The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-11-04

silent 1 could see her thoughts in her
face. She stood looking at her feet
for it was in fact hers-with charm
ing expression, full of sadness and at
the same time of certain coquettish
grace. But the little foot continued to
run about from one side of the table to
the other as if impelled by steel
springs. Two or three times she put
out her hand toward it as if to seize it
but it always eluded her.
Then began between the Princess
Hermouthes and her foot, which
seemed endowed with individual life, a
most remarkable dialogue in the Cop
tic languages in use thousands of years
ago; happily at that precise time was
perfectly familiar with the Coptic.
The Princess Hermouthes said in
voice clear and vibrating as a crystal
bell:
"Ah! my dear little foot, why do you
flee from me, when [ always lavished
upon you the tenderest care bathed
you in perfumed water in an alabaster
basin; [ polished your little heel with
pumisc stone dipped in palm oil; your
nails were trimmed with golden pin
GERS and polished with the tooth of a
hippopotamus; always chose for you
the most beautiful Of embroidered and
painted sandals which were the envy
of all the girls in Egypt; your large toe
| was always ornamented with rings rep
resenting the sacred sarab9us, and you
carried the lightest possible weight that
lazy little foot could DESIRE"
Tho foot o,cu-oroJ -, O., ll,x rod
tone:
"You know perfectly well that | no
longer belong to myself; have been
bought and paid for; the old merchant
knew very we'll what mischief he was
making; he has always owed you
grudge because you would not marry
him; it is malicious trick he is play
ing you. The Arab who forced open
your real coffin, being in the subter-
ranean wall in the Metropolis of The
bes, was employed by him to prevent
your joining your royal forefathers.
Have you five louis dor to pay for
me?"
"Alas no; l have nothing My jew
els, my rings, my purses Of gold and
silver, are all gone. have been rob
bed Of all I possess" answered the
Princess, signing.
Then | cried aloud, unable to keep
silence: princess, / have never in my
life taken dishonesty the foot of any
living person; and, although you have
not the five louis dor which it cost me,
[ willingly return it to you should
be in despair if through me SO charm
ing person as the Princess Her
mouthes should be lame"
delivered this little Grafton with the
air of troubadour, feeling that the
beautiful Egyptian must be impressed
by it.
She turned toward me, her face BEAM
ing with gratitude, her eyes glistening
with blush light.
She took up her foot, on this occa-
sion offering no objection, and, as a wo-
man slips on her shoes, she skillfully
and easily fastened her foot to her
ankle.
This operation finished, she took two
or three steps as if to assure herself
that she was no longer lame.
",Ah how pleased my father will be,
he who grieved so deeply over this mu-
tilation, he who from the moment of
my birth placed an entire people upon
the labor of excavating for me a burial
place so deep that could be preserved
intact until that supreme moment
when al souls shall be weighed in the
balance. Come with me, come home
with me to my father; you will be
warmly welcomed by him, for you have
restored my foot"
This proposition appearing perfectly
natural, I rose, wrapped myself in
robe de chambre covered with large