West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-06-04

! Heraclio kept tame vulturcs 10 feast
on his flesh, until his lower limbs were
nothing but dry bones. One day the
/ tortured man refused to breathe aud
ended his miserable life by voluntary
! suilocatiOn.
THE King heard OF the cruelty of
his chief counselor, and had him ar
! rested. But Heraclio had such conf
dencc In his high position that he did
| not dream that harm could befall him
AS he was going across the judicial
chamber he saw his own portrait hang
I ing on the wall, with line traced by
an arrow across IL. He started back
hlled with fear and astonishmcnt A
capital sentence was indicated i'm that
manner He had Over-estimated his
| power, and had been sentenced to
death. With the fear of death, came
the horrors Of remorse The blood of
the murdered slave seemed TO cry out
against him, and he fled from the pal
ace The guards, not knowing he was
condemned, allowed him TO pass He
He'd TO the mountains. Los Tres Frailcs
was first reached, and when he had
concealed himself. he lay down to
sleep. He slept a long time some say
hours, some say days, and some say a
hundred years. When he awokc the
small trees about him had grown old
and died. lie was very hungry and
had no food, and no means of provid-
ing any save the lint-head spear he
had brought with him He espicd n
fawn short distance away and gave
chase to it, 1t fled, going down, down.
doWn INTO a deep canyon. He seemed
To neither gain nor lose on it. The
I al lraf al
peared, the cactus was left behind. and
on every side there sprang up a
strange, unnatural tree He pursued
the fawn through canyon so dark
that no object but the animal, which
seemed of golden color. could be
seen. After wandering for miles
| through the dark canyon, he came out
in broad valley watercd 10y delight
ful rivers, and covered with luxuriant
grasses. There was "A city i'm the dis
lance, the streets Of which were paved
with gold. The spires and roofs glist-
ened so that he scarce could bear the
hight The gates were of pearl, and
! before them tall, dark soldiers i'm shin
ing armor solcmnly marched. He had
no thought of the fawn now, but slak-
ing his thirst i'm the first stream he
came to, started for the Reals Perdi-
dos q Encantados
"'Alto ahi,' (halO said the sentry
as ne came near the gate. The un-
fortunate Heraclio came to stand.
still, for the man handled his shining
lance in such a way that the senor's
courage seemed all of sudden to de-
sert him. who are you?'
"IIc explained that he was a Gener-
al OF the army of the King of the Az
tees, and wanted shelter within the
walls of the city. The sentry who
seemed TO know his past history, re-
fused TO admit him until he had burned
incense to the gods for the peace OF the
man he had so cruelty murdered The
proud Heraclio refused to do this He
was sorry he had committed the muir
der, but he could not humiliatc him
self IN this manner. For DAYS and
weeks he wandered about the valley.
subSlstlng on grass, and roots, and
herbs, like the cattle-refusing to do
the bidding of the sentry The sentry
was always at the gate and the walls
were so high that he could not climb
them, or get a glimpse of the interior.
From behind those walls came the
sweetest music ear had ever heard
1t seemed to come from some instru-
ment that Heated i'm the air Voices
Joined in singing songs so sweet as to
almost drive him mad. He was tor
mented at times by flying vultures and
serpents, and the most loathsome ami
mails one ever saw. Through all one
white dove seemed to act as his friend.
and urged him to comply with the de
mand of the sentry, and enter the gate.
lie he d out yet awhile, but his torment
was too great and at last he complied
burning incense to appease the wrath
OF the gods. Then as he approached
the gate, the sentry raised his lance i'm
salute. and the gates of pearl opened
wide for him TO enter. He passed
through, accompanied by the dove,
which bidding him follow. spread its
wings and flew to grove the like of
which Hcraclio had never seen. There
were trees loaded with choice fruits
and flowers, and the air was burd ned
with an aroma, the richness of which
can only be imagined Thcpaths W ere
inlaid with gold and diamonds He
met people with faces and garments
OF snow. There were birds OF the
brightest plumagc i'm the grove and
they Joined in the songs he heard every
where.
AA'A ~ ~ " a. AAfllEillfNlt Dlll no one
spoke To him, and a. he approached
they melted away. He wondered M
the cause of all this CHANGING at his
hands he saw that they were red Blood
was dripping from them The dove
told him that it was the blood of the
Prince he had murdered that was on
his hands, and no one would associate
with him while il was there How
can / get il o1?' me- asked. The dove
said there was pool i'm which the
blood stains could be washed away
Hcraclio was taken to the pool. lie
had TO press his way through "a chap
arral OF thornS. infested with serpents
scorpions. lizards and all sorts of pois-
onous reptiles At times he grew faint
and was on the point OF turning back.
but the dove urged him on. AZ last he
came 20 the pool and found it fount-
ain of blood.
How can be clcaused by BATHING
there" he asked The dove assured
him he would, and after n long time he
plunged into The pool When he came
out, 10, every thing was changed. The
dangerous chaparrsl had disappeared.
and the enchanted city which had been
reccding from him, now seemed mo.
mentarily drawing nearer All stain,
had disappeared from his hands and he