The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-03-14

| twined around. Beneath the covering was
| the vulture cap of gold. the blue enameled
wings, and the vulture head with gemmy
eyes, under which her long, dark tresses
| flowed toward her feet. About her round
| ed neck was a broad collar of gold studded
| with emeralds and coral. Round her arms
| and wrists were bracelets of gold studded
with emeralds and coral, and in one hand
| she held the holy symbol Of life (cruX ansa-
tai fashioned of crystal, and in the other
the golden rod of royalty. Her breast was
bare, but under was a garment that glis-
tened like the scaly covering of snake,
everywhere sewn with gems. Beneath this
robe was skirt of golden cloth, half hid by
q scarf Of the broidered silk of Cos, falling
with great pearls, adorned her white and
tiny feet.
All this discerned at a glance, as it
were. Then looked upon the face-that
face which seduceo Caesar, ruined Egypt
and was doomed to give Augustus the
scepter Of the world. / looked upon the
fiawless Grecian features, the rounded chin,
the full, rich lips, the chiseled nostrils and
the ears fashioned like delicate shells. l
saw the forehead, low, broad and lovely, the
that sparkled in the sun, the arched eye
brows and the long bent lashes. There be-
fore me was the grandeur of her imperial
shape. There burnt the wonderful eyes,
hued like the Cyprian vlolet-eyes that
seemed to sleep and brood on secret things
as night broods upon the desert, and yet as
the night to shift, change and be illumined
by CLEANS of sudden splendor born within
their starry depths. All those wonders l
saw though 1 have small skill in telling
them. But even then knew that it was
not in these charms alone that the
might of Cleopatra's beauty lay. Rath-
er was it in glory and a radi-
ance cast through the f1eshy covering
from the fierce soul within. For she was a
Thing of flame like unto which no woman
hath ever been nor ever will be. Even when
she brooded, the fire of her quick heart
shone through her. But when she woke,
and the lightning leapt suddenly from her
eyes, and the passion-aden music of her
speech chimed upon her lips, ah then who
can tell how Cleopatra seemed? For in her
met all the splendors that have been gwen
to woman for her glory, and all the genius
which man has drawn from Heaven. And
with them dwelt every evil of that greater
sort which fearing nothing and making a
mock of laws, hath taken empires Tor its
place of play, and, smiling, watered the
growth of its desires with the rich blood
of men. In her breast they gathered, to-
gether fashioning that Cleopatra whom no
man may draw, and yet whom no man. hay
ing seen, ever can forget. They fashioned
her grand as the Spirit of Storm, lovely as
Lightning, cruel as Pestilence, yet with
heart; and what she did is known. Woe to
the world when such another comes to curse
it!
For moment Imet Cleopatra's eyes as
she idly bent herself to find the tumult's
cause. At first they were sonber and DARK, as
though they saw, indeed, but the brain read
naught. Then they awoke, and their very
color seemed to change as the color
of the sea changes when the water is
shaken. First, there was anger written in
them; next, an idle noting; then when she
looked upon the huge bulk ofthe man whom
I had overcome, and knew him for the
gladiator, something, perchance, that was
not far from wonder. At the least they
softened, though, indeed, her face changed
not wit But he who would read Cleo
patra's mind had need to watch her eyes,
for her countenance varied but little.
Turning, she said some words to her guards
They came forward and led me to her,
while all the multitude waited silently to
see me SLAIN.