"virginius."

i'iic appearance of the celebrated John McCullough iii tfais city, May 10, ia Knowlcs' great drama of "Virginius," will atlract the a tntion of many to. the histoiïcal facts ou which it is founded. About 450 years B. C, Lucius Virginius, a man of humble parentage, serviug as a centurión or captain in the Roman army, had a beautiful daughter named Virginia, after her father. The latter was abscn'. from Romo with the ariny, and had left nis motherless daughter under the protection of Icilius to whom she was betrothed. Appius Ciaudius, at that time one of tue decemyirs who constituted the governmeut, feil madly in love -with the girl. To bring her iuto his power Marcus Ciaudius, a cliënt ef Appiua, swore before the tribunal of decemvirs that Virginia was one of his slaves whom the childless wife of Virinius had imposed upon the latter at lier birlh. Macauley in his poem says: "As blithely young Virginia carne smiling from her home - Ah! woe ior young Virginia, the sweetest maid in Rome. With her small tablets on her hand and her satchel on lier arm, Forth went she bounding to her school nor dreamed of shame or harm." On her way she was seized and brought before the decemvirs, who gave her to her pretended mastr, the brutal Alarcus. This was retented by Icilius, who incited the populace to an outbreak and Appius ordered the ?irl sent to his owa, house. During the night preceding the flnal inquirj the father, Virginius, arrived from the arui3'. He appeared in the forum on the day of the trial and gavehis testimony as to tb parentage of the gii'l, denyiug the false statements of the tooi of Appius. Notwithstanding this, however, she was ordered to be seized and delivered to Marcus. Virginius, in despair, snatched a knife from a buteher who was standing near. saying (to quote llacaulejr): " 'Farewell, fareell,;.,sweet child, farewell! The father hath in his despair one fearful ref uge lef t- He little deerns that in this hand I cruteh what still can save Thy gentle youth from taunts and blows, the portion of a slave. Yea, and from nameless evil that passeth taunt and blow, Foul outrage which thou knowest not, which thou slialt Daver know. ' With that he lifted high the steel and smote her in the side, And in her blood she sank to earth, and with one sob she died." Wild tumult fllled tl e streets and the ïuob of plebeiana pursued Claudius from the forum to his palace. Virginius then appealed to the army for revenga, and un der his lead they marched to Home. The decemvns resigned and the senate decreed the restoration of the tribunes. Claudius was imprisoned and died. Tlius a goTerument was overthrown and a tyrant brought to infarny and death by an attack on an innocent school girl.