Dignity does not draw. It answers in place of intellectual tone for twenty minutes, but after awhile it fails to get there. Dignity works all right in a wooden Indian or a drum major, but the man who desires to draw a salary through life and to be sure of a visible means of support, will do well to make some other provision than a haughty look and the air of patronage.
CHESTNUT-BURR XVIII—THE TRUE HISTORY OF DAMON AND PYTHIAS.
Dionysius the Elder—Paris Green in the Pie—Damon and Pythias—Pythias about to Be Sacrificed—The Solitary Horseman Puts in an Appearance.
CHAPTER I.
The romantic story of Damon and Pythias, which has been celebrated in verse and song for over two thousand years, is supposed to have originated during the reign of Dionysius I, or Dionysius the Elder as he was also called, who resigned about 350 years b. c. He must have been called "The Elder," more for a joke than anything else, as he was by inclination a Unitarian, although he was never a member of any church whatever, and was, in fact, the wickedest man in all Syracuse.
Dionysius arose to the throne from the ranks, and used to call himself a self made man. He was tyrannical, severe and selfish, as all self-made men are. Selfmade men are very prone to usurp the prerogative of the Almighty and overwork themselves. They are not satisfied with the position of division superintendent of creation, but they want to be most worthy high grand muck-a-muck of the entire ranch, or their lives are gloomy fizzles.