Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-12-15

II iIiI/5Y Syrian rugs-and, amid
II - lI.IEtZ all this luxury, bsthought
II SlNf WI me Of the tomb of the
I. ~ seES!1 Harpers that is at Tape, and
y ~ Of the nine long years OF
dark Loneliness and preparation. l sat,
and crouched upon rug, nigh to the door,
lay the aged Atoua. White was her hair
as snow, and shriveled with eye the
wriukled cOvntenance Of the woman who,
when all deserted me, had yet chung to me,
in her great love forgetting my great sins.
Nine yesrs! nine long years and now, once
again, set my foot IN Alexandria! Once
again in the appointed circle Of things l
came forth from the solitude of preparation
to be a fate to Cleopatra; and this secord
time came not forth 70 fell. And yet how
changed the circumstances. was out OF
the story, my part now was but the part
of the sword in the hand of Justice; no
more might hope to make Egypt free and
great and cit upon my lawful throne.
Kehm was lost, and lost WAS l, Hsrmachis.
In the rush and turmoil Of events the great
plot, whereof had been the pivot, was
covered up and forgotten: scarce did a
memory of il remain. The curtain of dark
night was closing in upon the history OF
my ancient race; it's very Gods were tot
tering to their fall; already could l, IN the
spirit, hear the shrek of the Roman eagles
as they Topped their wings above the fur
thest banks of Sihor. Presently l aroused
myself and bade Atoua 20 search mirror
and bring it to me that might look therein.
And this I saw: a face shrunken and
psllid wherein no smile came; great eyes
grown wan with gazing into darkness look
ing out, beneath the shsven head, emptly
as the hollow eye-pits of the skull; a
wizened, hating form wasted by sbsti-
hence, sorrow and prayer; 3 long, wild
beard of iron gray; thin b.ue-veined hands
that ever trembled like leaf; bowed
shoulders and lessened limbs. Time and
grief had done their work, indeed; scarce
could think myself the same as when,
the ROYAL Harmschis-in all the splendOr
of nv strength and youthful beauty
| first had looked upon the wOmsn's love-
| illness that did destroy me. And yet
within me burned the same fire as Of yore;
vet was not changed, for time and
grief have no power to alter the i'm
mortal spirit of man. Seasons may
come and 60; Hope, like bird, may
fly away; Passion may break its wings
against the iron bars of Fate; illusions may
crumble as the cloudy towers OF sunset
fame; Faith, as running water, may slip
from meath our feet; Solitude may stretch
itself around Us like the measurless desert
sand Old Age may creep as the gathering
night over our bowed heads grown hoary IN
their shame; yea, bound to Fortune
wheel, We may taste of every turn OF
chance-now rule as Kings, now serve as
slaves; now love, now hate; now prosper
and now perish. But still, through ALL
we are the same; for this is the marvel Of
Identity.
And rs l sat and thought these things in
bitterness, there came a knocking at the
dsOr.
open, Atoua" said.
She rose and did my bidding; and q VIC
man entered, clad in the Grecian robes. 1t
was Charmiou, still beautiful as of old, but
sad-faced now and very sweet TO see, with
patient fire slumberiDg in her downcast
eye.
She entered unattended; and. speaking
no word, the old wife pointed to where l
sat, and went
"Old man," she said, addressing me,
'Tead me to the learned Olympus. I come
upon the Queens business"
I rose, and, lifting my head, looked upon
her. She gszed, and gave a little cry.
Surely" she whispered, glancing
round, surely thou art not that" And
she paused.
''That Harmschis whom once thy fool
ish heart did love, o Charmion? Yea,
am he, and what thou seest, most fair
adv. Yet is Hsrmschis dead whom thOu
didst love; but Olympus the skilled Egyp-
tisn, waits upon thy words"
''Ceasen she said, land of the past but
one word, and then-why, let it lie. Not
well with al thy wisdom canst thou know
true woman's heart if thou dost believe,
Harmachis, that it can change with the
changes of the outward form, for then, as
suredly could no love follow its beloved to
the last place of change-the Grave. Know
thou, learned Physician, am Of that sort
who, loving once, love always, and being
rot beloved again, 60 virgin to the death. "
She ceased and, having naught to say,
bowed my head in answer. Yet, though
naught said, and though this woman's
passionate folly had been the cause of all
our ruin, 80 speak truth, in secret l was
thankful to her, wOOed of all and living
in this shameless Court, bad still through
the long years poured out her unreturned
love upon an outcast, and who, when that
poor broken slave of Fortune came hack in
such unlOvely guise, did yet hold him dear
at heart For what man is there who does
not prize that gift most rare and beautiful,
tba. one perfect thing which no gold can
buy-a womans unfsigned love?
II thank thee that thou didst not an
swer," she said; ''for the bitter words
which thou didst pour upon me in those
days that long are dead, and far away in
Tarsus, have not lost their poisonous sting
and in my heart is no more place for the
arrows of thy scOrn, new venomed through
thy solitary years. So let it be. Behold
I put it from me, that wild passion of my
soul" and she looked up and stretched
out her hands as though to press some IN
seen presence back. II put it from me
though forget it may not! There, tia
done, Hsrmaehis; no more shall my love
trouble thee. Enough for me that once
more my eyes behold thee, before sleep
seals thee from their sight. DOst remem-
Der how when I would have died by thy