The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-11-07


her head, she gascd On me with her slun-
berous eyes.
Now was my occasion, for her white
throat and breast were bare, and, with
mighty effort, once again lifted my hand
to clutch the dagger hilt But, more quick
than thought, she caught my fingers with
her own and gently held them.
"Why lookest thou 90 wildly, Har-
machisg' she said. TART sick!"
'.Ay, sick indeed" gasped.
ssThen lean thou upon the cushions and
rest thee" she answered, still holding my
hand, wherefrom the strength had fed
THE fit will surely pass. Too long hast
thou labored with thy stars How soft +
the night air that flows from yonder case
mcnt heavy with the breath Of liliesl Hark
to the whisper Of the sea tapping against
the rocks, that, though faint It Is, yet, being
SO strong, doth almost drown tho quick, cool
fall Of yonder mountain. List to Philomel;
how sweet from full heart Of love she
sings her message TO her dear! Surely tits
| . lovely night, and most beautiful is
| natures music sung with hundred voices
from wind and trees and birds and oceans
wrinkled lips, and yet sung all to tune.
Listen, Harmachis; something have
guessed concerning thee. Thou, too, art Of
. royal race; no humble blood pours ID
those veins Of thine. Surely such shoot
could spring but from the stock Of Princesl
What! gazest thou at the leaf mark on my
breastl Twas pricked there in honor Of
Osiris, whom with thee ] worship. Seev'
"Let me hence" groaned, striving u
rise; but all my strength had gone.
may, not yet awhile. Thou wOuldst not
| leave me YETI Thou canst not leave me yet.
Harmachis, hast thou never lovedl"
May, nay, o Queen! What have to do
with lover Let me hence! am faint-for.
done!"
s.Neyer to have loved-'tis strange!
Never to have known some woman-heart
beat oil in tunc to thine-never to have
seen the eyes of thy adorcd a-swim with
passions tears rs she sighed her vows
upon thy breast! Never to have loved!-
never to have lost myself In the mystery
OF another's soul; nor to have learned how
Nature can overcome our naked loneli.
ness, and with the golden web Of love Of
twain weave one identity! Why, 'tis
never to have lived, HarmachisV'
And ever as she murmured she drew
nearer to me, till ct last, with long, sweet
sigh, she dung one white arm about my
neck, and gazing upon me with blue, IN.
fathomsble eyes, smiled her dark, slow
smile, that, like an opening flower, re.
vealed beauty within beauty hidden.
Nearer she bent her queenly form and still
more near-now her perfumed breath
played upon my hair. and now her lips met
mine!
And, woe 10 me! In that kiss, more dead,
~ and more strong than the embrace o.
death, were forgotten Isis, my Heavenly
HOPE, Oaths, Honor, Country, Friends, al
things save that Cleopatra clasped mo in
her arms anfcalled mo Love and Lord.
.'Now pledge me-" she murmured-
'pledge me one cup Of wine in token Of thy
love-
took the draught, and deep ! drank,
and then too late knew that 1t WAS
drugged.
Back fell upon the couch, and, though
my senses still were with me, could
| neither speak nor rise.
But Cleopatra, bending over me, drew
the dagger from my robe.
'.Tre sconi" she cried, shaking back her
long hair, 1--WE won, and for the stake OF
Egypt-wby, twas . game worth playing !
With this dagger, then, thou wouldst have
slain me. 0 my Royal rival. whose myr-
| midons cen now are gathered at my palace
gate? Art still awake. Now, what him
ders me that should not plunge il to thy
hearth
Iheard and feebly pointed to my breast,
for fain was to die. She drew herself tothe
full Of her imperial height, and the great
knife glittercd in her hand. Down it came
| till its edges pricked my flesh.
| May" she cried again, and cast it from
her, ''too well like thee. Pity 'twere to
slay such q mani ! give thee thy life.
Live on, lost Pharaoh! Live on, poor fallen
Thing. blasted by Q woman's wit! Live on,
Harmachis-to adorn my Triumph,
| Then sight left me; and In my ears only
heard the song Of the nightingale, the muir
muir OF the sea, and the music Of Cleo.
patra's laugh. And as sank away the
sound of that low laugh still followed me
into the land Of sleep, and still 1t follows
me through life to death.
/ tTo HE CoNfINrYDi