Penn State University - La Vie Yearbook (University Park, PA)

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Seniori seem to have come upon the country in which they lived in a rather abrupt manner ; but the former inhabitants, though brave and strong, were al- ready contemplating an emigration to a better land and hence received them kindly, endeavoriug to teach them many good and useful things, such as how best to live in the land which they were now to occupy, how to deal with prob- able invaders, and, above all, to properly realize their subordinate position and show great respect for their superiors and predecessors-thus establishing a custom which seems to have continued through all the four nations which fol- lowed them. The Seniori quite readily adapted themselves to circumstances, prohting by the opportunities to learn. and gradually gaining complete control of the land. Some feeble attempts were made to drive out or subjugate the original inhabitants, but these easily defeated the Seniori and remained in possession until the time when they voluntarily retired. After this the Seniori devoted themselves to peneeable pursuits of various kinds, notably the devel- opment of a peculiar breed of horses, and to acquiring some slight intellectual training for themselves. But on the whole, the national traits and character of this people are rather obscure, there being little to judge from except a few fragmentary writings of their own concerning their nearest contemporaries, and as these are entirely of a derogatory character, never picturing anything commendable, we must eon- elude that no very high ideals were held by the writers. What finally became of the Seniori we cannot say, though it is known that they had many small wars with their neighbors, particularly the Juniori, and that their numbers quite rapidly diminished from many causes. Their passion for l'qlwslrimzism led to many accidents which carried of? some of their most noble men, and surrounding tribes, seeing their growing weakness. began to crowd into their land, driving the Seniori before them until at last they seem to have disap- peared entirely, leaving the country in the possession of a powerful people called the Juniori, mingled with two other races of less importance, but of which we will give some account.

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HISTORY. CHAP'FEIQ I. ISTORY is a strange thing. It is always growing, and the part that has already grown seems never to become iixed and steady in its ways ; at least not until it has been in existence a great many years. And even then it will more than likely just go over some old-fashioned role-history repeating itself, some people say. But the strangest thing about the growth of history is that sometimes it grows as it were in the middle. Something new and entirely unthought of turning up, apparently without any reasonable connection with anything else before or since, and demanding a phtce away back in the records of the good old times, and upset- ting the records of the world in general. Now, it is just one of these much delayed and highly troublesome pieces of history that the authors of this book feel it their duty to make public. In fact, it is the immense importance of the following records of Four Nations of dim antiquity tthe dates were too dint to reprinty and the desire to give man- kind the opportunity of reading something never before made known, that ac- counts for the existence of this section of our book. SENIORL As already intimated, the date at which these histories begin cannot be given, but the records are none the less reliable, having been written by several different persons in as many different periods of time. The earliest papers are concerning a people bearing the name at the head of this chapter, and in all probability the custom of recording events originated toward the close of their existence, for we can find but little with reference to preceding peoples. The 26

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CHAPTEIQ II. JUNIORI. To understand fully the history of this people we must ask the render to turn his thoughts back some years and bear in mind the fact that the Juniori begun to appear on the border-lands of the country of the Seniori even before the latter had entirely secured their own position, and for this reason it will be necessary to refer to them in this chapter, though our aim has been to separate the history of each as completely as is consistent with clearness. The Juniori originated in the far East beyond the Preparanian Mountains; the first tribal organization being effected by a number of young braves, the choicest of all that quarter of the globe, who, simultaneously arriving at a place which it is not necessary to name, and finding in one another congenial characteristics, and beim,r in pursuit of similar endsenamely the betterment of their condition in this worldebanded together for their common welfare. The place at which they met furnished all that could be desired for first needs. Their numbers were increased by hardy young men who were attracted by the advantageous location, and soon a move was made in search of wider domains and greater knowledge. Gradually they approached the boundaries of their country, climbing the mountains of Preparania, and receiving many and valu- able additions to their numbers during the march, until, making a sudden descent to the west, they firmly established themselves in the territory of the Seniori who had been living in such careless security that the flags and battle-cries of the invaders were totally unknown to them until seen and heard at their very doors. After this event considerable time seems to have been spent by the Juniori in pursuit of their own interests, in perfecting their government, and in acquir- ing a knowledge of the country into which they had come. It being one of their distinguishing traits to devote their time and energy to intellectual and physical development rather than to war, they lived quite peaceably with their 28