The record-union., 1893-08-12

one after another the silent, glistening
snakes came forth and swarmed about the
/ beautiful girl. The stage was lit up by
the electric light. Miriam was accom-
panied by weird, barbaric, strangely
/ seductive music. The small serpents
gllded amorously around her body ana
arms and neck, and curled above her
head in marvellous convolutions yet
never disturbing the adornments which
SO much resembled themselves-while
! she executed wondrous, ethereal dance.
/ II was a rare spectacle, rather still from
tne allnst oVerw helmlng grandeur OF It's
environment. The girl, with her superb
Lace and figure and limbs, with her great
| black eyes outdazzling the blaze of gems
ana gllttering serpents and silver lights
OF which she was the center; the
! mower beds with their throng of blooms
/ folded IN gorgeous slumbers on all sides;
| the expanded heaven afame with innu-
merable stars; the moon rolling streams
OF pale splendor on the immortal Pyra-
| lnlds toward the west; the fiery and
sober desert stretching into the immeas-
/ urable distance beyond-these were sur
| roundlngs which few spectators could
have regarded without u certain sense of
awe. Miriam disappeared.
And now there entered woman wear
ing crimson mask. The electric light
had been gradually lowered with her ad-
vent. but the astounding wealth OF dia-
monds and sapphires and rubies worn by
! her seemed to supersede the necessity of
/ other light. With her every movement
a many-colored fire seemed to kindle and
break out all over her and to grow more
! startling and ghostly from the framing of
| the darkened platform. This woman per-
| formed, in the opinion of many, with
| skill and grace quite equal to Miriam's.
| The Pasha, at least, seemed TO think SO.
1or he sent a special message to her be-
/ hind the scenes, whence she came, heav-
/ lily velled, to receive what appeared to be
his congratulations. And during this in
terlude the screen was lowered
On to the platform thus concealed Mir
iam's father and Murad now came. Thew
removed the cases of small snakes Then
they rolled up with difficulty each a case
thrice as large as any yet seen, Murad
moved his case 10 the right, Miriam's
father his to the left, and the latter assist
ant, having done his work went uncon-
cernedly away. Murad was left alone.
de looked on all sides. No one was in
/ view. lie returned to the cases. half
lifted, half rolled that on the lett across to
the right, that on to the right to the left:
then he quilted the platform, still with a
complete absence OF noise and disap-
peared. The next moment a man rose
| from amid some drapery behind the
stage. lie crept over TO where stood the
case to the left, and, looking into it,
! Shut SCN. AHCu Ilc LGtIdllS DOSeu IlG cases
| with pronputude and secrecy not in
| terlor to Murad's, and in his turn van
| ished.
And now Miriam, acting by the in
/ structionS of the masked woman, had
| mixed the Pasha's drink and had handed
1t to Murad. Osman, who had previously
| lett MS place near Amru, reapueared
from behind the stage and resumed his
chair. And the screen was Withdrawn.
! 1t had been intimated that Miriam and
| her mysterious rival, with boa construct
ors OF unusuI size and around them,
would perform a novel dance. Once
more strange, mournful, ineffabiy
sweet music penetrated the ear, and Mir
/ lam and the woman with the crimson
mask mounted the platform together.
here Amru called by sign for his
! draught. Murad approached with a COB
! let. Osman calmly arose and whispered
/ to the Pasha. Amru stared at the CAPTAIN
and. bending his eyes on Murad, com
manded him to taste the drink first. The
servant looked at Amru, then he looked
at the stage. lie started violently His
eyes dilated. Without hesitation he raised
the goblet to his lips, drained it's contents
to the last drop, and sank in commissions
| to the ground.
| Meanwhile, the serpent of Miriam had
arisen from It's case and had coiled gently
| around her. In the same moment the
woman with the crimson mask had lifted
/ the I'D OF her case and an enormous boa
! had Immediately darIed up. The dis
! gulsed performer staggered back, but the
| serpent shot forward its neck and rushed
| with lightning rapidity around her.
! There went up from her heartrending
cry which was instantly smothered in
| feeble groans and gasps. For some sec
| onds the spectators remained silent, mo-
/ tionless, appalled,. Then with yells of
rage they arose in body and swept on to
| the platform. With a single blow from
the sword of AIAru the serpent's head
was severed. 1t was hacked and gashed
! by countless weapons, and fell tothe floor
in hundred writing pieces.
But its work was done. The limbs and
ribs of the artist in the crimson mask had
| been cracked and crushed into utter
! shapelessness in the folds of the snake
! One of the guests tore away the mask,
and through all the distortion caused by
! the horrible fortune, knew the face OF
| Rakiyah.
The bystanders, in presence of calam-
lty where coincidence would have almost
seemed mockry, departed in silence.
| Osman and Miriam went away together,
and Amru saw this without regret.
lie questioned Miriam's father and his
| own servants, and elected enough to de-
sire no further knowledge
Toward midnight he went back to the
platform alone. RakIyah still lay there.
| Some stains of blood had been washed
from her lips by gentle hands. The signs
of agony had passed away Her beauty
| had come back. And she gaZed with
| lusterless eyes up to heaven in all the
disastrous majesty of death. - Good
| Words.