The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-11-06


between two shores OF Death we drift
Behind arc things forgot;
Before the tide Is driving swift
To lands beholden not
Above, tho sky Ia fair and cold;
Below, the moaning sea
Sweeps DER the loves that werc OF old, y
But o Love kiss thou me.
An, lonely are tho ocean ways,
And dangerous the deep,
And frail the fairy bark that strays
Above the seas asieepi
All, toll no more at sail nor oar;
We drift or bond or free;
On yon far shore the breakers roar,
But Loyei kiss thou me.
And ever as thou sangest drew near
Then sudden silence heard our hearts that
beat
For now there was m end OF doubt and fear,
Now passions filed my soul and led my feeti
Then silent didst thou rise, thy love to meet,
Who, sinking on thy breast knew naugh'
but thee. gie A
And in tho happy night / kissed thee Sweet
All Sweet between the starlight and tho
sea. a,u
The last echoes Of her rich notes fioated
down the chamber and slowly died away;
but in my heart they rolled on and on.
have heard among the woman singers at
Abouthis voices more perfect than the
voice OF Cleopatra, but never have heard
one SO thrilling or 80 sweet with passlon's
honey-notes. And indeed twas not the
voice alone; twas the perfumed chamber
wherein was set all that could move the
sense; twas the passion OF the thought
and words, and the SURPRISING grace and
loveliness Of that most royal woman who
sang them. For, as she sang, almost did
seem to think that we twain were indeed
floating alone with the night, upon the
wide, dark, summer sea. And when she
ceased to touch the harp, and, rising, sud
denly stretched out her arms toward me,
and, with the last low notes of song yet
quivering upon her lips, let fall the wonder
OF her eyes upon my eyes, almost did she
draw me TO her. But / remembered, and
would not. .-r4
"Hast thou, then, no word OF thanks for
my poor singing, Harmachisi'' she said at
length. ~
"Yea, o Queen" answered, speaking
very low, for my voice was choked; "but
thy songs are not good for the sons OF men
to hear-of q truth they oyerwhelm mep'
'Nay, Harmachis; for thee there is no
feer," she said, laughing softly-s'seelng
that know how far thy thoughts are set
from woman's beauty and the common
weakness Of thy sex. With cold iron we
may safely toy"
thought within myself that coolest iron
can be brought to whitest heat II but the
fire be fierce enough. Butt said naught
and, though my hand trembled, once more l
grasped the dagger's hilt, and, wild with
fear at my own weakness, set myself 10 find
means to slay her while yet my-sense re-
manned.
"Come hither, Harmachis," she went on,
In her softest voice. "Come, sit by me, and
we will talk together; for have much to
tell thee" And she made place for me at
her side upon the silken seat.
And !, thinking that might the more
swiftly strike, rose aRd seated myself some
little way from her, while, finging back
her head, she gazed on me with her slum-
berous eyes.
BLOW was my occasion, for her white
throat and, breast were bare, and, with
mighty effort, once again lifted my hand
10 clutch the dagger hilt. But, more quick
than thought, she caught my fingers with
her own and gently held them.
"Why lookest thou so wildly, Har-
machisn she said. cart sickl" 81
'.Ay, sick indeed" gasped. Gf
"Then lean thou upon the cushions and
rest thee,r she answered, still holding my
hand, wherefrom the strength. had fed.
''The ft will surely pass. Too long hast
thou labored with thy stars How soft Is
the night air that flows from yondor case
ment heavy with the breath Of Lilies tHark'
to the whisper Of the sea tapping against
the rocks, that, though faint 1t is, yet being
80 strong, doth almost drown thequick, cool
fall Of yonder mountain. List to Philomel;
how sweet from full heart OF love she
sings her message TO her dearl Surely it's
O 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 blsod pours in
those veins Of thine. Surely such shoot
could spring but from the stock OF Princesl
What gazest thou at the leaf mark on my
breasti Twas pricked there in honor Of
Osiris, whom with thee worship. SeeW
"Let me hence" groaned, striving TO
rise; but all my strength had gone.
may, not yet awhile. Thou wouldst not
leave me YETI Thou cdnst not leave me yet.
Harmachis, hast thou never lovedp
"Nay, nay, o Queenl What have TO do
with loyel Let me hencel am falnt-for-
donep
"Never TO have loved-'tis strangei
Never 10 have known some woman-heart
beat all in tune TO thine-never TO have
seen the eyes Of thy adored a-swim with
passions tears as she sighed her VOWS
upon thy breastl Never TO have lovedl-
never TO have lost thyself 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 IDENTIFY Why, tits
never 10 have lived, Harmachisw "
And ever as she murmured she drew
nearer 10 me, till at last, with long, sweet
sigh, she flung one white arm about my
neck, and gazing upon me with blue, un-
fathomable 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 perfumcd breath
played upon my hair, and now her lips met
minel M yt.4n
And, woe is me in that kiss, more dead
" and more strong than the embrace Of
death, were forgotten Isis, my Heavenly
HoLe, Oaths, Honor, Country, Friends, all
things save that Cleopatra clasped me IN
I her arms and called me Love and Lord. {,
"Now pledge me-" she murmured-
'pledge me one cup Of wine in token Of thy
love- i,.. ,.5s,5.ih /.
l took the draught, and deep drank;
4 and then TOO date ] knew that u Was
drugged. f -,.',h ~. ~ I.
Back / fell upon the couch, and, though
my senses still were with me, ! could
neither speak nor rise. f'f
:, Fut Cleopatra. banding over me-. drew