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Last week I gave you some- ac count of a Roman plow-boy who rose to be a great general and a ruler of his people. This week I will give you the story of a boy who was born a few years after the other one, and whose folks belonged to one of the hightest familes in Rome. They were wealthy, educated and aristocratic. *1 hey did not belong to the rag-tag and bob-tail, and they had no feel ing, but contempt for those beneath them in riohes and social position. They belonged to that select few who seem to believe that God made the world for the benefit of a special class, and that they are the class. The young man I am to write about was named Sy Ila. He was taught in all branches of learning. He became what was called “cul tured ’ and “accomplished.” In his youth he was very wild. He frol icked al! rround the town and spent all the money he could lay his hands on. He drank, he gambled, he did no work, and he had a fine contempt for those who did. Many of his vices were so bad I cannot name them to you. About the time this young man had run through with all his money, and had got tired of his old vices, and could not think up any new ones, Marius, the plow-boy, was enlisting an army to go to the wars. Sylla concluded he would join lie wanted to be an officer at the very jump. He was not willing to work his way up from the ranks as Marius had done. He must be an officer. Marius knew of his habits and did not wish Sylla to be one of his men. But somehow or other, he finally decided to accept him. It is said that Sylla had a female friend who got him the place. Quite likely. Anyhow, he got it, and off he went ’ to the wars. He struck his talent. The excite ment kept him from his worst habits* and he soon became the best officer in the army. in the story of Marius, I told you about his having a king among his captives, in the street parade at Rome. Well, Sylla was the officer to whom this king made his actual sur render, and he and his friend claimed that Sylla, and not Marius, ought to have the praise. This caused bad blood between the two generals. Human-nature was just the same * then as it is now. The jealousy be tween Marius and Sylla reached such a pitch that they almost had a civil war over this question as to ■who captured that king. And he' was an African king at that! Two nations once went to war over an old bucket. Ten thousand men were killed. By the time the fighting was over and most of the dead had been buried, they had for gotten about the bucket. At the time (this dispute over the African king '♦’PfrFT getting to be most interesting, the Roman country was invaded by rhe German armies men tioned last week. Hence, Marius and Sylla, instead of killing one an other, went out to kill these Ger mans. They did it. When they got back home they* not only had the African king ques tion to hate each other about, but they had many others. Chief among these was the claims which Sylla and his friends put forward that Sylla, and not Marius, had done the finest work in putting down the Ger mans. These two men not only hated each other personally, but the friends of the one hated the friends of the other. They were leaders of rival parties. Marius had sprung from the peo ple. He was ignorant and rough in his manners. He had the unfortu nate habit of saying what he thought, lie was noted for tellng the truth and for being honest. His friends were mostly the laboring people. The country farmers all had confi dence in him and followed him. Sylla, on the other hand, had been born among the aristocrats. His natural sympathies were all with the higher classes. He loved money. He didn’t care how he got, so he got it. He could lie like a modern news paper. He had no more conscience than a run-away mule: no more pity than an organ-grinder. A clash between two such men and their friends was bound to come. It came in this way. Marius wanted to be sent as general of the army to manage a war in Asia. Sylla wanted the same place. This brought the trouble to a head right away. It always does. JPLE’S PARTY PAPER, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2 3,-1892. xarius got the office. Sylla de .mined to take it away from him oy force. So, at the bead of his soldiers he began his march to Rome. This was against the law. Sylla knew it very well, but like many big men, he had no respect for the law. So he inarched on. Some officers of the law were sent to stop him. He killed them, and marched on. More were sent. He stripped them, scourged them, and marched on. Marius was in Rome but had not expected such a thing as this. It was a disagreeable surprise. He felt outraged and astonished. He hardly knew where he was at. He got a few troops together and made resistence. He got whipped. Then he decided to get up and get —and he did it. I told you last week how he had to wander around through the bushes: what a tight squeeze it was for him to escape death; and how hb afterwards came back and took re venge on his enemies. Sylla marched into Rome at the head of his soldiers, and took posses sion. The main cause of the feud be tween the friends of Marins and the friends of Sylla was that the Senate of Rome, composed of a few wealthy nobles, wanted to rule the country without allowing the mass of the people to have any part in it, at all. The Senate said the people ought to pay the taxes and do most of the fighting in the wars, while they, the senators, made the laws and got the fat