Page 30 - Third Book of Reading Lessons

READING LESSONS. 29
and allurements, the youth l confessor remained steadfast in the profession of his religion; and a er two days it was told to the persecuted ther, that his tender child had died by the hand of the execu­ tioner. But another victim must be sacri ced to the o ended deities of Japan. His vi in daughter, Martina, is demanded r the o ering. "Hasten to the king, my child," says the heroic er, "and tell him, that virtue is not measured by years, and at ith knows no distinction between sex or age." The messenger of glad tidings soon returned, bearing in­ rmation that :Martina had followed her brother, and that the eldest son, Simon, was then expected. Si­ mon llowed in the path in which his brother and sister had walked to martyrdom, and betrayed no feelings of sorrow or of fear. A w days passed by, and another messenger came to this Christian ob, to announce to him that his eldest son had paid with his life r his obstinacy, and that a similar te was impending over him and his consort, should they de­ termine to persevere in their impiety. They were then summoned to the presence of the monarch, and
•when all the arts of persuasion, and the terrors of a cruel death, were und of no e ect, the king threw open th door of an adjoining apartment, and led rth their two sons and daughter to the enraptured parents, declaring to his princes and nobles, that such generous self-devotion merited his warmest ap­ probation.
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