Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-01
CLEOPATRA.

Being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmachis, the | Royal Egyptian.
 A'nG hn tC. -lc"et as - .s:,., thou will l rt Ii sS.- h. tr...:l. f.. Id IS si5 1 O. oy,r ;ao p.0vrus, then must .bou
 al: ;'cr Ia !ic back, so t!:at she d:,.s; aud :tss :; t-st thy will and arm fal lhoc 1.oi | a-: "a being douc-aiid indeed 1t will be l - thou wilt Ike the signet and pas out | wic"a the cunuch is-fcr the others will | wCatlng. If by any chance there be
 trouble with Eim-but there will be no trou.
 cle, for he dare notenter tho private rooms, and the sounds of death can not reach Sd | far-thou must cut him down. Then will l
 meet thee; and, passing on, we will come to faulus, and 1t shall be my care to see that l he Is neither drunk nor backward, for know how to hold him to the task And he and those with h.m shall throw open the side gate, when Sepa and the five hundred | chosen men who are i'll waiting shall pour in and throw themselves upon the sleeping legionaries, putting them to the sword
 Why, tho thing is easy, so thou rest true to myself, and let no womau's fears creep into thy heart. What is this dagger's thrust? It is nothing, and yet upon it may hang the destinies of Egypt and the world" !"
 
 a sound"
 Charmion ran to the door, and gazing down the long, dark passage, listened. In moment sho came back, her finger on her lips. "lt IS the Queen," she whispered, hurrledly; ''the Queen who mounts the stair alone I heard her bid Iris leave her. l may not be found thus alone with thee at this hour; 1t hath strange look, and she may suspect somewhat. What wants shc here! Where can I hide mel" I glanced around. At the further end of the chamber was heavy curtain that hid a little place built in tho thickness of the wall which ! used for the storage of rolls and instru- ments.
 Haste thee-therep' I said, and she glided behind the curtain, which swung back and covered her. Then I thrust the fatal scroll of death into the bosom of my robe and bent me e'er the mystic chart. Presently heard the sweep of weman's robes, and there came low knock upon the door,
 "Enter, whoever thou art! said The latch lifted, and Cleopatra swept in, royalty arrayed, her dark hair hanging about her and the sacred snake of royalty glistening on her brow.
 "Of truth, Harmachis," she said, with sigh, as she sank into q seat, .the path 10 Heaven is hard to climb! Ah I am weary, for those stairs are many But I was minded, my astronomer, to see thee in thy haunts."
 '1 am honored overmuch, o Queenr, said, lowing low before her.
 Art thou nowa And yet that dark face of thine hath somewhat angry look. Thou art tco young and handsome for this dry trade, Harmachis. Why, l VOW, thou hast cast my wreath of roses down amidst thy rusty tools Kings would have cher lshed that wreath along with their choicest diadems, o Harmachis and thou dost throw 1t down as thing of no ac- count. Why, what man thou art But stay; what is this, A lady's kerchief, by Isis! Nay, now my Harmachis, how came this here2 Are our poor kerchiefs also in- struments of thy high arta Oh, fife, fe!- have l caught thee, then' Art thou. in deed, a fox'"
 May, most Royal Cleopatra, nayv' said, turning; for the kerchief which had fallen from Charmion's neck had an awkward look. II know not, indeed, how tho frlppery came here: Psrchancs some of tho women who keep the chamber may have let it fall.'
 "AhI so-soV' she said, dryly, and still laughing like a rippling brook. ''Yes, surely. the slave women who keep cham bers own such toys as this, of the very lu, and broldered, too. in many colors. Why, myself should not shame to wear itl Of a truth it seems familiar to my sight" And she threw 1t around her neck and the ends with her white hand But there, 'tls thing unholy in thine | eyes that the scarf of thy beloved should | rest upon my poor breast. Take it, liar l machis; take it and hide it ill thy bosom, 1 nigh thy heart, indeedr' ltook the accursed thing, and muttering 1 what may not write, stepped on to the 1 yiddy platform whence watched the stars Then crushing it into ball, threw it to | he winds of heaven.
 Thereat the lovely Queen laughed once ncre.
 May, think now," she cried. "What would the lady say could she see her love- yage thus cast to all the worlda Mayhap, darmachis, thou wouldst deal thus with my wreath also! See, the roses fade; cast it if, }" and, stepping, she took up the wreath md gave it to me-
 For moment, so vexed was I, I had hind to take her at her word and send the wreath to join the kerchief But thought better of it.
 Nay" said more softly, Git is Queens 'ift, and will keep it," and as I spoke, nethought saw the curtain shake. Often ince have 1 sorrowed over those simple words.
 'Gracious thanks be to the King of Love or this small mercy," she answered, look ng at me strangely. ''Now, enough of wit; ome forth upon this balcony-tell me of he mystery of those stars of thine For vcr did love the stars, that are so pure Id bright and cold, and so far away from
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