of the land. They looked on the common run of people as mere rag-tag and bob-tail. The idea of their knowing anything about the way to govern the country was ab surd. The Senate also thought that those who lived outside the city ought not to have any vote. For a long time the Senate had their way. The country people could not vote. But after awhile the reformers took hold of the matter and claimed that the country people had a right to vote —as much so as those in the city. This looks to us like a mighty simple proposition, but it caused a world of trouble then. The city bosses didn’t want it that way at all They abused the country people and their leaders. They said the country folks had no sense ; that they were ignorant and full of prejudice; that they were the mere rag-tftg and bob tail, and that they ought to work harder and talk less. As to the leaders, the city bosses gave them fits. They said these leaders only wanted office; that they -were stirring up strife; that they would array one class against another; that they were exciting the country against the town, and that if these leaders were killed “our peo ple would all come together again.” Lots of these leaders they did kill, but the principles they repre sented could not be killed. They finally won the complete victory. The Gracchii, about whom I told you in my first story, upheld the country people in their right to vote. They were killed ; but the question itself did not die. It met with com plete success afterwards. Marius favored the law, and so did his friends. They had passed it, and the country people were exer cising their rights under it when Sylla drove Marius out of Rome and took possession. One of the first things he did was to repeal this law. Another thing which Sylla did was to confer on the Senate the ex clusive right to originate laws. In other words, the Roman people were never to have the liberty of presenting a measure to be voted on as they had done up to that time. Thus he took away one of the dearest rights of the Romans and gave it to a few aristocrats. Another thing he did was to make a law to the' effect that even when the Senate submitted a measure to the Roman people, the wealthiest nobles, composing what was called the first class, should have nearly as many votes as all the other classes put together. The Romans were divided into five classes. He there fore put it in the power of the first class to rule the other four. Thus a few great families got into the car riage and rode while all the others wore harness and pulled. No wonder they did not want the country demagogues stirring up strife. No wonder they wanted “all our people to come together again.” Else, you see, the people might not pull the carriage. When Sylla had got all these things fixed to his notion and the demagogues had all been killed or chased into the swamps, and the people had “all come together again,” put -the harness on once more, and were trying to look happy while they pulled the carriage— when all these things had taken place, iylla took command of the army and went to Asia to carry on the war which Marius had wanted to undertake. Ig was while he was off that Marius came in out of the woods, joined his friends, made war on Sylla’s friends, cleaned them up, be came ruler, took revenge on his ene mies, and died. Sylla, in the meantime, carried the war in Asia to success. He never lost a battle. He crushed his ene mies and took all the money he could find. He was one of the greatest generals and freebooters that ever lived. He never thought a foe was completely disposed of till he went through their pockets. He levied at one time on the Greek cities a fine of $24,000,000 and made them pay it. His thievery was highly correct in matters of form. He had none of the greedy hurry of the ordinary boodler. He went at it coolly and systematically. When he had seized what plunder there was in Asia, and had estab lished the Roman authority in the disputed territory, he set out on his return to Rome. Marius heard he was coming, and went right straight and died. This showed that Marius had lots of sense. Under the circumstances, it was the very best thing he could do. He was old and worn out. Sylla was young; was at the head of a victorious army; had the big gest part of all the cash there was in the -world; -was the idol of the aristocrats, and was the most bril s liant and successful general of his times. No wonder Marius wanted to find a hole in the ground. He found it, and went in. Sylla came back with a large army. The civil war between him and the leaders who represented the people at once commenced. Many young men of great ability led troops against him. Among them was a son of Marius. Many battles were fought, many towns burnt, many thousands killed, many homes left desolate. There is nothing so dread ful as civil war. After two years of constant fighting, Sylla overcame the patriots; partly by force; partly by bribery and corruption. He knew how to use his purse as well as his sword. When he was once more at Rome, and his victory complete, he began the most cruel and cold blooded series of political murders ever known. At one thime he or dered the murder of 6,000 prisoners in a body, and their cries seemed to be good music for him. He was making a speech to the Senate at the time, and the work of death going on in his hearing, and almost within sight, did not seem to disturb him at all. He made out a list of 4,700 of his fellow-citizans and had them