Thomas County cat., 1889-12-26

gauze, Cleopatra lay asleep. rners sns
lay-the falrest thing that man ever saw
f.irer than a dream, and all about her
flowed the web of her dark hair. One white,
rounded arm made pillow for her head
and one hung downward to the ground. Her
rich lips were parted in q smile, showing
the ivory lines Of teeth; and her rosy limbs
were draped in 50 thin a robe Of the silk Of
Cos, held about her by q jeweled girdle,
that the white CLEAN OF flesh shone through
it, stood astonished, and, though my
thoughts had little bent that way, the sight
Of all her beauty struck me like blow, SO
that for a moment Lost myself IS it were
in the vision Of its power, and at heart was
grieved that l must slay SO far thing
Turning suddenly from the sight found
Charmion watching me with her quick eyes
watching as though she would search my
heart. And, indeed, something OF my
thoughts must have been written on my
face III IA language that she could read. for
she whispered in my ear:
''Ay. it is a pity, is it not! Harmachis be-
ing after all a man, met kinks lhou wilt need
all thy ghostly strength to nerve thee to the
ueed!'
lfrowned. but before l could frame an
answer she touched me lightly on the arm
and pointed to the Queen. A change had
come upon her; her hands were clenched,
and about her face, all rosy with hue of
steep, gathered il cloud Of fear. Her breath
cane Quick, sn raised her s,rn.S as though
10 ward away blow, and then with q
S flcd moan SIT IN and opened the windows
Of her eyes Dark they were, dark as
night but when the light found them they
grew blue, even as the sky grows blue be-
fore The blUsling Of the dawn.
'C8sarioni' she said; "where is Casa
riUnl Was lit then dream! l dreamed
that Julius Julius who Is dead-came to
me, his bloody toSa wrapped about his face,
and, having thrown his arms about his child,
led him away. Then l dreamed l died
died in blood and agony; and one might
not see Knocked me as diedl All! who is
tnat nanr'
"Peace, Madam! peacer' said Charmion.
"'Tis hut the magician Harmachis, whom.
thou didst bid me bring to thee at this
hour"
"Ah! the magciap-that Harmachis who
overthrew the giant! / remember me now.
He IS welcome. Tell me, Sir Magician, can
thy magic mirror give forth an answer to
this dream! Nay, how strange thing is
sleep. that. wrapping the mind in q web Of
darkness, straightly compels it TO its will.
Whence, then, come those images of fear
rising on the horizon of the soul like some
untimeiy moon upon the twilight sky!
Who grants them power to stalk so lifelike
from Mernory's ,hronging halls, and, point
ing to their woun Is, thus confront the
Present with the Past! Are they, then,
messengers! Doth the semi-death Of sleep
give them foothold in our brains, and
81, -
kinship! That was Ces RS self, l tell thee,
who but now stood at my side and MUIR
Ill ire tl:JISl his IN lffl Il robe warning
words whereof the memory is lost to me.
Read me this riddle, thou Egyptian Sphinx,
and I'll show thee . roster path to fortune
than all thy stars eau point. Thou hast
brought the omen, solve thou its problem. {"
"In a good hour do l come, most mighty
Queen" made answer, "for have some
skill in the mysteries Of sleep, which is, as
thou hast rightly guessed. stair whereby
those VINO are gathered to Osiris may from
time to time enter at the gateways OF our
living sense, aud, by Signs and words that
can be read OF mortals thereto duly learned,
repeat the echoes Of that Hall Of Truth
which is their hlbitation. Thereby also the
mes engers Of the guardian Gods may de-
scemd il manv shapes upon the half-loosed
spirit OF their choice. For, o Queen, to
those who hold the key, the madness Of our
dreams ctn show clearer purpose and
speak more certainly than all the acted
wi oom If our waking life, which is a
dream indeed. Thou didst see great Caesar
in h 5 bio dy robe, and he threw his arms
ABOUT Prince C2 ,arion and led him hence
HcarlScn now to the secret of thy visions.
Twas CasLr'S self thou sawest coming to
thy SIDE from Amenti in such a Euise as
might not be III SIdken. When he embraced
the c.Ii.d CpS ri III he did 1t for sign that
to him, ana him alone, he passed his great
ness and his love. When he seemed to
/ a him hence he led him fort h from Egypt
- he crowned In the Capitol crowned the
Emperor of Rome and Lord of all the lands
For the rest, l know it not. 1t is hid from
me >
Thus, then, l read the vision, though to
my sense il had more evil meaning. But
it is not wei 10 prophecy evil unto Kings.
Meanwhile Cleopatra had risen, and, hay
ing thrown back tile gnat gauze, was seated
Upon the edge of her couch, her eyes fixed
upon my face the while her fingers played
witt Ia r girdlc's jewel ends.
'Of truth" " she cri d, '.thou art the
best of all magiciaus, for thou readest my
heart, and out Of the roa she'll Of evil
omen drawcst the hidden swectr'
''Ay, . Q.een!" said Charmion, who
stool by with downcast eyes, and me-
thought there was bitter meaning in her
soft notes; NAY No rougher words ever af-
front thy ears, aud no evil passage less
cIoseiy treol upon Its happy sense" Cleo
pa'ra placed her hands behind her head, and
leaning back looked with hulf-sh eyes.
Come, show us of thy magic, Egyptian"
sh. said. 1t - yeS hot abroad and am
weary of those Hebrew Ambassadors and
their talk Of Herod and Jerusalem l hate
tha; Hernd, as he Snail find and / will
have ruuc Of the Ambassadors to-day,
though little DO yearu TO try my Hebrew
Oh them. What rarst thou 10! Hast thou
no new trirks BY Scraps! if thou canst
cpnjure as wei as tioI ca.ist prophecy thou
s::a,t have a pace at court, with pay and
p1rQuisi:es TO boot. aud thy lofty soul doth
not scorn perQuisItes"
NAY" | answered, "all tricks are old !,
but here are some fo ms of magic To he