Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-05-15

\I1fFfT y 30 DTuIlSn Is JHo uetIuTS VI SuCu
flullIS slaves-as the world treats the
fallen, with scorn. For to come low after
being great is to learn all shame. I'm
happy, therefore, are the great, for they
may fall!
turned upon the slave with so fierce a
word that, cur like, he sprang behind me;
then passed on to the Alabaster Hall, and
was admitted Of the guards. In the CEN
ter of the hall. nigh to the fountain, sat
Cleopatra, and with her were Charmion
and the Greek girl Iras, and Merira and
other of her waiting ladies. &C.," she
said to these, 81 would speak with my
trologer.' So they went, and left US face
ito face.
sStand thou there" she said, lifting her
face FOR the first time. "Come not near
me, Harmachis; / trust thee not. Per-
chance thou hast found another dagger.
Now, what hast thou to says By what right
didst thou dare to break in upon my talk
with the Roman?''
felt the blood rush through me like
storm, bitterness and burning anger took
hold upon my heart. "What hast thou to
say, Cleopatra" / answered boldly.
'sWhere is thy oath, sworn on the dead
heart of Menka-ra, the ever-livinga Where
now thy challenge to this Roman Antonya
Where thy oath that thou wouldst call me
husband in the face of Egypt?' And 1
4choked and ceased.
''Well does it become Harmachis, who
never was forsworn, to speak to me of
oaths!'' she said, in bitter mockery. .'And
yet, . thou most pure Priest of Isis; and
yet, o thou most faithful friend, who never
sdidst betray thy friends; and yet, 0 thou
most steadfast, honorable and upright
man, who never didst barter thy birthright,
thy country and thy cause for the price of
-woman's passing love; by what token
skuowest thou that my word is voidr'
patra,'' said, holding back my heart as
best might; ''for 1 have earned them all,
though not from thee. BY this token, then,
1 know it. Thou goest to visit Antony;
thou goest, as said that Roman knave,
stricked in the best ATTIRE to feast with
him whom thou shouldst give to vultures
for their feast. Perchance, for aught /
know, thou art about to squander those
treasures that thou hast tilched from the
body of Menka-ra, those treasures stored
against the need of Egypt. upon wanton
revels which shall complete the shame of
Egypt By these things, then, know that
thou art forsworn, and /, who, loving thee,
believed thee, tricked; and by this, also,
that thou who didst but yesternight swear
Ito wed me, dost to-day cover me with
etaunts, and even before that Roman put me
to an open shamep'
ITO wed theea And did swear to wed
1theea Well, and what is marriage? Is it
the union Of the heart, that bond beautiful
~ gossamer and than gossamer more light,
which binds soul to soul through the
dreamy night of passion they float, a bond
ITO be, perchance, melted in the dews of
>dawns Or is it the iron link of enforced,
unchanging union whereby if sinks the one
the other must be dragged beneath the sea
~of circumstances, there, like u punished
slave, to perish Of unavoidable corruption.
Marriage! to marryl l to forget free
II,
which, by the selfish will of man, the
stronger, doth still bind US to a bed grown
hateful, and enforce a service that love
mayhap 70 longer hallows! OF what use,
then, to be Queen, il thereby I may not
escape the evil of the meanly born! Mark
thou, Harmachis: Woman being grown
hath two ills to fear, death and marriages;
5 and Of these twain IS marriage the more
vile; for In death we may find rest, but in
marriage, should it fail US, we must find
he'll. Nay, being above the breath of COM
mon SANDER that would blast those who of
true virtue will not consent to stretch af-
-fection's bonds, love, Harmachis, but l
marry Rotl'
land yesternight thou didst swear that
thou wouldst wed me and call me to thy
side before the face of Egyptr'
s'And yesternight the red ring round the
moon did mark tho coming of the storm,
and yet the day is fair! But who knows
that the tempest may not break Tomorrow
Who knows that have not chosen the cas-
Ter path to save Egypt from the Romans
Who knows, Harmachis, that thou shalt not
still call me 'wifel'"
Then no longer could I bear her falsehood,
for saw that she but played with me. And
so spoke that which was in my heart.
Cleopatra" cried, ''thou dldst swear to
protect Egypt, and thou art about to betray
Egypt to the Romani Thou didst swear to
use the treasures that revealed to thee
for the service of Egypt, and thou are
about to use them to be her means of shame
Ito fashion them as letters for her wrists
Thou didst swear to wed me, who loved
thee, and for thee gave all. and thou dost
mock me and rejectl Therefore say
with the voice Of the dread Gods say it,
that on thee shall fall the curse Of Menka-
81, whom thou hast robbed, indeedi Lot