hunted down and killed. He hired men to do the work and they would fre quently bring him the bloody head of' a victim as proof that the job was done. This was considered by Sylla as the highest and best evidence that a man was dead. Then he would pay over the reward to the murderer. He confiscated the property of all those whom he killed. He kept as much of it as he wanted himself, and then let his friends have some. Many of the finest estates m the country were thus obtained by Syl la’s favorites, male and female. In this way he. surrounded himself with bad men and women, who owed their fortunes to him and who would have therefore to stand by him in all he did. The reign of terror he brought about was not equaled by tne . French revolution. He gave all the public laud that was left to his soldiers. He allowed the country people to enjoy the privilege of voting, but he passed other laws which made those votes amount to nothing. s He did it in this way : He gave the Senate all the power. Before his time a senator was chosen by an officer of the people, and this officer could also dismiss a senator from his position. Sylla changed this. He nomi nated the senators himself. Onoe in, they stayed in for life. You couldn’t get them out. Therefore they could do what they pleased. To make the people afraid to rise against the Senate, he organized a hired band of ton thousand guards for it. He restored to the Senate the exclusive right to originate laws. He also made the Senate the highest law court in the land. His -whole scheme was'to enthrone a class as rulers of the Roman peo ple. A few millionaires were to be the lords of creation; to enjoy all the fruits of the conquests of the Roman armies and all the profits from the patient of Roman labor. Sylla was now the rhler of the world. He had succeeded in all things. He had won honor, more praise, more money, more power than he knew rhat to do with. He decided to lay down the burdens of public work and go off to one of his palaces and have a good time the balance of his life. He did so. He left all the harl work to his under lings, but he was really the boss still. His army and his party were in full charge of everything, and they looked up to him as their chief. At his pakce he passed his time in hunting, ashing, writing, eating, drinking ard the most shameful vices. All the bad habits of his youth came back to him in full force. He soon fel into a most disgusting disease and died. His fune al was grander than that of any o her Roman—before his time or afterwards. Students never tire of Sylla. He was one q: the most remarkable men that ever lived. His youth was given to v ice, his manhood to ruin ous ambiion and his old age to glut tony, drunkenness and sensuality. He was a favorite with fortune and claimed that he was gifted with what we call “good luck.” He feared nothing, loved nothmg, and believed in nothing high, pure or noble. He had no idea of any other life than this. Did not believe in the soul or in a G)d. Was as superstitious as an old negro woman just from Africa He was a great favorite among women and married several times. He was fondest of the wife named Metela, who bore him twins, one a boy, the other a girl. While he was celebrating some of his “glorious victories” with music, dancing, carousing, street parades, etc., word came that his wife, Metella, was sick uuto death. He at once divorced her (as he had a right to do under Ronian law) and ordered her to be taken out of his house. He was so superstitious that he believed her death in his house would bring him “bad luck.” So the poor dying lady, the mother of his children, was taken out of the house, carried to another and soon died. This was some years ago, but as we read of it now, it it so brutal, so inhuman, so horrible, that it seems the act of a devil rather than a man. _ Once when there was a riot at Rome, the people killed some of their oppressors and sought to kill Sylla. He ran and hid in the house of Marius and thus his life was saved. Instead of showing any gratitude, to Marius, he made war upon him soon after, forced him into exile, hunted him as if he were a wolf and set a price upon his head. Manus escaped as I have told you. W hen Sylla got back to Rome from Asia, Marius was already dead, but SyilfPs hatred of him was so great that he dug up his nones and scat tered them to the winds. Just i few days before this terri ble man died he had a magistrate hung bf: use he was a little slow in collec’ mg lie taxes. It is said that •whilt he was abusing this poor creature, he became so angry he burst a blood vessel and so brought on his own death. Others say he was afflicted as Herad was, and that great quantities of worms infested his body. When he died he 1 ...ft the reins of government in the hands of a few noble senators. He hoped this sys tem would Ur. forever. In another story, week after next, I will show you bow his work was undone. T. E. W. I DIDN’T THINK. From Youth's Companion. I know a naughty little elf Who never cah behave himself; He beats His drum when grandma’s cap Is nodding for a cozy nap, And leaves his bill upon the floor For Uncle James to stumble o’er. ’Twas he who tried to scratch his name Upon a painted picture-frame ; ’Twas he who left the gate untied, Which briudle cow pushed open wide ; ’Twas he who nibbed Lucy’s caxe She took such pains to mix and bake ; And, though we blamed the tricky mice, ’Twas he who cracked its fluted ice. This little elf upset the milk ; He