The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-06-27

mccking them; but scarce man was slam,
1 for Their pursued not f
ely. Antony, fyr'cred Eros, his servant,
who alone with ne stayed by him. SHY
ere thou art dragged 9 prisoner to Cesarr'
80 he turned and fed, groaning heavily.
With him went, and as we rode through
the Canopic Gate, where many folks stood
wondering, Antony spoke to me:
"Go thou, Olympus, go to the Queen and
say: Antony sends greeting to Cleopatra,
who hath betrayed himl To Cleopatra he
sends greeting and FAREWELL"
And 30 went to the tomb, but Antony
| fed on to the palace When I came to the
| tomb knocked upon the door, and Char
mion looked forth from the window.
"Open," cried, and she opened.
"What news, Harmachis" she whis-
pered.
"Chsrmion," said, 'sthe end is at hand.
Antony is fedr' Ef
at Is WELL" she answered; ~ am
sweary."
And there on the golden bed sat Cleo
patra.
"spesk, man 10 she cried. 'it
"Antony has fed; his forces are fed !;
Caesar draws near. To Cleopatra the great
Antony sends greetings and farewell
Greeting to Cleopatra who hath betrayed
him, and farewell"
'It IL q lier' she screamed; 81 betrayed
him not! Thou Olympus, so swiftly to An
| tony and answer thus: To Antony, Cleo
patra, who hath not betrayed him, sends
greetings and farewell Cleopatra is no
more:
And 80 went, following out my purpose
In the Alabester ball found Antony pacing
to and fro, tossing his hands toward the
heaven, and with him Eros, for Of all his
servants Eros alone remained by this fallen
man.
"Lord Antony" said ''Eeypt bids thee
farewell. Egypt is dead by her own hand"
"Deadi deadl' he whispered, "and Is
Egypt deadi and that form Of glory now
food for wormsl Oh, what woman was
thisi Fen now my heart goes OUT toward
| her. And shall she Guido me at the last,
who have been 90 great; shall become 30
small that o woman can o'ertop my courage
and pass where fear to followl Eros, thou
hast loved me from boy-mindest thou
how found thee starving In the desert, and
made thee rich, giving thee place and
wealth. Come, now, pay me back. Draw
Of tho woes Of Antony"
"Oh, sire,r cried the Greek, II can noti
How can I take away the life Of god-lilze
Artonyl"
ANSWER me not, Eros; but In the last ex.
trcme Of fate this / charge thee. Do thou
my bidding, or begone and leave me quite
alonel No more win see thy face, thou
unfaithful servant"
Then Eros drew his sword and Antony
kneltdowu before him and barred his breast,
turning his eyes to heaven. But Eros, cry
ing: 81 can not oh, can notr' plunged
the sword to his own heart and fell dead.
Antony rose and gazed upon him. sWhy,
Eros, that was nobly done,'' he said.
"Greater art thou than I, yet have learned
thy lesson p and he knelt down and kissed
him. ~. .r.
Then, rising Of q sudden, he drew the
sword from the heart of Eros, plunged 1t
into his bowels and fell, groaning, on the
couch. aa..HH ".
80 thou Olympusl' he cried, 'this pain is
more than can bearl Make an end of me,
Olympusr'
But pity stirred me, and this thing could
not do.
Therefore I drew the sword from his
vitals, stsnched the flow Of blood, and,
calling TO those who came crowding in to
see Antony die, babe them summon Atoua
from my house at the palace gates. Pres
entity she came, bringing with her simples
and life giving draughts. And these gave
to Antony, and babe Atoua 60 with such
speed as her old limbs might to Cleopatra,
In the tomb, and tell her Of the state of
Antony.
So she went, and after awhile returned
saying that the Queen yet lived and sum-
moued Antony to die even In her arms.
And with her came Diomedes. And when
Antony heard, his ebbing strength came
back, for he was fain to lock upon Cleo
patra's face again. So I called to the
slaves-who peeped and peered through
curtains and from behind pillars to see this
great man die-and together, with much
toll, We bore him thence till we came to the
foot Of the Maasoleum.
But Cleopatra, being afraid Of treachery,
would no more throw wide the door; 50 she
let down a rope from the widow and we
made it fast beneath the arms Of Antony.
Then did Cleopatra, who the while vept
most bitterly, &c gether with Charmion and
Iras, the Greek, pull on the rope with all
their strength, while we lifted from below
till the dying Antony swung in the air,
anu Tue uTOppcu
from his gaping wound. Twice he nearly
fell to earth; but Cleopatra, striving with
the strength Of love and despair. held him
till at length she drew him through the
window-place, while all who saw the dread
full sight wept bitterly, and beat their
breasts-all save myself and Charmion.
When he was in, once more the rope was !
let down, and with some aid from Char |
mion, 1 climbed into the tomb, drawing up |
the rope after me There found Antony, |
laid upon the golden bed of Cleopatra; and |
she, her breast bare, her face all stained |
with tears, and her hair streaming wild |
about him, knelt at his side and kissed him, |
wIpIng the blood from his wounds with her |
robes and hair. And let all my shame be |
written: as stood and watched her the old |
love awoke once more within me, and mad |
Jealousy ragged in my heart, because
though could destroy these twain-their
love could not destroy.
10 Antonyl my sweet, my husband and
my Godr' she moaned. "Cruel Antony, |
hast thou the heart to die and leave me to
my lonely shamel Swiftly will follow
thee to the grave. Antony, awake
awaken
He lifted up his head and called for wine,
which gave him, mixing therein drsught
that might allay his pain, for it was great.
And when he had drunk he babe Cleopatra
lie down on the bed beside him, and put her
arms about him, and this she did. Then
was Antony once more man; for forget
ting his own misery and pain, he counseled
her as to her own safety; but to this talk
she would not listen. ''The hour is short"
she said; "let US speak of this great love of
1urs that has been so long and may yet en-
lure beyond the coasts of Death. Mindest
.hou that night when first thou dldst put