Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-09-29
THE PYRAMID OF cAEops.
Climbing to the Summit Where Forty
Centuries Sit Enthroned.

Climbing to the Summit Where Forty
Centuries Sit Enthroned.
We drove in the afternoon to the pyr-
amids in victoria, over beautiful road
shaded by double line Of fine trees.
Old Cheops did not look the same. Ho
looked small from this avenue Of civili-
cation. Years ago I waded to him
through deep sands. The hot sun burned
into my brain, and wore green veil to
protect my eyes from the glare and the
driving sands. Now green fields run
nearly up to Geezeh. Said and Ismail
Pashas have left Egypt covered with
debt, but they done much to improve
the material of the land. AS we
drove up the two pyramids looked
small to me, but before reached
the top of Cheops, though l had
two stalwart Arabs to lift me up the
rocky sleeps, reached the conclusion
that they were mighty mountains OF
stone, and that over 210 pounds of solid
flesh and SO years were heavy load to
carry up to the summit where forty odd
centuries sit enthroned. Hooked in vain
for two sets of initials coupled in brack-
cts, which cut in the cold stone thirty
six years ago. They are lost among
masses of others. 1t is well. She Is fat
and nearly go; am fat and over go.
One fame burned out, another burning.
She did not even wait to learn from me
If fulfilled my promise to grave our
names upon the pyramids highest stone.
wonder il in these thirty-six years she
has ever thought of that promise made
under the softest of skies, and which one
of us thought could never be forgotteng
What boon it is to man that his heart
is made Of malleable material rather than
of adamantine and brittle STEEL
By the way, sensible men justly in
weigh upon the habit of ''vanity" in cary
ing its name upon monuments and
thereby defacing them. But there is some
sense in cutting ones name upon imper-
ishable rock which does not deface 1t.
Some one may come afterward, and, see
ing it, feel like meeting an old friend. My
heart was warmed up here in Egypt when
seeing the names of some old acquaint-
ances now dead. / felt we were living
over again long dead past. Isaw Jenny
Linds nameupon the pyramid. Did she
have it cut or did some of her lovers do
it? / do not know. But for a moment
there came from the west over the dead
desert trill of perfected harmony which
/ never heard but once and will never
hear again until an angel solo shall come
to my ear from the white robed ones how
ering around the throne of the eternal
lean almost fancy that Bayard Taylor had
the name cut. have vague recollec-
ton of his telling me of his cutting 1t
somewhere. He almost worshiped the
Swedish nightingale.
We watched the sun sink beneath the
western sands on his tireless voyage
around the world. We were glad our
path did not carry us across those bleak
sands. We have not abandoned our race
with him, but we have much to see be-
fore we can grid our loins for the home
stretch. My old legs enabled me to de-
scend Cheops' ribbed sides qvste rapidly,
SO as to look upon the sphinx as the
shades of evening should gather around
it. / wished the boys to see it first when
the broad glare of the day should not toe
much reveal its DETACHMENT.
We then loitered about until the full
moon came up from the east. One should
see this famous monument first by moon
light Then there Is one point from
which it can be seen, when it is not al
|. fancy and sentiment, which can pro
| pounce it the calmest and most origina
monument of the world. We were for
| tunate in being here during the full moon
| One visit at such time repays the lont
| trip to Egypt There is a quiet grandeur
about the pyramids by moonlight which
one cannot conceive who sees them only
in the broad glare of sunlight. w
walked around them SO as to see them il
deep shade, and then again in the silver,
light. l think the boys will remember
as long as they live.-Carter Harrison IL
Chicago Times.