The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-09-04

I openings pierced for eyes, and nose
i and mouth.
Then the emba1mer left me to sha
care OF his slaves, giving then: tho
one order, Garry him to- his Pyr1.
mid: Again ] saw the noble streets
OF Memphis, with their crowds ana
animated hustle; then, by degrees, all
signs of city life were left behind.
Soon ! found myself in my last rest
ing place, close to the mum mics Of
my ancestors; the doors of bronze
were closed and / was cut off from
| the living world.
| Death would have been blessing.
was a mummy and yet alive! Was
Ito remain thus for all time a corpse.
or had | in reality ceased to exist?
Ihroughthe dim Hight could look
down corridors lined on both sides
with grlnning parchment-skinned
laces OF mummies, all that was left
OF proud Pharoahs, builders of the
pyramids, bold warriors, and wise
rulers!
The centuries ran on!
Lived Throughout the time.
Atlntervals the bronze doors would
creak upon their hinges and slowly
open, the daylight would stream in.
and two human beings enter carry
ing a new mummy; my descendants
lay beside me in a goodly row!
At times my former life, it's pleas
ures joys, and troubles passed before
my eye. could see again the fair
waters OF the Nile, the palaces upon
It's banks, and the golden light of day;
could taste the pure air once more.
ana scent the perfume OF the flowers.
Soon, however, the reality of nv sad
condition would reassert itself and
force me to remember that I was
buried under a mountain of stone,
polluted with the nauseous bitumen.
Sometimes loud voices would re-
echo through the corridors; a hurri-
cane of flame would sweep across the
desert sands and drive them like ocean
pillows against the tomb of all the
Pharoah
Century succeeded century; slowly,
slowly. Long time had now elapsed
since the bronze door had opened.
A far off rumbling, such as precedes
tempest, struck upon my ears, ceas-
ing for a moment, only to commence
with double force. Surely some aw-
fulupheaval of nature! Was it the
very end of all?
Silence once more, and still more
terrifying than the tumult.
Suddenly the metal doors are rude
ly thrust asunder. Men of strange
aspect and still stranger customs
penetrated the tomb, torches in hand.
They examined the sarcophagi and
mummies, expressing their astonish-
ment in a strange tongue.
They lifted me up and bore me
from the Pyramid; at last 1 was to
zee my native land again!
Alas what mournful sight met
xny view! Egypt overcast with a
gloom, and desolate; ruins and de-
cay on all sides! A strange race
living on the banks of the Nile, speak
ing language which I knew not!
Priests, warriors, where are they all?
What has befallen my tellow-citizens
of Memphis? Has all Egypt persisted?
| am placed in an enormous vessel
and descend the Nile, but how chang
ed is the sacred stream! Memphis,
my birthplace, has disappeared,
forests growth arises among the
ruins Of its palaces. Here and there
stand solitary obelisks, broken
trunks OF columns, fragments of
POI ticoes!
Time has destroyed everything.
The strangers look with curiosity
on the bands which encircle me; one
of them raises the mask of gold and
shows my features to his compan-
ions. Then they lay me in the
depths of the vessels hold.
After a long space of time, when [
once more see daylight, | find my
self in thestrangest places, and vain
ly seek to understand what | see
around me. l am placed standing
upright in a sort of chest, having
transparent wallis, and in whatever
direction my looks are cast, they fall
upon some relics of my country; i'm
ages of gods are mixed with tools of
husbandry. | can also see multi
tude OF sarcophagi, tablets of hero
glyphics, enameled hreastplates.
mummies of the ibis, the crocodile,
and the cat.
At this moment it seems as if life
were again about to take posses
sion Of my body, a tremor runs
through my veins, my right arm
breaks suddenly from my side, and
striking upon the transparent wall.
it with a loud crash.
And awake with a start, in state
Of dire confusion. / have been un-
fortunate enough to break glass
case in the Egyptian museum An
admonishes me very
sharply, and informs me that the
is not a dormitory; nay, T
am almost convinced tnat> the fellow
growls out some reflection upon peo-
pie who have taken too much wine.
But | myself, still in a state of beWil
derment, seize my hat, and having
paid for the damage have done,
hurry of homeward, registering a
mental vow that on the next occa-
sion when / wish to dream [ will