The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-12-21

GAVE UP THE SPIRIT.
Death is thy true friend; and, surely, sim
less and pure of heart shalt thou pass into
the dreadful presence Of the Gods ~
She trembled. s'And if the heart be not
what then? Nay, fear not the Coos! for II
the Gods of Hell be men, there shall
queen it also. At the least, having once
been royal, royal shall ever be.'
And as she spoke, suddenly from the pal
ace gatesRame great clamor and the noise
of Joyful shouting.
ssWhy, what is this?" she said, springing
from her couch.
ANTONY! Antonyl'' rose the cry-"An-
tony hath conquered"
Swiftly she turned and ran, her long hair
streaming on the wind. [ followed her,
more slowly, down the great hall, across
courtyards to the palace gates. And here
she met Antony, riding through them,
radiant with smiles and clad in his Roman
armor. When he saw her he leaped to the
ground, and, all armed as he was, clasped
her to his breast
ssWhat is it2'' she cried; sis Cesar
fallen2"
ebay, not altogether fallen. Egypt; but
we have beat his horsemen back to their
trenches, and, like the beginning, SO shall
be the end, for as they say here: Where
the head goes the tail will follow More
over, Caesar has my challenge and if he will
but meet me hand to hand, soon shall the
world see which is the better man, Antony
or Octavian." And even as he spoke and
the people cheered, there came the cry OF
"a messenger from C@sar!'
The herald entered, and, bowling low,
+o
went. Cleopatra snatched 1t from his hand,
broke the silk, and read aloud:
"C9sar to antony. Greeting:
'Thls answer to thy challenge: Gan Antony
find NO better way OF death than beneath the
sword of Caesar? Farewellr'
And thereafter they cheered no more.
The darkness came, and ere 1T was mid
night, having Toasted with those friends
who tonight wept over his woes and to-
morrow should betray him, Antony went
forth into the gathering Of the Captains Of
the land forces and Of the feet attended by
many, among whom was I.
And when all were come together he
spoke to them, standing. bareheaded In
their midst, beneath the radiance Of the
moon. And thus he most nobly spoke:
s'Friends and companions in armsl who
yet cling to me, and whom manya time l
have led to victory, hearken to me now who,
tomorrow, may lie In the dumb dust, dis
empired and dlshonore9. This is our de-
sign; no longer will he hang on poised
wings above the food Of war, but will
straightway plunge, perchance thence to
snatch the victor's diadem, or, failing
there, to drown. Be now but true to me,
and to your honor's sake, and still may you
sit, the most proud of men, at my right
hand in tina Canito1 0f R0ma Fail ma nnuu
and lost IS the cause of Antony and lost are
We. Hazardous indeed must be Tomorrow
battle, but many time have we stood and
faced fercer peril and ere the sun had
sunk once more have driven armies like,
desert sands before our gale Of valor and
counted the spoils of hostile Kings. What
have we to feara Though allies be fed,
still is our array as strong as Caesar'sl
And show me but as high heart, why, /
swear to you, upon my prinoely word, to-
morrow night shall ] deck yondsr Canopia
Gate with the heads Of Octavian and his cap
tainsl Ay, cheer, and cheer againl love
that martial music which swells not as
from the different lips of clarions, now
meath the breath Of Antony and now Of
Caesar, but rather out the hearts Of honest
men who love me. land now / will
speak low, as we do speak DER the bier Of
some beloved dead yet, II Fortune should
rise against me and II, borne down by the
weight Of arms, Antony, the soldier, dies
soldiers death, leaving you to mourn him
who ever was your friend, this Is my will,
that after our rough fashion OF the camp /
here declare to you. You know3whers all
my treasure lies. Take II, most dear frfeaads,
and - the memory Of Antony, mako lust ~
y11lou. Then 70 to Cesar an1 Il fhSala 81