a mere un- willing body. while soul and spirit
 were beyond his grasp. And the mad deuing part to him was that he owed all his troubles to the teachings of
 porccl of Jewish fishermen or their likes, or slaves or humble folk who had never before entered into serious
 consideration in the thoughts of pa- +rIcIan like himself. It was a long
 struggle with him, and as the reader follows the various people of the story
 through their part in the action ne gets an admirable picture of Rome Nero. tvrant, actor and artist, with all his macnifiCCnCe and all his debauch-
 cries: the poor and humble in their crowded quarters of the great city; the delight of all the senses in the hIe led bv PetrouiuS; the lawleSS streets
 of Rome hy night; the pursuit of Lygia bv Vfuicius and his hirelinES, result ing in the death of his professional bruiser CrotCn at the hands of the
 faithful Ursus. and the disaster to Vipicius which led to his nursing back
 ro health by the Christians; his meet
 ing with Peter and Paul; the gradual
 oneDIng of his eyes, physical and Spir- ftuaI; his discovery of Christians
 everywhere. among the people, among
 his own slaves, among soldiers and oIil- rers. even In the very court of Nero. And the growing worry and aStohlSh' ment of PetrOniuS:
 ".Vlnicius. thou art losing sense
 judgment, moderation exclaimed Pe- tronjuS.
 "T love only her in the world re-
 sponded yinicius.
 "'Nvhut of that?
 ".This. that I wish no other love. have no wish for your life, your
 feastS. your shamelesSness, your
 crimes
 "What Is taking place in thee? Art thou a ChristianT
 And then the great fire of Rome,
 set by Tigelllnus that Nero might not
 Iack the experience of Prlam, who hod seen Troy burn; of rescuing Lygia from the flames; the persecution of the Christians with the thought Of throw
 ing on them the rage of the people ot the burning of the city; the siDgling out of Lygiu by the hate Of poppaea because ViniciuS had Spurned inc empress proffercd charms; the final rescue by a miracle of strength on the part of the ever-falthful UrSuS,
 and the words of Yinicius to Peter:
 "ryVbo4 thou commandeSt I will dO.'
 "Lovc men as thy own brotherS,'
 answered the apostle, for only with love rlayest thou serve Him.. CooyriEht. 1919. hy the Post Publishing Go. (Tho Boston POsO. Printed by permits sion of and arrangement with, Litte' Brown &. Co.,, authorized publishers BRO0MS FROM PINE NEEDLES