Thomas County cat., 1890-02-20

lB&3&EbXSSsS hoarse vol e, ais "a
fEtGG thing hideous to be-
EH&EtH}1~ hold. o lost Egypt,
Y ReNNG with all thy sins thou
MSEMS1 vast indeed a queen. Come,
iEXENfP} aid me-, prince: let Us stretch
iEsExtrSG this poor clay upon the bed
IEsAHgSW and deck IL royalty, SO that IL
q ] may give is dumb audience
TO the messengers OF SscSir is oecothes the
last OF Egypt q.lcens."
spoke no word la answer, for my heart
was very heavy, and nov that al WIS done,
Twas weary. Together. then. we lifted up
tho body and lad it on tbs golden bed.
CsarmiOu placed the ur&lS crown upon
the ivory brow, and combe,l the nIght-dark
hair that showed never q thread of silver,
and for the Last time shut those eyes where
In had shonc al the changing glOries OF the
sea- Sh, to.Gcd the chill hands upon tho
breast whence passions breath had fed.
and Strengthened the bent knees beneath
tho broidered robe, and by tho head set
flowers, and there at length Cleopatra lay,
more splendid now IN her cold majesiy OF
death than in her Richest hour OF breathing
beauty. We drew ok and looked on her,
aud on deal lras At her feet.
at is done,' euo,h Charmion; Two are
avenged; and DOW, Harinachis, dost follow
by this sams roadr' and sh3 nodded To-
wards the phiai on tho board.
Nay. Charmion. Ily-I fly to q heavier
death. Not thus easily may end my space
Of earthly penance."
80 be il, Hsrmachis. and ], Harmachis-
fy also, but with sw. fter wings. Mygame
Is played !. too, have made atonement
o.! what bitter fate is mine, to have
brought misery on al I love, and, in the end,
To Gio unl"v 4. II ihec l have a'nnrd: 4"
my angered Gods have atcued: and now
/ 20 to find way whereby may atone to
Ctopatra in that He'll where she is, aud
which must share, for she loved me we'll,
H.rmach.s; and, now that she is dead.
meth.uks that, after thee, loved her best
Of all. So "f her cup and TIE cup Of Iras
! will sure drink "
And she ,o,k the phal, AMI with a steady
hand poured that winch was left of the
poison into the GOBLET.
.Beth.nk thee, Charmion,"I said; syet
mayst thou live for many years, hiding
these sorrows beneath the withered days.
"Yet l may, bat l Will no,i To live the
prey OF so many memories, the fOunt Of an
undying shame that night by night, az l
lie sleepless. shall well afresh from my sor-
row stricken heart tn live, torn by love l
cs.n not lose. To stand alone, like some
sform-twisred tree, aud signing day by
day TO the winds Of heaven. Gaze upon tho
desert of my life, while wait the lingering
hghtuing's stroke. Nay, that will not I;
Harmachis, ! had died long since, but lived
ON 70 serve thee; now no more thou needest
me, and l go Oh, fare thee well forever
fare thee well; for not aga shall look
npnp thv f,~s, and yubera 7 tn,,;, ryn..of
not; FOR thou dOst not love ME who still
dost love that Queenly woman thou hast
bounded to the death. Her thou shalt never
win, and thee ! shall never win,
and this Is the bitter end of fate. See.
Harmachis! l ask one boon before go,
and for all time become naught to thee but
. memory Of shame; tell me that thou dost
forgive me so far as thine is to forgive, and,
IN token thereof, kiss me-with no lovers
kiss, but kiss NE on the brow, and bid me
PASS in peace "
And she drew near to me with arms out
stretched, and pitiful, trembling lips, and
gazed upon my face.
'Charmion," answered, 1--WE are free to act
for good or evil. and yet nethinks there is q
fate above our fate, that, blowing from
strange shores, compels our little sails Of
purpose, set them as we wi /, and drives US
10 destruction. forgive thee, Cnarmion,
Is trust in turn to he forgiven, al by this
kiss, the first and the last. l seal our peace"
And with my lips touched her brow.
She spoke no more; only for a little while
she stood gazing on me wita sad eyes. then
che lifted the goblet. and SAID: ROYAL Har-
nachis, in this deadly cup pledge thee:
would that hid drunk Of it ere ever l
hooked upon thy face, Pharaoh, who, thy
-. l.n
peace per worlds may not tread. who vet
shall sway q kinglier scepter than that l
robbed thee Of, forever fare thee well"
She drank. cast down Il g cup and for .
n ment stood with the wide eyes Of one
who looks for de.i'h. Then he came, and
Charmion, the Egyptian, fell prone upon
The floor, deaf; and for a moment stood
alone with the dead.
crept to the side OF Cleopatrs, and. now
hat none were left to see, I sa: down on
the led and laid her head upon my knee,
IS once before It had been laid; in that
aight OF sH.rilege beneath the cverIas ing
pyramid. Then kissed r chill brow and
went from the house Of death avenged,
out soreiy smitten wi despair"
Physician" said the officer of the guard
- went through the gates, ''whnt PASSES
Fonder In the monument Methought !
heard the sounds OF death"
'Nxught passes; all hath passed." made
reply, and went; and As went IN the dark
acss ] heard tho sound of voices and the
running OF the feet OF CEsar's messengers.
Flying swiftly to nv house, found AtouA
wai ing at the gates. She drew me into .
quiet chamber and closed the doors.
rs it donel" she ASKED, and turned her
wriukled face to mine, while the iamp-light
rreamed W lite upon her snowy hair.
Nay, why ask-I knew that it is done"
"Ay, il Is done and we'll done, old-wife; ;
III arc dead; Cleopatra, Irss. Charmiou all
AVE myself"
The aged woman drew up her bent form
md cried: ''Now let me go in peace, for I
save seen my desire upoa thy foes and the
loes Of khem Us, Ia! not in vain have I
Ived On beyond the years Of man. I have
seea my desire upon thy enemies Il hA
Ysehered tho dews Of death, and thy fys
,ash drunk thereof. Fallen 10 the brow Of
pridei The shame Of Khem 10 levi with
10 dusti Ah-would tAat might have