tangled Aunty’s broidery silk ; He went to school with m yidy shoes, Though credits very sure ts lose. Against his mamma’s gentle wish Re took the sugar from the dish ; He lost the pen, and spilled the ink ; This elf we call “I didn t think. ” Our house would be a nicer place If he would never show his lace ; We hope and hope some sunny day The naughty elf will run away, For oft he makes our spirits sink— This troublesome “I didn’t think.” Margabet E. Sanoster. Sweet Words in the Home, There is a tender sweetness about some Df our common phrases of affectionate greeting, simple and unobtrusive as they ire, which falls like dew upon the heart. | Sood night! The little one lisps it as, I gowned in white, with shining face and hands and prayers said, she toddles off to bed. Sisters and brothers exchange the jvish; parents and children; friends and friends. Familiar use has robbed it of it.,, significance to some of us; we repeat it automatically without much thought. But consider. We are as voyagers putting jff from time to time upon an unexplored lea. Our barks of life set sail and go onward !nto the darkness, and we, asleep on our pillows, take no such care as we do when twake and journeying by daylight. Os She perils of the night, whatever they may be, we take no An unsleeping vigi lance watches over us, but it is the vigi lance of one stronger and wiser than we, who is the eternal good. Good and God ipring from the same root.' are the same in meaning. “Gqpdby*’ is only ‘‘God be with you.” “Good night”is really “God night,” ar “God guard the night.” It would be a churlish household in which these gentle forms of speech were ignored or did not exist. Alike the happy Mid the sorrowful day by day may say ' "Good night.”—Harper’s Bazar. Girls and* Low Cu? Gowns, The question of when to wear low cut gowns can have but one answer, “Never in daylight.” The rule that obtains for the assumption of men’s evening dress —“from dusk to dawn.”—is adjustable to both. For every function of society held from midday to a late dinner hour a girl’s dress should be worn high, with long sleeves. If on any gala occasion it should be desirable to re lax the stringency of this ordinance, it should be only to cut the dress open a little below the throat, and to wear elbow sleeves, a pretty girlish fashion, in which her youth ful beauty loses naught. There is now ir days to be had such a variety of soft hued, crapy, clinging stuffs, than which nothing can better enhance round contoursand fine lines of nature, that a young woman need not sigh for the additional attraction of neck and shoulders revealed to an artificial light in the afternoon. A few years ago the experiment was made of hostesses receiving at large after noon teas in low cut dresses, but the con trast between them and their guests in every variety of outdoor garb, iheiuding ■ tailor made gowns, soon brought the fash ion to an end. At dinners, evening parties and balls it is so universal a modern cus tom to equip young girls in decollete gowns that there can only be the question of indi vidual judgment in the matter to combat it. The cut of such dresses is, however, al ways modest. —Mrs. Burton Harrison in Ladies’ Home Journal. — i Napoleon’s Mother. Public attention does not seem to have been directed toward Napoleon’s mother until her son was proclaimed emperor in 1894. She then received the title of Mme. Mere; and an income of 1,000,000 fraj»ssYsy as settled upon her. And that Sae might have a position of political importance she was made protectrice generale of all the charitable institutions of France. Such an office admirably suited her. She frequent ly solicited favors of her son for others and was happy whenever her exertions met with success. / On one occasioh, upon learning of the < arrest of the Due d’Znghien, she even threw herself upon her knees before Napo leon, imploring mercy for the unfortunate prince. After this it seems a pity that truthful ness must make us say that even this great woman had one littleness, if we may call it so, of character. She evinced sometimes a resemblance to the brother whose parsi mony her sons had resented in their child hood, by showing a lov« of economizing, even upou trifling occasions. Tais proved a source of frequent amusement among the gay circles of Paris. The emperor himself was sometimes a little scandalized at her actions, although this did not hin der him from most highly respecting her character.—Chambers' Journal. Curing for a I’recou o;is tuna. Instead of proudly pushii« a precocious child in his studies we hold him back be hind his mates, and seek to restore the har monious balance of his brain wth his body I by an abundance of pure air,nourishing ' fo-fd and zistfui play. We him from becoming a dullard or an imbecile. — • Youth’s Comnanian. BKulesA We have at Wilsons Stables a Choice lot oi Temiesses Miles, Which’we will sell CHEAPER than any one on the market. We will Duplicate Augusta Prices. CABTER & THRASHER, THOMSON, - - GEORGIA. Geo. J. Fargo, Mattings, WALL Houuohold Decorations AND BABY CARRIAGES. 60 3 BROAD 'ST.. AUGUSTA, GA. Yon are invited to call and examine hiv line of CARPETS and FURNITURE and HOUSEHOLD GOODS now being offered at ROCK BOTTOM PRICES. Read thedist and see if there is anything you need. If you cannot c? n write for samples and prices. Furniture, Mohair Chairs, Blacking Cases, Carpets, Furniture Covering, Tables, Mattings, Pillows. 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