The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-05-23

swiftly and in secret, leaving no trace Of
what his fate hath been. On this 10 my mind
fixed; of a truth, noble Antony, 1t l. fixed.
Even as speak the fear Of this man grows
and gathers in my breast half am minded
to give the word even now, for till he be
dead breathe not freely" and she made
as though 10 rise.
"Let it be till morning." he said catching
her by the hand; "the soldiers drink, and
the deed will be Ill done. It's pity, too,
love not to think OF men slaughtered In
their Sleep
SIN the morning, perchance, may the
hawk have fowu," she answered, ponder
ing. HE hath keen ears, this Harmachis,
and can summon things that are not Of the
earth to aid him. Perchauce even now he
hears me in the spirit; for, of truth, I
seem to feel his presence breathing round
me. Icould tell thee-but no, let him be I
Noble Antony, be my firing woman and
loose me this crown Of gold; it chafes nv
brow. Be gentle, hurt me not-son
CHE lifted the uraus crown from her
brows, and she shook loose her heavy
weight Of hair that fell about her like q
garment.
Take thy crown, Royal Egypt" he said.
speaking low, ''take it from my hand;
will not rob thee of it, but rather set it more
firmly on that beauteous brow"
"What means my LordP' she asked,
smiling and looking into his eyes.
"What mean II Why, then, this; hither
thou earnest at my bidding, to make an
swer to the charges laid against thee as to
matters polite. And knowess thou, Egypt,
that hadst thou been other than thou art
thou hadst not gone back TO Queen it on
the Nile; for OF this am sure, the charges
against thee are true, in fact. But being
what thou art-and look, thoul never did
Nature serve a woman betterl-I forgive
thee all Fen for the sake of thy grace
and beauty forgive thee that which hath
not been forgiven to virtue, or to patriot
ism, or to the dignity Of age See, now, how
good a thing is woman's wit and loneliness,
that can make Kings forget their duty and
cozen cen blindfolded Justice to peep ere
she lifts her swordi Take back thy crown,
o Egypt my care now it is that, though 1t
be heavy, 1t shall not chafe thee"
"Royal words are those, most noble
Antony" she made answer; gracious and
generous words, such as befit the Con-
queror of the world And touching my mis-
deeds IN the past-if misdeeds there have
been-this 1 say, and this alone, then I
knew not Antony. For, knowing Antony,
who could sin against hint What woman
could lift q sword against one who must be
to all women as a God-one who, seen and
known, draws after him the whole al
legiance of the heart, as the sun draws
tiowersi And what more can / say and not
cross the bounds of woman's modestyi
Why, only this-set that crown upon my
brow, great Antony, and will take it as
gift from thee, by the giving made dOubly
dear, and to thy uses will guard it There
now am thy vsssal Queen, and through
me all old Egypt that rule doth homage
unto Antony the Triumvir, who shall be
Antony the Emperor and Khem's Imperial
Lord.n
And he, having set the crown upon her
locks, stood gazing on her, grown passion
ate in the warm breath of her living beauty,
till at length he caught her by both hands,
and, drawing her to him, kissed her thrice,
saying: ...
cleopatra, 1 love thee, Sweeti-I love
thee as ne'er loved betoreI"
She drew back from his embrace, smiling
softly; and as she did so the golden circlet
of the sacred snakes fell, being but loosely
set upon her brow, and rolled away into the
darkness beyond the ring of light
Even in the bitter anguish Of my heart
saw the omen and knew its evil import. But
these twain took no note.
"Thou lowest met" she said most sweetly;
show know ! that thou lowest met Per-
chance tits Fulvis whom thou lovest-Ful-
via, thy welded wifer'
SHAY, tits not Fulvis; tits thee, Cleopatra,
and thee alone. Many women have looked
fsvorsbly upon me from my boyhood up,
but to never a one have known such de
sire as to thee, o thou Wonder OF the
World, like unto whom no woman ever
wasi Canst thou love NE, Cleopatra, and
to me be true-not for ny place and power,
not for that which l can give or can with
hold, not for tie stern music of my legious'
tramp, or for the light that flows from my
bright star of fortune; but for myself, for
the sake of Antony, the rough captain,
grown old in campsl Ay, for the sake Of
Antony the reveler, the frail, the unfixed
of purpose, but who never yet did desert
friend, or rob poor man, or take an enemy
unawaresi Say, canst thou love me. Egypt
for If thou canst, why, / am more happy
than though tonight 1 sat crowned in the
Capitol at Rome absolute Monarch Of the
Worldp
And ever as he spoke she gazed on him
with wonderful eyes, and in them shone q
light of truth and honesty such as was
strange to me.
"Thou speakest plainly" she said, land
sweet are thy words unto mine ears
sweet would they be even were things
otherwise than they are, for what woman
would not love to see the worlds master st
her feetl But things being as they are,
why, Antony, what can be so sweet as thy
sweet wordsi The smooth harbor Of his
rest to the storm-tossed mariner-surely
that is sweet The dream Of heavens bliss
that cheers the poor ascetic priest on his
path of sscrifce-surely that is sweet The
sight of Dawn, the rosy-fngered. coming in
his promise to glad the watching Earth
surely that Is sweet But, ahI not one Of
these, nor all dear, delightful things that
are, can match the hoi.eysweethess of thy
words to me, o Antonyl For thou knowest
not-never canst thou know-how drear
hath been my life and empty, since thus il
is ordained that in love only can woman
lose her solitude and have nsper loved
never might love-til this happy night
Ay, take me in thy arms, and let Us swear
great oath Of love-an oath that may not be
broken while life Is in US Behold Antony!
now and for ever do vow most strict
fidelity unto theel Now and forever am
thine, and thine aloner'
Then Charmion took me by the hand and
drew methence.
Hast seen euoughP' she asked, when
once more we were within the chamber and
the lamp was Lit.
"Yea," 1 answered; my eyes are
opened"
ITO 5E CONTINUED
Nineteenth Century Philosophy.
Sham greatness, like bad money, Is sure
to be detected.
1t Is easier to overestimate than under
estimate ones self