The Project Gutenberg EBook of Valeria, by William Henry Withrow

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Title: Valeria
The Martyr of the Catacombs

Author: William Henry Withrow

Release Date: August 22, 2010 [EBook #33484]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VALERIA ***

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[Illustration]

[Illustration: SCENE IN THE CATACOMBS--AT THE MARTYR'S TOMB.]

VALERIA,

THE MARTYR OF THE CATACOMBS.

A Tale of Early Christian Life in Rome.

BY
W.H. WITHROW, D.D.,

_Author of "The Catacombs of Rome and their Testimony Relative
to Primitive Christianity," Etc._

[Illustration: "VALERIA SLEEPS IN PEACE."]

TORONTO:

WILLIAM BRIGGS.

MONTREAL: C.W. COATES.
HALIFAX: S.F. HUESTIS.

THE MARTYRS IN THE CATACOMBS.

BY CHARLES J. PETERSON.

THEY lie all around me, countless in their number,
Each martyr with his palm.
No torture now can rack them: safe they slumber,
Hushed in eternal calm!

I read the rude inscriptions, written weeping,
At night with hurried tears.
Yet what a tale they tell! their secret keeping
Through all these thousand years.

"IN PACE." Yes, at peace. By sword, or fire,
Or cross, or lictor's rod--
Virgin, or matron; youth, or gray-haired sire:
For all, the peace of God.

"IN CHRISTO." Died in Christ. Oh, tragic story!
Yet, over shouts, and cries,
And lion's roar, they heard the saints in glory
Singing from Paradise.

"AD DEUM." Went to God. Wide swung the portal;
Dim sank the sands away;
And, chanting "Alleluia," the immortal
Passed to Eternal Day.

Agnes, Cecilia! Names undying ever,--
What's C[ae]sar's gain to this?
He lived for self; they for their high endeavour.
His, fam