TO THE LIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1404, 26 January 1899, Page 8

TO THE LIONS.

A new romance, Mr Balc-mbes “Love of a Former Life” opens wHh a very effective description iff Ancienc Rome as seen on a moonlight night during the rule of Caracalla about a.d 212. ihe scene is placed during one of rhe persecutions of the Christians, when the Catacombs were the refuge of the bunk'd converts, and the solemn psalms of the children of Israel in exile fitly echoed ihe fears and sorrows of the persecuted. Liello Maximus, the hero, a young Roman of high birth, has joined the despised people ; he is betrothed to a Christian girl, and his secret marriage is immediately followed by his seizure and committal to prison. The scene in which Liello is thrown to the lions is described with force and vividness. TO THE LIONS.

It was evening. The sun was calmly setting in a clear cerulean sky in which the young moon sailed serenely and a tew bright stars appeared, and which was exquisitely dabbled with scarlet and saffron hues towards the horizon. The distant Albion Hills looked purple and hazy and, with the gorgeous green forests and fields which intervened, added to the grandeur of the twilight scene that faced Caracalla and Geta as they sat beneath a golden canopy in the pulvinar of tho Flavian Amphitheatre, which was filled to overflowing with Rome’s inhabitants. The day was nearly done, and the stilly air seemed ominously hushed, and heavy with the fume of blood ; for the gladitorial contests had been sine missione (without quarter), and the aqueducts were hardly sufficient to carry off the crimson streams which had flowed unchecked from morn to dewy eve ; while the spoliarium was choked with the remains of those who had been butchered. The white walls of the huge amphitheatre were now lighted by a lurid fiery glare, which also played upon the distorted countenances of the myriads of excited spectators, whose hearts throbbed with sensuous cruelty, whose eyes were glutted with scenes of slaughter, yet still sparkled with, fiendish. Just for more, and whose minds and brains were maddened and fascinated with the blood-curdling cries and agonised groans of the slaves who had died that day. There was an interval of fifteen minutes

now- to prepare the circus for the last item on the horrible programme of human suffering, for the arena was strewn with the slain. Troops of gaily-dressed Ethiopians appeared in the gory, silent ring, some provided with long hooks, which they fastened into the bodies and dragged them away, while others threw sand and sawdust and hurriedly raked the sodden, slippery ground. Numbers of other attendants flitted about the densely-filled galleries sprinkling the spectators with wine and saffron. .

Suddenly Caraealla stood up. The last bright rays of the sun streamed over his white and purple vestments ; and all eyes were turned expectantly towards him.

“ The Christians to the lions ! ” he cried, loudly, and reseated himself, a scowling smile of vindictive pleasure overspreading his bloated countenance. At the west end of the arena a door loading from the carceres now opened, and Liello Maximus, closely followed by his Christian friends, strode with firm step- and stately mien into the centre the theatre. Folding his arms he awaited his doom, throwing a glance of indifference and scorn at the myriads above. Then the spectators on the eastern side of the theatre suddenly began to whisper and mumrmur as they eagerly watched the movements of a young woman, who was now seen staggering round tho edge of the gallery. Her face was pallid, her eyes scintillated wildly, and her hair was dishevelled and hung about her tall, graceful form. “ Lucina Tullus ! Lucina Tullus ! It is she ! * murmured the women in awed voice as the figure moved towards the Imperial box, a dagger suddenly gleaming in her right hand. A messenger was now sent from the Emperor to demand tho Christian martyrs to salute him, as was the custom, before dying. Having addressed a few words to bis cOntpanions Liello said in a calm, dignified voice, “Tell Caraealla that wo came nftt'here to greet him, but to die ! ” “ Proh Jupiter ■! they shall not wait long ! ” said the bloodthirsty tyrant, clapping his hands. Then the loud sounds of sliding bars and the grating of an iron door were heard, succeeded by a trembling moan of fierce satiety which burst from tho vast assembly, shaking the very foundation of the amphitheatre, as three huge lions sprang forward and dashed their human victims to the ground, the ghastly squelch of flesh and low rapacious growls filling the tainted air.

Caraealla leaned eagerly forward. Lucina Tullus stopped abruptly, and her clear voice Tang put loud and awful, changing from an exhortation to Heaven for vengeance into a piercing, heartbroken cry. Her head shook with a quivering, palsied action as her gleaming weapon flashed upward and descended into her breast. Liello Maximus and Lucina Tullus had passed beyond Rome, and Pontius Hilarius had bad his revenge.

The Adelaide Chamber of Commerce recently dealt with a long letter from the Albany Chamber in protest against a proposal that English mail steamers should call at Fremantle instead of Albany. The Albany people state that the proposal, which, by the way, is not immediately threatened, though there is a clause In the agreement with the steamship companies in which it may be brought about, is wholly and solely a political move. The letter pointed out that it would involve a delay of a day or a day and a half in the delivery of English letters in the eastern colonies, and a day in the circulation of letters from the eastern colonies in Perth and on the goldfields. The Adelaide Chamber was therefore urged to use its influence against the proposal, if it were definitely made. , It was decided that the Chamber could hot interfere at ■present in what was ? J political question,; But if it was found that any proposed change would involve great detention of mails for South Australia, S' thd'Subject would be dealt with. * Postmaster-General of Queensland has completed final arrangements with the A.U.S.N. Company by which a thfee-weekly mail steamer service costing £SIOO yearly is established between Townsville and the Gulf ports, calling at Cooktown, Thursday Island, Normanton. Georgetown, arid Burketown. There will also be an,overland mail <?er/ice from the terminus of the Cairns rad way at Mareeba to Croydn, thence by rail to Normanton at a cost of £3300.