“Your minister at home will be very much interested when you tell him you have visited the house where Cicero lived.”
“Do you think he ever heard of Cicero?”
“Oh, yes, all educated men have heard of him.”
“Then, I’ll take particular notice of it, and describe it to him.”
When they reached Cicero’s villa, however, Mr. Sanderson was not favorably impressed by it.
“For a president of Rome,” he said, “Cicero didn’t live very well. Why, for twenty-five dollars month he could get a house in Omaha with all the modern conveniences that would beat this by a long shot.”.
“They didn’t have modern conveniences at that time, Mr. Sanderson.”
“Then, I’m glad I didn’t live in them days. Give me the solid comfort of an Omaha house rather than all these marble pillars and ancient fandangos.”
“I am inclined to agree with you there, Mr. Sanderson,” said the young Englishman, laughing. “I enjoy seeing the remains of ancient edifices, but I think myself I should rather live in a nice English or American house.”
“From all I can see,” continued the American, “I’d rather be an alderman in Omaha than the biggest man in old Rome. Did they speak English?”