Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-22

After this the years passed en, nor did 1;lI belng very little, know any thing of tho great things that came to pass in Egypt; nor is it my purpose here to set them out. things with which have been concerned. |
 And as the time went on my father and the teachers instructed me in the ancient learning of our people and in such matters appertaining to the gods as it is meet that children should know. So I grew strong and comedy, for my hair was black as the hair of the divine Nout, and my eyes were blue as the blue lotus, and my skin was as the alabaster within the sanctuaries. For now that these glories have passed from me may speak of them without shame Strong was also. There was no youth of my years in Abouthis who could stand against me to wrestle with me, nor could any throw so far with the sling or spear. And much yearned to hunt the lion; but he whom called my father forbade me to hunt, telling me that my life was of too great worth to be so lightly hazarded. But when I bowed myself before him and prayed he would make his meaning clear to | me, the old man drowned and answered | that the gods made all things clear in their own season. For my part, however, I went away wroth, for there was youth in | Abouthis who with others had slain lion 1 that fell upon his fathers herds, and, be- l ing envious of my strength and beauty, he set it about that was cowardly at heart, in that when I went out to hunt slew naught but jackals and gazelles. Now, this was when I had reached my seventeenth year and was Q man grown.
 l It chanced, therefore, that as I went sore at heart from the presence of the High | Priest, my father, ] met this youth, who | called to mo and mocked me, bidding mo | know the country people had told him that | a great lion was down among the rush es by tho banks of the canal which runs past the Temple. lying at Q distance of thir- l ty stadia from Abouthis. And, still mock ing me, he asked me if I would come and | help him slay this lion, or would go and ait among the old women and bid them comb | my side lock. This bitter word so angered | me that I was near to falling on him; but | in place thereof, forgetting my fathers say | ing, I answered that If he would come along I would go with him and seek this lion, and ] he should learn if l were indeed a coward. l And at first he would not, for, as men know, 1t is our custom to hunt tho lion in compa- | nies; so it was my hour to mock. Thereon he went and fetched his bow and arrows and sharp knife. And brought forth my heavy spear, which had shaft of thorn | wood, and at the end thereof pomegran- | ate in silver, to hold the hand from slipping; and together, in silence, we went side by side to where the lion lay. When we came to the place it was near sundown, and there, upon the mud of the canal bank, we found l the lions slot, which ran into thick clump 1 of reeds.
 "Now, thou boaster," I said, ''wilt thou lead the way into wonder reeds, or shall IF" And I made as though I would lead the
 way.
 ''Nay, nay,' he answered, ssbe not so
 mad! The brute will spring upon thee and
 rend thee. See? I will shoot among the
 reeds! Perchance, if he sleeps, it will
 arouse him." And he drew his bow at a
 venture.
 And how it chanced know not, but the
 arrow struck the sleeping lion, and, like a
 flash of light from the belly of cloud, he
 bounded from the shelter of the reeds, and
 stood before us with bristling mane and yell
 low eyes, the arrow quivering in his flank.
 He roared aloud in fury, and the earth
 shook.
 ''Shoot with the bow," cried, ''shoot
 swiftly ere he springr'
 But the courage had left the breast of the
 boaster. His jaw dropped down and his