Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-09-22
M 7 s C IL A NJ x.
From the New York Mirror.
DEATH OF SlKANDER-A ROMANCE
OF HISTORY

4 the hills, ana ming the ValileS, lar ana
vide extended the millions in arms,
who waited the word Of young Sikan-
der-the most superb array of power
which sceptered ambition had ever
evoked to do its bidding. That army
was to sweep nations off the earth, and
make continent its camp. following
the voice of one whose word was the
index Of glory, whose command was
the synonyme Of triumph. Itnow stood
expectant for the king yet fingered.
While the war-horse fretted at the
gate, and myriads awaited thus in ST.
ence his appearance, Sikander took his
way to the apartment of his mother
The sole ligament which bound him to
virtue and feeling, was the love of that
mother, and the tie was as strong as it
was tender. In mute detection they
embraced; and Sikander, as he gazed
upon that tender face, which had new
er been turned to him but in tenderness
and yearning love, seemed to ASK
"Shall ever again behold that sweet
smile % The anxiety of his mothers
countenance denoted the same sad Gu
ioslty, and without a word, but with
the self-same feeling in their breasts,
they went together to seek the oracles
in the temple of Philip, and to learn
their fate.
Alone, in unuttered sympathy, the
Two assembled the steps of the sacred
temple and approached the shrine. A
priest stood behind the altar. The
blue smoke Of the incense curled up in
front. and the book of the oracles was
before HIM.
"Where shall my grave be digged?"
sad the king.
The priest opened the book and read,
@Where the soil is Of iron and the sky
Of gold, there shall the grave of the mo-
march of men be digged."
To the utmost limit, Asia had be-
come the possession ofthe Macedonian.
Fatigued with conquest, and anxious to
seek a country where the difficulty of
victory should enhance its value, the.
hero was returning to Europe. A few
days would have brought him to the
capital Of his kingdom, when he felt
himself suddenly i'll. He was lifted
from his horse, and one Of his gener-
ais unfacing his armour, spread 1t out
for him to lie upon, and held up his
golden shield to screen him from the
midday sun. When the king raised
lis eyes and beheld the glitterlng can
Opv, he was conscious of the omcn.-
The oracle has said that where the
ground should be Of iron, and the sky
Cfgold, there should my grave be made!
Behold the fulfilment 1t is mourn
fl thing The young cypress is cut
DOWN in the vigor of its strength, in
the first fullness of its beauty. The
thread oflife is Strapped suddenly, and
with it thousand prospects vanish,
thousand hopes are crushed But let
the will of fate be done! She has
long obeyed my behest! must yield
myself now to her! Yet my mother!"
And the monarch unused in melancho-
silence. At length he turned to his
attendants, and ordered his tablets to
be brought, and he took them and
wrote, " Let the customary aims which
ny mother shall distribute at my death,
be given to those who have never felt
6emiserles fthe world, and have nc
Yer lost those who were dear to them;"
and sinking back upon his iron couch,
be yielded up his breath. They buri-
ed him where he died, and an army
"ept over his grave.
When the intelligence of the death
oiSikander was brought to his mother,
as she sat among her ladies, she was
oyerwhelmed by anguish. "Ah! why"
'le exclaimed, "was | exalted so high,
only to be plunged into such depth of
misery! Why was not made of low.
her condition, SO haply had escaped
ach grief? The JOY of my youth is
PoA ned up, the comfort Of my age Is
Nlder red Who is more wrotched than
SAnd she refused to be com.orted.
The last wish of her son was read
70 her, ana she resolved to perform
That one remaining duty, and then re-
tire 10 solitude to indulge her grief for
The remainder of her life. She ordered
her servants to gothrough the city and
S5qlng to the palace such as the VIII OF
Islander directed, selecting those who
were the poorest. But the messengers
ere long returned, and said that there
We're none of that description to be
"lnd among the poor. " Go then,
@tthe queen, and apply to all classes
0od return not, without bringing some
Who have never lost any who were
Gear 10 them" And the order was
Proclaimed throughout all the city, and
al heard it and passed on. The neigh