Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-02-13

1T his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head
~ the hair for him to look on. Then he
aughed and smote it on the check with his
sandal, and babe one of the girls crown
Pharaoh with flowers. And he bowed the
knee, and Knocked the head of the innocent
child. But the girl, who was sharp of
Ongue-for all OF this I heard in after
Fears-said to him t'that he did we'll to bow
he knee, for this child was indeed Pharaoh,
.he grcatestof Pharaohs, and his name was
ihe Osiris and his throne was Death
At this saying Auletes was much troubled,
md shook and trembled, for, being wicked
nan, he greatly feared the entering into
Amenti. So he caused the girl to be slain,
because of the evil omen of her saying, cry
ng that he would send her to worship that
Pharaoh whom she had named. And the
,ther women he sent away, and played no
more upon the flute till he was once again
Trunk on the morrow. But the Alexandra
ans made a song thereon, which is still sun G
about the streets. And this is the beginning
hereof:
Ptolcmy the Piper played
Over dead and dying;
Piped and played he well.
Sure that flute Of his was made
or tho dank reed signing
Ger the streams of hell.
There beneath the shadows gray,
With the sisters three,
Shall he pipe for many day.
Llay the Frog his butler be!
And his wine the water of that countrie-
Ptolemy the Piper!
After this the years passed on, nor did L,
oelng very little, know any thing of the
great things that came to pass in Egypt;
nor is it my purpose here to set them out.
For 1. Harmachis, will speak only of those
things with which have been concerned.
And as the time went on my father and
the teachers instructed me in the ancient
learning of our people and in such matters
appertaining to the gods as it is meet that
children should know. So I grew strong
and comeIy, for my hair was black as the
aair of the divine NOut, and my eyes were
blue as the blue lotus, and my skin was as
the alabaster within the sanctuaries. For
now that these glories have passed from
me may speak of them without shame.
Strong was also. There was no youth of
my years in AbouthiS who could stand
against me to wrestle with me, nor could
any throw SO far with the sling or spear.
And much / yearned to hunt the lion; but
ne whom I called my father forbade me to
hunt, telling me that my life was of too
great worth to be so lightly hazarded. But
when l bowed myself before him and
prayed he would make his meaning clear to
me, the old man frowned and answered
that the gods made all things clear in their
own season. For my part, however, went
away wroth, for there was youth in
Abouthis who with others had slain a lion
that fell upon his fathers herds, and, be-
ing envious of my strength and beauty, he
set it about that was cowardly at heart,
in that when l went out to hunt slew
naught but jaclSals and gazelles. Now, this
was when l had reached my seventeenth
year and was q man grown.
1t CHANGED, therefore, that as went sore
at heart from the presence of the High
Priest, my father, l met this youth, who
called to me and Knocked me, bidding me
know the country people had told him that
a great lion was down among the rush
es by the banks of the canal which runs
past he Temple. lying at distance OF thir-
ty stalia from Abouthis. And, still mock
ing me, he asked me if I would come and
help him Stay this lion, or would go and sit
among the old women and bid them comb
me that 1 was near to falling him; but
in place thereof, forgetting my fathers say
ing, answered that If he would come along
would go with him and seek this lion, and
he should learn if were indeed q coward.
And at first he would not, for, as men know,
it is our custom to hunt tho lion in compa-
MES; so it was my hour to mock Thereon
he went and fetched his bow and arrows
and sharp knife. And brou ght forth my
heavy spear, which had a shaft of thorn
wood, and at the end thereof pomegran-
ate in silver, to hold the hand from slippin
and together, in SILENCE, We went side by
side to where tho lion lay. When we came
to the place it was near shutdown, and there,
upon the mud of the canal bank, we found