But it wasn’t for ire
That I set Rome afire,—
The weather was quite down to zero.”’”
There was a moment of silence, and then Floyd said, slowly, “Oh, I see! He kindled the fire to warm himself!”
“Yes,” said Violet. “It was a cold winter that year.”
“’Twas a chilly day for Nero, when the mercury went to zero,” said Caddy; “but I say, was Nero’s name Tiberius too?”
“No,” said Violet, unabashed, “but it needed that to fill up the line nicely. And anyway, it may have been. Those old Romans had lots of names besides the ones they used every day.”
“Of course they did,” said Patty. “And I’m sure he was Tiberius Nero,—it sounds so natural that way.”
“Next we come to a picture,” went on Peter. “This gem of art is the work of our talented wonderer, Miss Flo Carrington. I will hold it up that you may see it, but as its merit can only be appreciated by a closer inspection, we will pass it around the circle. It represents Miss Fairfield hugging her very dear friend, the Coliseum.”