The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-01-23

awake.
He lifted up his head and called for wine,
which gave him, mixing therein dranght
that might aliay his pain, for it was great.
And when he had drunk he bade Cleopatra
lie down on The bed beside him. and put her
arms about him, and this she did Then
was Antony once more man; for forget
ting his own misery and pain, he connscled
her as to her own safety; but to this talk
she would not listen. The hour is Short
she said; '.lct US speak oil this great love Of
ours that has been 50 long and may yet en-
dure beyond the coasts of Death. Mindest
thou that night when first thou dldst put
thine arms about me and call ME Iovep
Oh! happy, happy night Having known
that night, tbs well to have liyed--eycn TO
this bitter end!'
Jay, Egypt, mind it well and dwell upon
its memory, though from that hour hath
fortune fled from melost in my depth OF
love for thee, thou Beautiful. l mind it,"
he gasped; slhen didst thou drink the
pearl in wan'on play, and then did that
astrologer Of thine call out his hour-'The
hour Of the falling Of the curse of Menka-
RAJ Through all the afterd days those words
have haunted me, and now at the last yet
do they ring within my ears
'fong Is he dead, my love-" she whis-
pered.
IF he be dead, then am near HIM. What
meant he.'
HE is dead, the accursed man mo more
OF him! Oh, turn and kiss me, for thy face
grows white. The end is ncar!''
He kissed her on the lips. and for little
while SO they stayed. to the moment Of
death, like lovers newly wed babbling their
passions in each others ears. Even to my
jealous heart strange and awful thing 1t
was to see.
Presently ! saw the Change Of Death
gather on his face. His head fell back.
Farewell, Egypt; farewell Il de.''
She lifted herself upon her hands, gazed
wildly on his ashen face, and then with
great cry, she sank back swooning.
But Antony yet lived, though the power
Of speech had left him. Then drew near.
and kneeling, made pretense to minister
unto him. And as ministcrcd whispered
in his ear.
"Antony,n / whispered. cleopatra was
my love before she passed from me to thee.
l am Harmachis, that astrologer who stood
behind thy couch at Tarsus; and have
been the chief minister of thy ruin. De,
An'ony, the curse IF -Kenha-ra hath fdllen'"
He raised himself, aud stared upon my
face. He could not speak, but gibbering, he
pointed ut me. Then with groan his
mighty spirit fed.
Thus did accomplish my revenge upon
Roman Antony, the world-loser.
Thereafter, then, we recovered Cleopatra
from her swoon, for not yet was minded
that she should die. And taking the body
OF Antony, Caesar permitting, and Atoua
caused it to be most skillfully cmbaimed
after our Egyptian fashion, covering tho
face with mask OF gold fashioned like TO
the features Of Antony. Also l wrote upon
his breast his name and titles, and painted
his name and the name Of his father within
his inner coffin, and drew tho form Of the
holy Nout folding her wings about him.
Then with great pomp Cleopatra laid him
in that serulcher which had been made
ready, and in sarcophagus Of alabaster.
Now, this sarcopha.ns was fashioned SO
large that place was left thcr lin for sec
ond coffin, for Cleopatra was fain to lie by
Antony at the last.
These things then happened. And but a
| little while after learnt tid,ngs from one
Cornelius Dolabella, nobln Roman who
waited upon Caesar, and moved by the
beauty that swayed the souls of all who
looked upon her, had pity for the woes Of
| Cleopatra. He babe me warn her-for, as
| her physician, it was allowed me TO pass n
| End out of the tomb where she dwclt that
| in three days she would be sent away 10
| Rome, together with her children, that she
might walk in the triumph Of Caesar. Ac.
/ cordin2lv went in, and found her sitting,
as now she always sat, plunged in n hal!
stupor, and before her that blood stained
robe whcrewith she had stanched the
wounds Of Antony. For on this she would
continually feast her eyes.
| ''See how faint they grow, Olympus" she
| said, lifting her sad face and pointing to the
| rusty stains, and he so lately dead! Why
| Gratitude could not fade more fast. What
is now thy news. Evil tidings is writ large
| III those dark eyes of thine, which ever
bring back to me something that still slips
my mind.'
Ill is the news, OQueen," ANSWERED
'sTnis have from the lips Of Dolabeila, who
hath it straight from Caesars Secretary.
On the third day from now will C;rs n send
| thee and the Prince Ptolemy and Alexander
aud the Princess Cleopatra to Rome, there
led i'm triumph to that Capitol where thou
didst swear 10 set thy throne "
i "Never, ncycr!" she cried, springing K
her feet. .Neyer will / walk in chains Il
| cHsar's triumph! What must l do! Char
mion, tell me what can dol"
And Charmion, rising, stood before her
looking at her through the long lashes O
her downcast eyes.
'Lady, thou canst tie" she said quietly
GAY. OF truth had forgotten; I car
die. Olympus, hast thou the drugt"
sNay; but if the Queen wills it, by to
morrow morn it shall be brewed-a drug *
swift and strong that not the Gods them
selves can hold him who drinks it bach
from sleep"
LET it be made ready, thou master 81
death!'
Ibowcd, and withdrew myself; and al
that nigh, and old Atoua laborcd at the dis
tilling Of the deadly draught At length i
was done, and Atoua poured it into crys
tai phial, and held it to the light Of tho tire
for white it was as the purest water.
ala, La" she sang, in her shriil voice
"a draugLt for . Queen. When fifty drop.
Of that water Of my brewing have passct
those red lips Of hers, thou wilt, indeed, b,
avenged Of Cleopatra. o, Harmachis! Oh
that / could be there to see Ruiz
ruined! La, La! it would be sweet b
see"
vengeance is an arrow that ofltimQl
falls upon the archer's head" answered
bethinking ne Of Charmions saying.
u lTo - coxTyErED.l