The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-07-04

Nay, " queen. answered.. IL ut Oc
dead then he is everywhere, and well at
such time, the time Of thy own death.
may his Spirit draw near to welcome thine
at its going"
''Speak not thus, Olympus. No more
would / see Harmachis; the count between
US is too heavy, and in another world than
this more evenly, perchance, should we be
matched. An, the terror passes! l was
but unnerved. Well, the knave's story
hath served to while away that heaviest of
our hours, the hour which ends in death.
Sing to me. Charmion, sing, for thy voice is
very sweet, and fain would 1 soothe my
soul to sleep. The memory of that Har-
machis hath wrung me Strangely Sing,
then, the last song that shall hear from
those tuneful lips of thine, the last of so
many songs"
'sTis a sad hour for song, o Queenp said
Charmion; but, nevertheless, she took her
harp and sang, and thus she sang, very
soft and low, the song of the Syrian
Meleager:
"Tears for my lady dead,
Heliodorelrr
Salt tears and strange to shed,
Over and DER.
go tears and low lament
Fare from her tomb;
Wend where my lady went,
Down through the gloom
"Sighs for my lady dead,
Tears do send,
Long love remembered,
Mistress and friendi
"Sad are the songs We sing,
Tears that we shed;
Empty the gifts we bring,
Gifts to the dead
"AhI for my flower, my love,
Hades hath takeni
Ali for the dust above,
Scattered md shakeni
"Mother OF blade a.d grass
Earth IN thy breast
Luu her that geutlest was
Gently to restl"
The music of her voice died away, and 80
sweet and sad it was that Iras began to
weep, and in Cleopatra's stormy eyes the
bright tears stood. Only wept not; my
tears were dry. e..
''Tis heavy song of thine, Charmion,"
said the Queen. ''Well. as thou saidst, tits
sad hour for song, and thy dirge is fitted
to the hour. Sing it DER me once again
when lie dead, Charrnion. And now fare
well to music and on to the end. Olympus,
take yonder parchment and write what
shall say"
took the parchment and the reed, and
thus wrote in the Roman tongue:
Cleopatra to Octavianus. Greeting: This
is the state of life. At length there comes
an hour when, rather than endure those
burdens that o'erwhelm US, putting of the
body we would take wing into forgetful-
ness. Caesar, thou hast conquered; take
thou the SPOTS of victory. But in thy tri-
umph Cleopatra can not walk. When all is
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 miuished.
Slaves live to endure their wrong; but
Princes, treading with firmer 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, l wrote, and having
sealed 1t, Cleopatra babe me go find a mes
senger, dispatch it unto Caesar, and then
return. So weIs, and at the door of the
tomb called soldier, who was not on duty,
and, giving him money, babe him take the
letter unto Caesar. Then | went back, and
there in the chamber stood the three WON
en- in silence, Cleopatra clinging to the arm
Of Irss, and Charmion little apart watch
ing the twain.
''h indeed thou art minded to make an
end, o Queen" / said, short is the time,
for presently will Cesar send his servants
in answer to thy letter." and / drew forth
the phial of white and deadly bane and set
it upon the board
She took 1t in her hand and gazed there
on. ''How innocent it seemsr' she said;
and yet therein lies my death. IT'S
5 strange
AYE, Queen, and the death of ten other
folk. No need to take so long draught"
Il fear" she gasped- "How know l
that it will stay outright / have seen so
many die by poison and scarce one hath
died outright And sonnet an, can not
think on themr-'
Fear not" said, Il am master Of my
craft. Or, if thou dost fear, cast this poison
forth and live In Rome mayest thou still
ind happiness; aye, IN Rome, where thou
shalt walk in Cesar's triumph, while the
aughter Of the hard-eyed Latin women
shall chime down the music Of thy golden
,hainsn
NAY, 1 will die Oh. if one woula but
show the path"
Then did Iras loose her hand and step for
ward. "Give me the draught, Physician"
he said. q 90 TO make ready for my
Queen"
''Tls WELL" l answered: i'on thy own |
lead be itT' and L poured from the phlal |
nto little golden goblet
She raised il, and low she curtsied to |
cleopatra, then, coming forward, kissed |
Ter on the brow, and Charmion she also |
ng no prayer (for Iras was Creek, she /
frank. and, putting her hand to her head,
instantly fell down and died
Thou seest," / said, breaking in upon |
he silence, 1t is swift
''Aye, Olympus; thine is master drugi |
;ome now, thirst; fill me the bowl, lest
ras weary in waiting at the gstesr p
So poured sfresh into the goblet; but |
his time, making pretense to rinse the cup, / |
mixed little water, for / was not minded
hat she should die before she knew me.
Then did the royal Cleopatra, taking the
'oblet in her hand, turn her lovely eyes to
eaven and cry aloud:
30 ye Gods of Egypt who have deserted
ne, to You no longer will / pray, for deaf
re your ears unto my crying, and blind
our eyes unto my griefsl Therefore
lake entreaty TO that one friend whom the
rods, departing, leave to helpless man. o
loyal DEATH sweep hither on thy cloudy
Unions, whose shadow circles all the earth,
nd give me earl Thou King Of KingsSI
mo, with an equal hand, bringest the fort