The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-01-07
An Old Poem and Its History.

A correspondent of the Inter Ocean
writes:
Doubtless many of our readers have
read General w. S. Lytle's fine poem,
Cleopatra, written the night before
the battle in which he was killed. The
Pittsburg Leader relates the romantic
circumstances under which it was writ
ten. They were told, by the late
Colonel Realf to gentleman. He
spoke of the night before the battle at
which General Lytle fell. The two
(Realf and Lytle) lay together in the
Generals tent. They were both given
to writing poetry at such times, and
each had an unfinished poem on hand,
and they read and criticised each 9TH
er's efforts humorously for some time,
when said Lytle:
"Realf, shall never live to finish
that poem"
Nonsense" said |, lyon will live to
write volumes Of such stuff
"a feeling has suddenly come over
me-" continued the General solemnly,
which is more startling than a pro-
phecy, that shall be killed in to-mor-
rows fight. As spoke to you 1 saw
the green hills of the Ohio as if stood
among them. They began to recede
from me in weird way, and as they
disappeared the conviction flashed
through me like the lightning's shock
that would never see them again."
Irallied him for his superstition, but
the belief had become strangely i'm
pressed upon his mind, and he succeed
ed in so far thrilling me with his own
unnatural fear, that begged him to
finish his poem before he slept, that
such fine work might not be lost to the
world.
In the small hours the General awak-
ened me from slumber into which |
had fallen. to read me that beautiful
poem, which must live as long as our
literature survives, beginning:
am dying, Egypt, dying, ~
Ebbs the crimson life-blood fast.
My eyes filled with tears as he read.
He said not word as lie concluded,
but placed the manuscript in his pocket
and lay down TO sleep.
Before dawn came the call to arms.
When | next saw poor Lytle he was
cold in death among heaps of slain.
thought OF the poem, and searching
the pocket where had seen him put
it, drew il forth, and II was forwarded
among other things to his friends.
nm dying, Egypt, dyng
Ebbs the crimson lifctide fast,
And tho dark phtDninu shndowa
Gather on the evening blast;
Letthine arm, o Queen, enfold me,
Hush thy sobs and bow thine err,
Listen TO the great heart secrets
Thou, aud thou alone, must hear.
Though my Scared and veteran legions
Bear their eagles high no more,
And my wrecked and scattered galeys
Strew dark Actium's fatal shore;
Though no glticring guard surround me,
Prompt TO do their masters will
must perish like Roman,
bio the great 1riumvir still.
Lot not Caesars servilo miuions
MooR the lion thus made low;
TWAS no focman's arm that fooled him,
'rwas bis own that struck the blow
Hls who, pilowed on thy bosom,
Turned aside from glory's ray
He who, drunk with my carcsses,
MNdly threw world away.
Should the hase pcban rnbblc
Dare nRsail my natno nt Rome,
when the noble spouse, Octavia,
Wocps within her widowed home,
Seek her; say tho gods bear witness,
Affairs, nugtirs, circling wings,
That her blood with mine commingled,
Yet shall mount 10 thrones Of kings.
And for thee, stal-eyod Eggplant F
Glorious sources OF the Milo,
Light the path to Styginn horrors
With the splcndors Of thy smlc
Give the Crsur crowns aud arches,
Lot his brow the laurel twine;
can scorn tho Senate's triumphs, M
TrIumphing In love like thine.
lam dying, Egypt dying,
Ilnrk the insulting fooman's cry;
They are comingl quick, my falchion,
Let me front them ere die. A. N
All, no more amid tho battle
Shall my heart cxultlnG swell;
Isis and Oshis guard thee IN NGg
Cleopatra, Rome, farewell" ~
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