Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-10


Isis, all the high priests of the ancient tenn
Piles of Egypt were gathered together to
celebrate the coming home of the gods into
their holy place. CIR s.
gained the city. It was on the seventh
day of the feast of Isis. Even as came the
long array wendell through the well-remem-
bered streets. I joined in the multitude
that followed, and with my voice swelled
the chorus of the solemn chant as we passed
through the pylons into the imperishable
halls. How well known were the holy
words:
IS Softly we tread, our measured footsteps fall
Within the sanctuary seven-foldi
Soft on the dead that iiveth are We calling.
Return, Osiris, from thy kingdom cold,
Return to them that worship thee of old"
And then, when the sacred music ceased,
IS aforetime on the setting of the majesty
of Rattle high priest raised the statue of
the living God and held it on high before
the multitude. With a joyful shout of
sOsiris, our hopel Osiris! Osiris p the
people tore the black wrappings from their
dress, showing the white robes beneath,
and, as one man, bowed before the God.
Then they went to feast, each at his home !;
but l stayed in the court OF the temple.
Presently priest Of the temple drew near,
and asked me of my business; and I an
swered him that came from Alexandria,
and would be led before the council of the
high priest, for I knew that the holy priests
were gathered together debating the tidings
from Alexandria. Thereon the man left
and the high priests, hearing that I was
from Alexandria, ordered that should be
led into their presence in the second hall of
columns-and so was led in -
It was already dark, and between the
great pillars lights were set, as on that
nj 7 hap of q
upper and the lower land. There, too, was
the long line OF dignitaries seated in their
carven chairs and taking counsel together.
All was the same. The same cold images
Of kings and Gods gazed with the same
empty eyes from the everlasting walls.
Ay-morel Among those gathered there
were five of the very men who, as leaders
of the great plot, had sat here to see me
crowned, being the only consplrators who
had escaped the vengeance OF Cleopatra
and the clutching hand of time. I took my
stand on the spot where once I had been
crowned, and made me ready for the last
act of shame, with such bitterness Of heart
as can not be written.
''Why, it is the physician Olympus :" said
one-sshe who lived a hermit in the tombs
of Tape, and who but lately was of the
household of Cleopatra. Is it, then, true
that the queen is dead by her own hand,
PHYSICIAN
''Yea, holy sirs, am that physician; also
Cleopatra is dead by my hand.' -
''By thy hands Why, how comes this
though well she is dead, forsooth, the wick
ed wantonp ' r~
"YOur pardon, slrs, and viii tell you al,
for am come hither to that end. Per-
chance among you there may be some
methlnks see some-who nigh eleven years
ago were gathered in this hall to secretly
crown one Harmachis. Pharaoh of Khem?'
'1t is true" they said; sbut how knowest
thou these things, thou, Olympuss'
''Of the rest of those seven-and- thirty no
bles, went on, making no answer, ''are
two-and-thirty missing. Some are dead, as
Amenemhat is dead; some are slain, as
Sepa is slain; and some, perchance, yet Ia
Dor as slaves within the mines, or live afar,
fearing vengeance"
sit is So" they said; ''alas it is SO. Har-
machis, the accursed, betrayed the plot, and
sold himself to the wanton Cleopatra
''It is sou went on, lifting up my head.
"Harmachis betrayed the plot and sold him
self to Cleopatra; and, holy sirs-I am that
Hdrmdchis." The priests and dignitaries
gazed astonished. Some rose and spoke !;
some said naught. 81 am that Harmachis !;
am that traitor, trebly STEPPED in crime
a traitor to my Gods, traitor to ~ coun-
say that have done this. 1 have executed
the divine vengeance on her who ruined me
and gave Egypt to the Roman. And now
that, after years of toll and patient waiting,
this Is accomplished by my wisdom ana the
help of the angry Gods, behold, come,
with all my shame upon my head, to de-
clare the thing am, and take the traitors
guerdonr' ~ - 4
ssMindest thou of the doom of him who
l,&I 1. l.
asked he who first had spoken, in heavy
tones. - EF s. Ffzh ~
81 know it WELL" answered; 81 court
that awful DOOM"
Tell US more of this matter, thou who
vast Harmachis.''
So, in cold, clear words, laid bare all my
shame, keeping back nothing, and ever as
spoke saw their faces grow more hard, and
knew that for me there was no mercy; nor
did / ask it; nor had asked, could it have
been granted When, at last, had done,
they put me aside while they took counsel
Then they drew me forth again, and the
eldest among them, q man very old and ven
cradle. the priest Of the temple of the divine
Hatshepu at Tape. spoke in icy accents:
''Thou, Harmachis, we have considered
this matter. Thou hast sinned the three
fold deadly sin. On thy head lies the bur
den of the woe Of Khem, this day enthralled
Of Rome; to Isis, the mother mystery, thou
hast offered the deadly insult, and thou hast
broken thy holy oath. For all of these
sins there is, as well thou knowest, but one
reward, and that reward is thine. Naught
can it weigh in the balance Of our justice
that thou hast slain her who was thy cause
of stumbling; naught that thou CONTEST to
name myself the vilest thing who ever
stood within these walls. On thee, also,
must fall the curse of Menks-ra, thou false
priestl thou forsworn patriot thou
Pharaoh, shameful and discrownedi Here,
where we set the double crown upon thv
head, we doom thee to the doomi Go to
thy dungeon, and await the falling Of its
strokei Go remembering what thou
highest have been and what thou art, and
may those Gods who, through thy evil do
ing. shall perchance ere long cease to be
worshiped within these holy temples, give