The Catholic bulletin., 1921-08-13
In the ootsteps ofHis Master

{. One tOfr1d day during the month
named after the illustrious Roman
Julius Caesar, in the fifth year of his
reign of the tyrant Domitian, a soil
tary figure trudged along the Appian
Way, on the outskirts of the city of
Rome. Ever and anon he passed his
hands across his eyes, as if to shield
them from the binding glare of the
sun. Evidently he was on some i'm
portant mission, for in spite of the,
heat of the day. he walked briskly. .
The artificial grandeur ! of the
scenery that skirted the road was
typical of the age in which the wealth
of the world poured into the Golfers
OF patrician Rome. Along its entire
length, at intervals of mile or two,
there arose the stately villas of these
lords of creation, now silent and seem
ingly deserted in the broiling noon
tide. Their broad pediments and
spacious porticos seemed fairly to glow
with the intense heat Not a breath
of air stirred the stately olives or the
fronds of the imported palms that
stood in artistic arrangement around
them, as if guarding the sybaritic own
ers in their midday slumber of ex-
haustion. Back of the villas lay the
magnificent gardens; back of these
the quarters of the slaves; finally, the
well kept vineyards and orchards
trailing off into the distance.
But the wayfarer had no eyes for
the smiling beauties of villas, lawns,
and gardens Though neither sad or
| morose in appearance, his mind seem
ed to be intent upon other matters.
Wherever there was patch of YER
dure along his route, he left the baked
road that burned through his worn
sandals and hastened along on the
| soft carpet of grass. Upon one of
these digressions he suddenly halted
Straining his eyes, he saw two figures
| on horseback coming toward him. IT
was clear that they were soldiers OF
| the Emperor, for he could perceive the
sheen of their armor as it glistened in
the rays of the SUM- The traveller
seemed momentarily to falter in his
course, then looked about quickly to
see if anyone had been observing him
Noticing no one, he hastened toward a
clump of bushes and there concealed
himself as well he was able.
/ On came the defenders of the En-
pire, splendid specimens of physica
manhood, mounted on black chargers
and fully equipped for encounter. As
they neared the hiding place of the
+ traveller, they dismounted and la,
down beneath an olive tree not NOR,
than thirty PAGES from him.
| Again the concealed man was in {
Iquandary. not knowing whether h,
4 should fee or rest quietly where he
| lay. A quarter of an hour passed be
fore he could decide. Just as he wa.
about to crawl away, he heard one o
the men say:
II Come, Sempronius, we must hastel
on or we will not be in time to Sc,
i the gladiators in the colosseum
.'Tis a great humiliation for us no
to have captured Christian today,
remarked the other rousing himsel
/ from doze.
u; do not despair. We may encounte
8 one before we reach our quarters
May the gods help us!"
/ The stranger in the shrubher
crossed himself and sighed.
RI Presently the horsemen rode of
f discussing as they went an inciden
u in the great Roman Amphitheate
eIwhen three lions, savage from want
food, were let loose on a crowd Q
] Christian men and women. The nal