The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-12-19


to all women - . 0od-one who, sees o.,
known, draws after him the whole a
! legiance of the heart, as the sun draw
howcrsl And what more can say and no
cross the bounds OF woman's modestyI
Why, only this-set that crown upon ny
brow, great Antony, and will take Il .
gift from thee, by tho giving made doubly
dear, and to thy uses will guard IL. There
now am thy vassal Queen, and through
me all old Egypt that rule doth homage
unto Antony the Triumvir, who shall b
Antony the Emperor and Khem's Imperial
Lord
And he, having set the crown upon her
locks, stood gazing on her. grown passion.
ate In the warm breath OF her living beauty,
till at length he caught her by both handsl
and, drawing her to him, kissed her thrical
saying:
Cleopatra, love thee, Sweet!-I love
thee as ne'er loved before!''
She drew back from his embrace, smiling
softly; and rs she did 50 the golden circlet
Of the sacred snakes fell, being but loosely
set upon her brow, and rolled away into the
darkness beyond the ring Of light
Even in the bitter anguish Of my heart
saw the omen and knew its evil import. But
these twain took no note.
"Thou lowest met" she said most sweetly:
show know 1 that thou lowest met Per.
chance it's Fulyia whom thou lCvest-Ful-
via, thy welded wife.''
NAY, its not Fuivia; tits thee, Cleopatra,
and thee alone. Many women have looked
favorably upon me from my boyhood up,
but to never ono have known such de-
sire as to thee, o thou Wonder Of the
World, like unto whom no woman ever
was! canst thou love me, Cleopatra, and
to me be truc-not for my place and power,
not for that which can give or can with
hold, not for the stern music Of my legions'
tramp, or for the light that flows from my
bright star Of fortune; but for myself, for
the sake Of Antony, the rough captain,
grown old in campsi Az, for the sake Of
Antony the reveler, the frail, tho unnxed
of purpose, but who never yet did desert .
friend, or rob poor man, or take IN enemy
unawaresi Say, canst thou love me, Egypt
for il thou canst, why, / an more happy
than though tonight sat crowned In the
Capitol at Rome absolute Monarch Of tho
World!n
And ever as he spoke she gazod on him
with wonderful eyes, and in them shone .
light Of truth and honesty such 20 was
strange to me.
'Thou speakcst plainly" she said, ''and
sweet are thy words unto mine carr
sweet would they be even were things
otherwise than they are, for what woman
would not love to see the worlds master at
her feeti But things being as they are,
why, Antony, what can be 50 sweet @ thy
sweet wordsl The smooth harbor Of his
rest to the storm-tossed mariner-surely
that is sweet! The dream of heavens bliss
that cheers tho poor ascetic priest on his
path of sacri6ce-surely that IL swccti Tho
sight Of Dawn, the y-fnRered. coming IL
his promise to glad the watching Earth
surely that IL sweet! But, ali! not one Of
these, nor all dear, delightful things that
are, can match the hoiey-swectness Of thy
words to me, o Antonyi For thou knowest
not-never csnst thou know-how drear
hath been my life and empty, since thus IL
is ordained that in love only can woman
lose her solitude! and have never loved
never might lovc-till this happy night
Az, take me in thy arms, and let 10 swear :
great oath OF love-an oath that may not be
broken while life is in US Behold Antony
now and for ever do ! vow most strict
fidelity unto theel Now and forever am l
thine, and thine aloner'
Then Charmion took me by the hand and
drew me thence.
Hast seen enoughs' she asked, when
once more we were within the chamber and
the lamp was lit.
"Yca.n ! answered; "my eyes are
opcned."
ITO UE CONTINUED