Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-06-07

q the air anu clOldeI at every fIep-
Cumbering the way were so many dark
objects which yielded and cracked
when stepped upon them that L light
ed a match and looked about. 1t was
the only match which 1 possessed; 1t
showed me-mummies. Hundreds OF
grinuing mulhInies, p,isd aud shelved
and scattered about the floor. Their
hideous faces were everywhere. Then
the match expired.
"After some time L accustomed my
self to the darkness and saw great cases
of glass in which lay sleeping persons;
some OF these were young and beautl-
ful, some were very like mummies.
The feet of each one were bathed in the
crimson liquid. The entire scheme
was incomprehsible tc me, who
CROPPED shiverIngly among the horrors,
hoping to find some unrsvelment of
the mystery, and SO doing found the
most monstrous Iniquity of all. 1t
seemed a living mummy; it moved its
eyes and head but did not speak. A
tattered cloak covered with ancientest
symbolic designs was heavily crum-
pied upon the withered body. L lifted
a portion of the weight from the feeble
frame. So doing, l struck down into
uuse Cto"H nSiSon Wisn PiSS"os
jewels.
81 heard the sound of Xartella's
voice. Some powerful influence seemed
to coerce me. L moved toward him.
1t needed all my strength of will, all
realization of my danger to keep me
in hiding while 1 beheld him once
more.
"He paused beside Artosss and
looked at her with deep solemnity upon
his face. He seemed to note her torn
veil, her tattered dress, her blistered
feet. He lifted bis hand and slowly
moved it beckoning. A bevy OF beau
tiful slave girls came from an adloin-
ing apartment. 1 noticed how singu-
lar was their step, their feet clicked
like machines as they surrounded Ar
tossa. Then Vor's daughter rose to
hsr feet, opened her eyes. Amaze
ment, horror, despair followed the
first bewildered look of her face. She
clssped her white hands to her brow
and seemed confounded.
"Xartells watched, silently. After
time she turned as If to fly. Then, like
a con nyealing, returned the somnambu-
listic state and with the same clicking
step as the slave she departed into
apother chamber.
"Xartella, then, came into the Hall
OF Mummies where L was hidden
among the jars. There was now no
call upon me, and / could think and
act independently. l watched as the
mysterious man searched about among
! the cases, often speaking to the dark
| ness. He removed the jar OF crimson
liquid from the feet of a beautiful
youth, shook him, and lifted him up.
| The sleeper opened great vacant eyes
and stared, sightlessly, at the dark
burning eyes of Xrtells. Then he
followed him through clouds of dust.
Click, click, sounded his step as he
crossed the great rooms, drew aside a
portiere and dropped like limp doll
upon an inanimate collection OF the
same sort of humanity. Revesled to
me by the lifting of the curtain were
| hundreds like him tossed into pile of
moveless loveliness, as were the num-
mics heaped IN still hiIeousness.
"It occurred to my mind that these
perfect men and women were resur-
/ rectcd mummies, restored only to phys
| ical life. Xartells was their soul. Not
even by his art could soul be hindered
in Its eternal progression.
"Astounded AS | was, the more
considered on this idea the more GER.
| tam | grew that it must be 80. l de-
/ termIned to try an experiment. That
/ elvIsh creature with the live headl
II remembered that the jar which
! had held the withercd feet was very
/ small. In such a multitude of mum.
mics discrimination was impossible.
/ Xartella must have forgotten this one.
/ would restore it. l changed the small
! Jar Tor one such as had restored the
youth. filed this jar to the brim
with the crimson liquid. In these
, preparations l found again the crown,
which laid carefully upon the stone
shelf L was sure those dreadful eyes
followed the crown with anxious watch
fulness. After all this was done L re-
turned for secrecy, into grove of large
leaved foliage trees which was outside
the gate. Here regaled myself with 8
delicious fruit, such as L had never
tasted, composed myself to rest and
fell into a deep slumber. l have al
ways thought L must have slept fol
days.