Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-06-19

ness and DreparatioR. sat- and crouched
upon . rug, nigh to the door, lay the aged
Atoua White was her hair as snow,
and shriveled with age the wrinkled
J countenance Of the woman who, when all
deserted me, had yet chung to me, in her
great love forgetting my great sins. Nine
years! nine long years! and now, once
again, set my foot in Alexandria,! Once
again in the appointed circle of things
came forth from the solitude of preparation
TO So . fate 20 Cleopatra; and this second
time I came not forth to fail. And yet how
the story; my part now was but the part of
the sword in the hand Of Justice; no more
mi ght hope to make Egypt free and great
and sit upon my lawful throne. Khem was
lost, and lost was !, Harmachis. In the rush
| and turmoil of events the great plot. where
Of had been tho pivot, was covered up and
forgotten; scarce did a memory of it re-
main. The curtain of dark night was clos
In 2 in upon the history of my ancient race;
its very Gods were lettering to their fall;
alreAdy could I, In tho spirit, hear the
shrek OF the Roman eagles as they tapped
their wings above the furthest banks of the
;sSihor. Presently reused myself and babe
Atoua 80 search q mirror and bring 1t to
me, that might look therein.
And this I saw: face shrunken and
pallid whereon no smile came; great eyes
-
ing out, beneath the shaven head, emptily
IA the hollow eye-pits of the skull;
sVizened, hating form wasted by abst1-
nence, sorrow and prayer; long, wild
beard OF iron gray; thin, blue-veined hands
that ever trembled like q leaf; bowed shout
e. dera and Iessened limbA Time and grief
had done their work, indeed; scarce could
fthink myself the same as when, the Royal
Harmachis-in all the splendor of my
strength and youthful beauty first had
looked upon the woman'S loneliness that
. did destroy me. And yet within me burned
the same fire as of yore; yet was not
changed, for time and grief had no power
60 alter the immortal spirit of man. Sea-
sons may come and go; Hope, like bird, may
Ay away; Passion may break its wings
against the iron bars of Fate; illusions may
crumble as the cloudy towers of sunset
fame; Faith, as running water, may slip
from meath our feet; Solitude may stretch
itself around US like the measureless desert
sand; Old Age may creep as the gathering
night over our bowed heads grown hoary in
their shame; yea, bound to Fortunes wheel,
we may taste of every turn OF chance-now
rule AZ Kings, now serve as slaves; now
love, now hate; now prosper and now per-
ish But still, through all, we ar the same !;
for this is the marvel of Identity.
And as sat and thought these things in
bitterness, there came knocking at the
door.
ssOpen, Atouar' sand.
She rose and did my bidding; and q
woman entered, clad in the Grecian robes.
1t was Charmion, still beautiful as of old,
but ad-faced now and very sweet to see,
with patient fire slumberlng in her down
cast eye.
She entered unattended; and, speaking
no word, the old wife pointed to where l
sat, and went
.'Old man." she said, addressing me,
-.''lead me to the learned Olympus. come
upon the Queens business"
rose, and, lifting my head, looked upon
iher. She gazed, and gave little Cry.
s'Surely," she whispered, glancing round,
-s'surely thou art not that" And she
paused.
ssThat Harmachis whom once thy foolish
heart did love, o Charmion. Yea, am he,
and what thou seest, most fair lady. Yet
lis Harmachis dead whom thou didst love
but Olympus, the skilled Egyptian, waits
upon thy wordsf'
"Ceasel'' she said, ''and Of the past but
zone word, and then-why, let it lie. Not
well with all thy wisdom canst thou know
a true woman's heart if thou dost believe,
Harmachis, that it can change with the
changes Of the outer form, for then as
,suredly could no love follow its beloved to
that last place OF change-the Grave
Know thou, learned Physician, am of tina;
sort who, loving once, love always, and be
ing not beloved again, go virgin to the
DEATH
She ceased and, having naught to say, ]
bowed my head in answer. Yet, though
Naught said, and though this woman's
passionate folly had been the cause Of al
our ruin, to speak truth. in secret I was
thankful to her who, wooed OF all and Twins
in this shameless Court, had still through
the long years poured out her unreturnei
dove upon an outcast, and who, when tha
poor broken slave of Fortune came back in