The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-17

brilliant colors with a quaint pattern,
and with the ever-present lotus, and most
curious Of all, the upper surface of the
sole on which her foot rested bore the
figure of captive with bound arms, on
one sandal an Egyptian, on the other
Greek - a fanciful way of suggesting
the dominion of the owner over the
hearts Of two nations. Now it CHANGED
that just above, sailing round in his vast
circle, mere speck in the dancing blue
sky, was an eagle, and as the sandals
glittered by the waters edge they caught
his eye. Now, whether he thought they
were good to eat, or whether he was a
bird of cultivated taste, know not, but
straightway he swooped and seized one.
Rhodopis, reused from her reverie by the
rush of wings, caught sight of the great
bird as it few off, and, frightened, set
to screaming, and then ducked. By the
time she had recovered herself and taken
in what had happened, the eagle and her
sandal were in the next parish. OF course,
directly it was all over, her girls, who had
been busy telling one another secrets,
began IN their alarm to hide everything
away in place of safety,as if they expect
ed a whole phalsnx of eagles were COM
ing to carry off their mistress's clothes
And no doubt they had some reason for
their concern, for ancient ladies had
variety of amisble little ways OF pro-
ducing sympathy in their slaves when
things went wrong; and Rhodopis, sweet
as she was to look at, was like the rest.
But, after all, it was not very serious
matter, for Rosy Cheeks had cupboards
full OF sandals at home, and besides her
litter was only round the corner, so, after
her first establishment and fright we're
over, she thought little more about it.
Now this event was in reality the turn
ing-point Of her life, for what did this
mysterious bird do, but fly straight away
with his prey, over the Delta, far up the
long river to Memphis, and there, as if
his mission ended, he dropped the san
dial before the Judgment seat of King
Psammetichus. The King was sitting
in the open air, close to the city gate,
dispensing justice to his subjects. The
sun was hot, and the imaginations of
plaintiff and defendant equally inventive
and inexhaustible, so Psammetichus was
bored-his thoughts wandered far away,
and he fell to building castles in the air.
Now no Oriental could ever build cas-
tie in the air, or otherwise, without Civ
ing it mistress; so he pleased himself by
imagining for his ideal palace an ideal
beauty. He pictured her with the eyes
of the gazelle, the voice of the nightin-
gale, the litheness Of the panther, the
tread OF a goddess, and as his thoughts
dwelt still on the dainty toes that hardly
pressed the ground they rested on, the
sandal fell from heaven plump at his
royal feet Astonished out of all digni-
ty, he jumped up, stared up into the sky
and down at the slipper, and then stoop-
ed and picked it up-for no one had
dared to touch it. Was it goddess's?
No, it was a lovely little shoe, but certainly
an earthly one, with the print of five lit
tie toes distinctly marked on 1.-THE very
earthly little toes he had just been dream
ing of. Then of sudden it became plain
to him. 1t was an answer from the gods
to the wishes he had just been indulging
in-he had planned castle, here was a
mistress for it. 'Let search be msde,"
cried he, "for her who owns this sandal,
and by these signs shall you know her:
Whosoever the shoe fits, and who has the
symbol on the sole, she is the rightful
owner, bring her to me, that may make
her my queen" To hear was to obey,
and the messenger started on his search.
Many days he travelled down the Nile,
making proclamation otthe will of Psam-
metichrs as he went, bearing the sandal
on cushion. And wherever he came
through the whole land of Egypt there
was a routing out of cupboards and
hunting up of left-off shoes, in case by
chance there might be found among
them a match for the wonderful sandal;
but none came to light, and the maidens
were left forlorn. At last he came to Nau-
Gratis, and when the proclamation reach
ed the ears of Rhodopis she remembered
the rape of her sandal, and knew herself
the one sought for by the King. The
ambassador was admitted to her pres
ence, and then at last the shoe fitted.
sand here" cried Rhodopis, sis the fell
fow shoe, and this is why wear these
symbols on the soles-as Greece is cap
tive to my beauty, so shall Egypt be, and
Egypts masterP' And then she went
with him to Memphis, and when the King,
whose heart was sick with waiting, saw
her, he succumbed at once to the charm
of her loneliness; he did as he had prom
ised, and made her his queen. And the
rosy-cheeked Greek slave sat beside
Psammetichus on the throne of Pharaoh.
London Graphic.
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