The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-12-28

i Signs for my lady dead,
Tears do I send,
4 Long love remembered,
Mistress and friendl
:" Sad are the songs we sing,
Tears that we shed;
Empty the gifts we bring,
Gifts to the dead
All for my flower, my love,
Hades hath takenl
4 All for the dust above
| Scattered and shakenl
{" Mother of blade and grass
i Earth in thy breast,
I Lull her that gentlest was
Gently to resti"
The music Of her voice died away, and so
sweet and sad it was that Iras began to
weep, and in Cleopatra's stormy eyes the
bright tears stood. Only I wept not; my
tears were dry.
/ "'Tis a heavy song of thine, Charmion,''
said the Queen. .'Well. as thou saidst, tits
a sad hour for song, and thy dirge is fitted
to the hour. Sing it DER me once again
when I lie dead, Charmion. And now fare
we'll to music and on to the end. Olympus,
take yonder parchment and write what
shall say"
/ I took the parchment and the reed, and
thus wrote in the Roman tongue:
'Cleopatra to Octavianus Greeting: This
is the state of life. At length there comes
an hour when, rather than endure those
burdens that O'erWhelm Us, putting off the
body we would take wing into forgetful-
] ness. Caesar, thou hast conquered; take
thou the spoils of victory. But in thy tri-
umph Cleopatra can not walk. When all is
lost, then must we go to seek the lost. Thus
in the desert of despair the brave do har-
vest resolution. Cleopatra hath been great
as Antony was great, nor, in the manner of
her end, shall her fame be ninished.
Slaves live to endure their wrong; but
Princes, treating with a 6rmer step, pass
through the gates of Wrong into the Royal
dwellings of the dead This only doth
Egypt ask of Caesar, that he suffer her to
lie in the tomb of Antony. Farewell"
This, therefore, 1 wrote, and having
sealed it, Cleopatra babe me go find mes
senger, dispatch it unto Caesar, and then
return. So went, and at the door of the
tomb called soldier, who was not on duty,
and, giving him money, babe him take the
] etter unto Caesar. Then went back, and
| here in the chamber stood the three Wonl-
| IN in silence, CLEOPATRA clinglng to the arm
| IF Iras, and CharmiOn little apart watch
.ng the twain.
eff indeed thou art minded to make an
End, Q Queen" I said, "short is the time,
! ,or presently will Cesar send his servants
IL answer to thy letter." and drew forth
! ;he phial of white and deadly bane and set
upon the board
She took it in her hand and gazed there
IN. "How innocent it ~ she said;
| :and yet therein lies my death. IT'S
! strange" eW*e9 ..-
AYE, Queen, and the death of ten other
folk. No need to take so long draught !"
II fear,'' she gasped "How know l
chat it will stay outright have seen so
| many die by poison and scarce one hath
lied outright. And sonnet all, l can not
,hink ON them!'
''Fear not,': said, II am a master of my
craft. Or, if thou dost fear, cast this poison
| sorth and live. In Rome mayest thou still
ind happiness; aye, in Rome, where thou
shalt walk in Caesar S triumph, while the
| aughter of the hard-eyed Latin women
f;hail chime down the music of thy golden
;hains.''
"Nay, will die. Oh, if one would but
show the path.' "a. s. ....
Then did Iras loose her hand and step for
ward. ''Give me the draught, Physician,''
he said. 81 20 to make ready for my
Sueen.'' 49,
's'Tls WE'LL" l answered; con thy own
head be it!'' aud poured from the phlal
nto a little golden goblet.
She raised it, and low she curtsied to
Cleopatra, then, coming forward, kissed
| Ter on the brow, and Charmion she also
| ,issed. This done, tarrying not and MAX
| ng no prayer (for Iras was q Greek), she
drank, and, putting her hand to her head,
| inst ntly fell down and died.
''Thou seest,'' I sald breaking in upon
The silence, ''it is swift''
"Aye, Olympus; thine is master drugl
| Come now, thirst; FIJI me the bowl, lest
| [ras weary in waiting at the gatesP ~
So poured afresh into the goblet; but
| this time, making pretense to rinse the cup, I
mixed a little water, for was not minded
that she should die before she knew me.
! Then did the royal Cleopatra, taking the
| goblet in her hand, turn her levely eyes to
heaven and cry aloud:
20 We Gods Of Egyptl who have deserted
me- to you no longer will pray, for deaf
are your ears unto my crying, and blind
your eyes unto my griefs Therefore /
make entreatv to that one friend whom the
Gods, departing, leave to helpless man. 0
Royal Death! sweep hither on thy cloudy
/ pinions, whose shadow circles all the earth,
aud give me ear! Thou King of Kingsl
who with an equal hand, bringest the fort
4 uudtc uedu W OIS piIOW Will tuc Save, SdAu
| oy thy icy breath dost watt the bubble of
our life far from these fields of Earth,
draw near and sayel Hide me where
winds blow not and waters cease to ROLL
Hide me where Caesars legions can not
march Take me to a new dominion and
4 crown me Queen Of Sleep! lam IN labor
Of a SOUL See, it stands new boru upon the
edge Of time! Now, now, go, Breath! Come,
Death Come, Antonyr' And, with one
glance to heaven, she drank and cast the.
| goblet to the ground.
Then at last came the moment Of my
1 pent-up vengeance, and Of the vengeance
Of Egypt's outraged Gods, and Of the fall
! ing OF the curse of Menka-ra.
4 stWhatis this? she cried II grow cold,
butt die not. Thou dark physician, thou
last betrayed mep'
ssPeace, Cleopatral Presently shalt thou
die and know the fury of the Godsl The
c.vsc OF Me,uka-ra hath ia. leni 1t is finishedl
j. Look upon me, woman! Look upon this
marred face, this twisted form, this living
mass Of sorrow Looii toolei Who am If'
She stared upon me wildly.
"Ohl oh!'' she shrieked, throwing up
her arms; tat last I know theel By the
A. lIn,.