The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-03-21

IEA 49, broidered images Of tht
IE9 EJFVN stars, and in my belt :
il&Y3Gy scribe's palette and {
IlER@90 roll of papyrus writer
lVMMN DER with mystic spell:
l&zzHMz and signs. In my hand helt
I@ a wand of ebony, tipped with
ivory, such as is used by priests and
masters of magic. Among these, indeed
held high rank, filing by knowledge Of
their secrets which l had learned at Or
what lacked in that skill of hand which
comes from USE And so, with no small
shame, for / love not such play. and hold
this common magic in contempt, set forth
through the Bruchium to the palace on the
Lochias, being guided on my way by my
uncle Sepa. Atlength, passing upthe avenue
of Sphinxes, we came to the great marble
gateway and the gates of bronze within
which is the guard-house. And here my
uncle left me, breathing many prayers fol
my safety and success. But / advanced
with an easy air to the gate, where was
roughly challenged by the Gallo sentries
and asked of my name, following and bust
ness. / gave my name, Harmachis the
astrologer, saying that my business was
with the Lady Charmion, the Queens lady
pass in, when Captain Of the Guard, a
Roman named Paulus, came forward and
forbade it. Now, this Paulus was large
limbed man, with woman's face aud a
hand that shook from wine-bibbing. Never
theless, he knew me again.
'.Why," he cried, in the Latin tongue, to
one who came with him, ''this is the fellow
who wrestled yesterday with the Nubian
gladiator, that same who now howls for his
lost hand underneath my window. Curses
on the black brutei / had a bet on him for
the games! 1 have backed HIM against
Caius, and now he'll never fight again, and
I must lose my money, all through this
astrologer. What is it thou sayest-thou
hast business with the Lady Charmion
Nay, then, that settles it. will not let
thee through. Fellow, / worship the Lady
Charmion-ay, we all worship her, though
she gives US more slaps than signs. And
dost thou think that we will suffer an
astrologer with such eyes and such O chest
as thine to cut in the gamea By Bacchus,
no! She must come out to keep the tryst,
for IN thou shalt not CO."
'.Sir," said, humbly and yet with dig
nifty, 81 pray that a message may be sent
to the Lady Charmion, for my business will
not brook delay"
aye Godsr' answered the fool, ''whom
have we here that he can not wait! A
Caesar in disguised Nay, be off-be off !
if thou wouldst not learn how a spear prick
feels behind"
'Nay," put in the other officer, "he is an
astrologer; make him prophecy-make him
play tricks"
"Ah," cried the others who had sauntered
up, ''let him show his art. If he is a magi-
clan he can pass the gates, Paulus or no
Paulus."
"Right willingly, good sirs ~ answered,
for / saw no other means of entering.
wilt thou, my young and noble Lord
and / addressed him who was with Paulus
-"suffer that look thee in the eyesl Per-
chance l may read what is written there"
Right" said the youth; ''but wish that
the Lady Charmion was the sorceress. l
would stare her out of countenance, war
rant me-"
Itook him by the hand and gazed deep
into his eyes. Il see," I said, "a field of
battle at night, and about it bodies stretched
among them is thy body, and hyena
tears at its throat. Most noble sir, thou
shalt die Of sword thrusts within q year"
by Bacchusr' said the youth, turning
white to the gills, ''thou art an ill-omened
sorcerer!" And he skunk off-shortly after
ward, as it CHANGED, to meet this very fate.
For he was sent on service and slain in
Cyprus.
snow for thee, great Captainr' said,
speaking to Paulus. 81 will show thee how
I will pass those gates without thy leave
ay, and draw thee through them after me.
Be pleased to fix thy princely gaze upon the
point Of this wand in my hand"
Beng urged thereto by his comrades, this
he did, not willingly; and l let him gaze till
l saw his eyes grow empty as an OWLS eyes
in the sun. Then suddenly I withdrew the
wand, and, shifting my own countenance
into the place of it, seized him with my
will and stare, and beginning to turn round
and round, drew him after me, his face,
fierce and drawn, fixed, as it were, almost
to my own. Then 1 slowly moved backward
till had passed the gates, still drawing
him after me, and having passed, l jerked
my head away. But he fell to the ground,
to rise wiping his brow and looking exceed
ingly foolish.
art thou content, most noble Captain"
l said. Thou scest we have passed the
gates. Would any other noble sir here pres
emit wish that l should show more of my
skill!n
by Taranis, Lord of Thunder, and all
the Gods of OlyEapus thrown in, non'
growled an old Centurion, a Gaul named
Brennus. 81 like thee not, l say. The
man who could drag our Paulus through
those gates by the eve, as it were, is not a
man to play with. Paulus, too, who always
goes the way you don't want him-back-
ward, like an ass-Paulus! Why, sirrah,
thou must have woman in one eye and a
wine cup in the other, to draw our Paulus
thus"
At this moment the talk was broken, for,
coming down the marble walk, followed by
an armed slave, was Charmion herself She
walked calm and careless, her hands folded
behind her and her eyes gazing at nothing
ness, as it were. But it was when Char
mion thus looked upon nothing that she saw
most. And as she came the officers and
men of the guard made way for her bowling,
for, as learned afterward, this girl, next
10 Cleopatra's self, welded more power
than any one about the palace.
ssWhat is this tumult, Brennusl" she
said, speaking to the Centurion, and max
ing as if she saw me not; 'kuowest thou
not that the Queen sleeps at this hour, and
if she be awakened it is thou who must
answer for it, and that dearlyi"
''Nay, Lady," said the Centurion, humbly;
''but it is thus. We have here''-and he
lerked his thumb toward me-''a magician
Of the most pestilent-um, crave his par
don, of the very best sort, for he hath but
;,,et poxr univ by t,iaain his ares clnSa