The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-10-09

nung with scarlet cloths. Here we seated
ourselves upon bench and waited for
some hours, watching the multitude press
past, shouting, singing and talking loudly
in many tongues. At length came soldiers
Z to clear the road, clad, after the Roman
fashion, in coats OF chain armor. After
them marched heralds onjoining silence
(whereat the populace sang and shouted all
tho more loudly, and crying that Cleo
patra, the Queen, was coming. Then fol-
lowed thousand Ciliclan slzirmishers, a
thousand Thracians, thousand Macedo-
mans, and thousand Gauls, each armed
after the fashion Of their own country.
Then passed ave hundred men OF those
who are called the Fenced Horsemen, for
both men and horses were altogether cov-
cred with armor. Next came youths and
maidens sumptuously draped and wearing
golden crowns, and with them images sym
bolizing Day aud Night, Morning and Noon,
the Heavens and the Earth. After these
came many fair women pouring perfumes
on the road, and others scattering bloom
ing flowers. Now there rose great shout
Of cleopatra Cleopatra" and held my
breath and bent forward to see her who
dared TO put on the robes Of Isis.
But at that moment the multitude so
gathered and thickened in front of where
was that could no longer clearly see. 80
in my eagerness leapt over the barrier Of
the scaffolding, and, being very strong,
pushed my way through the crowd till /
reached the foremost rank. And, as did
so, Nubian slaves armed with thick slaves
and crowned with Ivy leaves run up, strik-
ing the people One man more especially,
for he was giant, and, being strong, was
insolent beyond measure, shifting the peo-
pie without cause, as, indeed, is the won't Of
low persons set 10 authority. For nigh 70
me stood woman, an Egyptian by her face,
bearing a child In her arms, whom the man,
seeing that she was weak, struck on the
head with his rod so that she fell prone, and
the people murmured. But my blood
rushed Of sudden through my veins at the
sight, and drowned my reason. In my
hand held staff Of olive wood from
Cyprus, and rs the black brute laughed at
the sight OF the stricken woman and her
babe rolling on the ground, l swung the
staff aloft and smote. So shrewdly did !
strike that the tough rod split upon the
giants shoulders and the blood spurted
forth, staining his trailing leaves Of ivy.
Then, with shrek Of pain ana fury-for
those who smite love not that they
30 smitten--did he turn and spring
at mel And all the people round
gave back, save only the woman who
could not rise, leaving us twain in ring, as
1t were. On became with arush, and, as he
came, being now mad, smote him with my
clenched hst between the eyes, having
naught else wherewith to smlte, and he
staggered like an OK beneath the first blow
Of the priests axe. Thereat the people
shouted, for they love TO see fight, and the
man was Known 10 them as gladiator vic
torious in tho games. Gathering up his
strength, the knave came on with an oath,
and, whirling his heavy staff on high, struck
at me In such fashion that, had not by
nimbleness avoided the blow, had surely
been slain. But as IL CHANGED, the staff hit
upon the ground, and so heavily thatit few
in fragments Thereon againthe multitude
shouted, and the great man, blind with
fury, rushed at me 10 smite me down. But
with cry sprang straight at his throat
for he was 90 heavy Il man that knew
could not hope 10 throw him by strength
ay, and grippcd it. There chung, though
his fists battered me like bludgeons. driving