Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-03-06

The music Of her voice died away, and so
sweet and sad it vas that Iras began to
weep, and In Cleopatra's stormy eyes the
bright tears stood. Only I wept not; my
tears were dry.
"'Tis q heavy song Of thine, Charmion,r
said the Queen. swell, as thou saidst, 'tis
a sad hour for song, and thy dirge is fitted
to the hour. Sing It DER me once again
when I lie dead, Charmion. And now fare
well to music and on to the end. Olympus,
take yonder parchment and write what I
shall say"
I took the parchment and the reed, and
thus I wrote in the Roman tongue:
"Cleopatra to Octavianus. Greeting: This
Is the state OF life. At length there comes
an hour when, rather han endure those
burdens that o'erwhelm us, putting OF the
body we would take wing into forgetful-
ness. Cesar, thou hast conquered; take
thou the spoils Of victory. But in thy tri-
umph Cleopatra can not walk. When all Il
lost, then must We go to seek the lost. Thus
In the desert Of despair the brave do har-
vest resolution. Cleopatra hath been great
as Antony was great, nor, in the manner Of
her end, shall her fame be m~inished.
Slaves live to endure their wrong; but
Princes, treading with q frmer step, pass
through the gates Of Wrong into the Royal
dwellings Of the dead. This only doth
Egypt ask Of Caesar, that he suffer her TO
lie in the tomb of Antony. Farewell"
This, therefore, ! wrote, and having
sealed 1t, Cleopatra babe me 60 ind a mes
senger, dispatch it unto Cesar, and then
return. So I went. and at the door Of the
tomb / called a soldier, whowas not OF duty,
hnd, giving him money, bads him take the
letter unto Cesar. Then went back, and
there in the chamber stood the three wom-
bn in silence, Cleopatra clinging to the arm
pf Iras, and Chnrmion q little apart watch
Ing the twain.
"If indeed thou art minded to make an
end, o Queen,' I said, "short IN the time,
for presently will Cesar send his servants
IN answer to thy ~Iettsr,' aud I drew fprtA
the phial Of white and deadly bane and set
It upon the board.
She took it in her hand and gazed there
pn. "How innocent it seemst' she said;
land yet therein lies my death. IT'S
strange"
AYE, Queen, and the death of ton other
folk. No need to take 30 long q draught"
g" fear" she gasped. show know /
that it will STAY outright I nave seen 80
many die by poison and scarce one hath
died outright. And somel ali, 7 can not
think on themi'
ttFear not,n I said, 81 am a master of my
craft Or, II thou dost fear, cast this poison
forth and live. In Rome mayest thou still
and happiness; aye, in Rome, where thou
shalt walk In Caesars triumph, while the
laughter Of the hard-eyed Latin women
shall chime down the music Of thy golden
chains.n
"Nay, I win die. Oh, If one would but
show the PATH
Then did Iras loose her hand and step for
l N1uRd tk(Ifvn MO the lra,rhf Dt-,;of.- -
she said. 81 20 to make ready for my
Queen"
"'Tis WELL" ! answered; s'on thy own
head be It'll" and I poured from the phial
into q little golden goblet.
She raised 1t, and low she curtsied to
Cleopatra, then, coming forward, kissed
her on the brow, and Charmion she also
kissed. This done, tarrying not and max
ing no prayer (for Iras was q Greek, she
drank, and, putting her hand to her head,
instantly fell down and died.
"Thou s~eest," I said, breaking in upon
the silence, at is swift"
faye, Olympus; thine Is o master drugl
Come now, ! thirst; al me the bowl, lest
1ras weary in waiting at the gatesr'
SoIpoured afresh into the goblet; but
mixed Q little wSter, for I was not minded
Il UA0b oAG 6h0tAA ~ 0S4NtS ~ allow 3A0s @
Then did the royal Cleopatra, taking the
goblet in her hand, turn her lovely eyes to
heaven and cry slouds
10 ye Gods Of Egypt who have deserted
me, to you no longer viii I pray, for deaf
are your ears unto my crying, and blind
your eyes unto my griefsi Therefore ]
| make entreaty to that oue friend whom the
Gods, departing, leave to helpless man. o
Royal Deathi sweep hither on thy cloudy
pinicns, whose shadow circles all the earth,
and give me earl Thou King Of Kingsi
who, with IN equal hand, bringest the fort
! innate Q to q pillow with the slave, and
by thy icy breath dost watt the bubble Of
q LIE far from these fields Of Earth,
draw near and sayet hide me where
winds blow not and waters cease TO rolf
Hide me where cesar's legions can not
marchi Take me TO Q new dominion and
crown me Queen Of sleepi am In labor
Of 6oult See, n stands new born upon the
edge Of timei Nov, now. 40, BREATH Come,
Deatht Come, Antpnyrs And, with one
glance 70 heaven, she drank and cast the
goblet 70 the ground.
Then ct last came the moment Of my
pent-up vengeance, and Of the vengeauce
Of Egypt's outraged Gods, and Of tho fall
ma q the curse Of NeukarrA
1What u thisfs she cried. u grow cold.
but die not thou dark physictAn, fhc1
Anst betrayed mefn
sPeAce, ClsopAtrst Presently shalt thou
- and know The fury Of Che 0odsi ~
lnssQf Gnukc-ro Addh faltsR t. Il dnishedl
Lock upon me- womanl Look upoa Til
married faces this twisted form, this living
tnass Of sorrowi Lookt looR WzooFs m
6hs stared upon ma Wildly.
eOht chrs sh0 shrteked, throwing m
hnp 0pUnut efnk fnak kn6- khalt n. a.