Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-03-06

RAG V the Mysteries, and in his
H8l hand was lamp. He bent
@V7& over me and gazed earnestly
0AaE np. ont my 1s daSs. a.v Of thy
In IN 81 q new birth-and thou hast lived
HHGH to see it, o Harmachis I'' he
fVSIH said at length. 81 give thanks.
ES Arise. Royal Harmachis - nay,
tell me naught of that which has fall
en- thee Arise, beloved of the Holy
Mother Come forth, thou who hast passed
the fire and learned what lies behind the
darkness Come forth, q newly born!'
rose, and walking family, went with
him, and passing out OF the darkness of the
Shrines, came once more into the pure light
of the morning, filed with thought and
wonder. And then I went to my own
chamber and slept; nor did any dreams
come to trouble me. But no man, not even
my father, asked me aught of what I saw
upon that dread night, or after what fashion
I had communed with the Goddess.
After all these things which have been
written. for space applied myself to the
worship of the Mother Isis, and to the fur
Their study of the outward forms of the mys-
teries whereto I now hold the key. More
over. I was instructed in matters polite,
for many great men of our following came
secretly to see me from all quarters of
Egypt, and told me much of the hatred of
the people toward Cleopatra, the Queen, and
of other things. At last the hour drew
nigh; it was three months and ten days
from the night when, for awhile, left the
flesh, and yet, living with our life, was
gathered to the breast Of Isis, on which it
was agreed that with due and customary
formality, although in utter secrecy, I
should be called to the throne of the Upper
and Lower Land. So it came to pass that,
as the solemn time drew nigh, great men Of
the party Of Egypt gathered to the number
OF thirty-seven from every nome, and each
great city Of their nome, coming together at
Abouthis. In every guise they came-some
as priests, some as pilgrims to the Shrine,
and some as beggars. Among them was
my uncle, Sepa, who, though he clad him
self as a travelling doctor, had much ado to
keep his loud voice from betraying him.
Indeed, myself knew him thereby, meet
ing him as I walked in thought upon the
banks Of the canal, Notwithstanding that it
was dusk and that the great cape, which,
after the fashion of such doctors, he had
thrown about his head, half hid his face.
ga pest on thee ~ he cried, when greeted
him by his name. "Can not q man cease to
be himself even for an houra Didst thou
but know the pains that it has cost me to
learn to play this part-and now thou read
est who am even in the dark!''
And then, still talking in his loud voice,
he told me how he had travelled hither on
foot, the better to escape the spies who ply
to and fro upon the river. But he said he
should return by the water, or take an
other guise; for since he had come q
doctor he had been forced to play doctors
part, knowing but little of the arts of med
icine; and, as he greatly feared. many
there were between On and Abouthis who
had suffered therefrom. In Ancient Egypt
an unshllful or negligent ply stefan was liza
BILE to very heavy penalties.-Ed.] And he
laughed loudly and embraced me. forget
ting his part. For he was too whole at
heart to be an actor and other than him
self, and would have entered Abouthis with
me holding my hand, had not child him for
his folly.
At length all were gathered.
It was night when the gates of the Tenn
pie were shut. None were left within them,
save only the thirty-seven, my father, the
High Priest Amenemhat; that aged Priest
who had led me to the Shrine of Isis; the
old wife, Atoua, who according to ancient
custom, was to prepare me for the anoInt-
ing: and some five other priests, sworn to
They gathered in the second hall of the
great Temple, but remained alone, clad in
my white robe, in the passage where are
the names of six-and-seventy ancient Kings,
who were before the day Of the divine Seth.
There rested in darkness. till at length
my 1atner, Amenemn2t, came, bearing q
lamp, and, bowling low before me, led me by
the hand forth into the great hall Here
and there between its mighty pillars lights
were set that dimly showed tho sculptured
images upon the walls. and dimly fell upon
the long line Of the seven and thirty Lords,
Priests and Princes, who, seated upon carv-
en- chalrs, awaited my coming I'm silence.
Before them, facing away from the seven
Sanctuaries, was ret . throne, around which
stood thu Priasts holding thu sacred inn
ages and banners. As / came into the dim
and holy place the Dignitaries rose and
bowed before me, speakdng NO word, while
my father Led Ne to h6steps Of the throne,
and IN . low voice bado me stand before Il
And tAen h sPake:
ssL,orHs, .Rr1eoss ard Princes Of theancient