Thomas County cat., 1889-12-05


w ~ GG ceased. And of truth,
lN&Z believe that there was
ISINAAEg virtue in them, for with
IHaElEt I's in two days my flesh
IE1!E healed up, so that after time
G3iEEKSN no MARKS remained. But be-
- thought me that / had dis
obeyed the word of the old
High Priest, Amenemhat, who was called
my father For till to-day knew not that
he was in truth my father according to the
flesh, having been taught that his own son
was slain, as have written, and that he had
been pleased, with the sanction of the Di-
vine ones, to take me as an adop. ed son and
rear me up, that might in due season fill
an Office about the temple. Therefore was
sore troubled, for feared the old man,
who was very terrible in his anger, and
spake ever with the cold voice of Wisdom.
Nevertheless, determined to go in TO him
and confess my fault and bear such pun
ishment as he should be pleased to put upon
me. So, even with the red spear in my
hand and the red wounds on my breast, I
passed through the outer court Of the great
temple and came to the door of the chamber
where the High Priest dwelt. 1t is great
chamber sculptured round about with the
images of the solemn gods, and the light Of
Ra (the sun) came to it in the daytime by
an opening cut through the stone Of the
massy roof. But at night it was Lit by
swinging lamp of bronze. Ipassed in with
out noise, for the door was not altogether
shut, and pushing my way through the
heavy curtains that were beyond, l stood
with beating heart within the chamber.
The lamp was lit, for the darkness had
fallen, and by its light saw the old man
seated in chair of ivory and ebony at q
table of stone, whereon were spread the
mystic writings of the words Of Life and
Death. But he read no more, for behold !!
he slept, and his long, White beard rested
upon the table like the beard of a dead
man. The soft light from the lamp fell on
him and on the papyri, and on the gold ring
upon his hand, where were craven the
symbols Of the Invisible One, but all
around was shadow 1t fell on the shaven
head. on the white robe, on the cedar staff
Of priesthood at his side, and on the ivory
OF the lion footed chair; it showed the
mighty brow Of power, the features cut in
kingly mold, the white eyebrows and the
dark hollows Cf the deep set eyes.
looked and trembled, for there was about
him that which was more than the dignity
Of man. So long had he lived with the
gods, and so long kept company with them
and with thoughts divine, so deeply was he
versed in all those mysteries which we de
but family discern. here in this upper air
that even now, before his time, he partool
Of the nature of the Osiris, and was
thing to shake humanity with fear.
I stood and gazed, and as I stood b.
me, nor turned his head; and yet he saw
me and spoke.
"Why hast thou been disobedent to me
Omy sons" he said. '.How came it tha
thou wentest forth against the lion when
bade thee noti''
"How knowest thou. my father, that
went forth1" asked in fear.
"How know I! Are there, then. no other
ways OF knowledge than by the sensesl {
ignorant child was not my spirit with the,
when the lion sprang upon thy com
paniona Did l not pray those set abou
thee to protect thee to make sure tn,
thrust when thou didst drive the spear int
the lions throat! How came it that tho,
wentest forth, y my son."
''The boaster taunted me-" answered
~'and went"
eyes, know It; and because Of the no
blood OF youth. forgive thee, Harmachis
But now listen unto me, and let INV word
sink into thy heart like the waters Of Siho
into thirsty sand at the rising Of Sirius
Listen unto me. The boaster was sent uu
to thee as temptation, as trial Of tn
strength was he sent, and seeI it has nc
been equal to the burden. Therefore is tn
hour put back. Hadst thou been strong Il
this matter, the path had been made plai
to thee even now. But thou hast failed
and therefore is thy hour put back"
understand thee, not my father" an
swered.
''What was it, then, my SON, that the oil
wife, Atoua, said to thee down by the ban
Of the canalr'
And thereon told him all that the oil
wife had said.
"And thou believest Harmachis. m
sona'
May" 1 answered; show should bs
lieve such tales. Surely she is mad. A
the people know her for mad"
Then for the first time he looked towar
me, who was standing iu. the shadow.
"My son! my son!' he cried, ",hou al
wrong. She is not mad. The woman spai,
the truth; she spake not Of herself, but q
the Voice within her that can not lie. Fo
this Atcua Is a prophecies and holy. M,
learn thou the destiny that the gods @
Egypt have given to thee to fulfill, and wo
be unto thee if by any weakness thou dos
fail thereinl Lis,enl thou art 10 strange
adopted into my house aud the house OF th
tempe; thou art my very son, saved un;
me by this same woman. But o Harmach
thou art more than this, for in thee and m
alone doth flow the imperial blood of Egyp
Thou aud alone Of men alive are d,
scendcd, without break or f,aw, from Tia.
Pharaoh Next nebf whom Ochus tie Pc
sian drove from Egypt The Persian eau
and the Persian went and then after ii
Persian came the Macedonian, and now Il
nigh upon three hundred years have Il
Lagide usurped the double crown. defiliu
the land Of Khem and corrupting the wo
ship Of his gods. And mark thou this; b,
now, but two weeks since, is Ptolemy Neu
Dionysius, Ptolemy the Piper, who wou
hayes slain thee, dead; and but now hath q
eunuch Pothinus, that very sunuch vi
came hither, PEARS ago, 70 cut thee q, o
q nsuGht the Vim of his naster, tAe d
Anleesn. "a p1nee1 - bey 11d1anysp1