The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05
BY LORD BYRON
I,...".......................

l l Salemenes. also remained faithful, and
 are now lighting the rebels inch by l men and making ring around the
 ialace. Prince Salemenes implores the
 King to don his armor and show him. 1 self to the troops. His presence at ..-.s | hour will do more for him than hosts
 can do in his behalf"
 Saranapalus sprang to his feet; he look
 ed then and acted like the descendant of
 Nimrod and SemIramis. What ho. my
 armor." he cried.
 'Ab wilt thou?" exclaimed Myrrah.
 Will l not?" returned the King. "Nev-
 CT mind the buckle; light cIirass, and my sword. Where are the rebels? Say
 to Salemenes that I. come. Ho, nobles, arm yourselves and follow me- The tempest which had been ra ging had
 TOW spent it's force and the moon was breaking through the ranks of retiring
 clouds as Saranapalus, mounted upon his favorite horse. his head unhelmeted, came charging to the relief of Salamenes and his Bactrians. The moonlight showed
 friends and foes alike the face of the King transformed into the face of fear
 less hero His silk tiara and his flowing hair made him a royal mark, and every
 rebel arrow seemed pointed at that fair face and fair hair. But fight as they might the loyal troops were gradually pressed back until the tide of combat flowed into the very halls of the palace. But, at critical moment, when all seemed lost, Zames came rushing In with the entire palace guards. and the rebals
 were gradually forced beyond the walls.
 Meantime Salamenes had sent messengers
 to bring in troops from outlying garrisons ana to bring to the Kings aid troops sta- noned on the other side of the Euphrates. when the immediate danger was over ouialhehes and Sardanapalus met in tho throne room of the palace. The King was wounded and spent with the toll of
 'he flght. Give me aseat," he said. There stands the throne. sire" renlIaA 1 the general
 ITS no place to rest in for mind or body" replied the King. "Ho cup bearer! give me draft of water" And then he added. smiling. .it | IS the nrst time he ever received such
 an oIder from me- But have learned
 rpi 1ui,is li Ut lhe value Of the pure beverage 1 lhrice nave l drank it. Once a soldier
 gave me water in his helmet-and an arroW pierced him as he did ft" AS the cup bearer handed him water
 the King said; "Henceforth wine TO- serve Tor hours or love-but war on water" V" The faithful Myrrah, who during tha whole combat had bore herself win n rare courage, now knelt beside the Kinr 1 and bidding an attendant summon a | surgeon, herself began to unbind and
 tend the wound of Sardanapalus. An, nobies, said the King. do you know this night has made warriors of
 more than me? Perhaps you saw as I dld thls Ionian girl, now so gentle. l when we made our last sortie from the | palace, Do you know, brother Sale- menes, where l lighted upon herr,
 No replied Salemenes stern1y.
 herding with the other females I sup
 Not so, but raging like the dam of the young lion, femininely raging-and
 iemlnlnely means furiously because all
 passions In excess are female. She
 was urging on the soldiers with yoica and gesture With floating hair ana
 hash1ng eyes was she urging on the
 soldiers in pursuit. She was waving
 arms more dazzling which she had taken from the grasp of a dead soldier.
 she seemed unto the troops a prophet ess,or Victory herself come down to l aid us"
 Myrrah, blushing, held down her | head-for what the King said was true
 "The love fit is on him again.-
 thought Salamenes, I've must rouse
 him or all Is lost"
 Taking Myrrah little aside the gen. | eral said: You have shown n courapa tohight which, were he not my sisters
 husband-but let that pass. You love
 the King and would have him King
 sun. inen let him not sink back into
 luxury. You have power over him" T will not fail," said Myrrah mere was no more fighting in Nine-
 ven that night. but early in the neyr
 morning the combat was renewed In spite of all the reinforcements which
 had been ordered up the rebels made
 great headway Phalanx after phs- | md a.zt..
 to the forces of Arbaces and Beleses
 several sorties were made from the
 palace, but every time the royal troops
 were driven back with great slaughter
 At last 1t was reported that a portion
 of the outer wall of the palace had
 been undermined and thrown down by | the swollen Euphrates. thus affordinr q breach through which the rebels | would pour their troops as soon as ths
 subsiding of the river made 1t possible l Tor them to effect an entrance there Sardanapalus saw that all was lost
 The garrison of the palace, now few and feeble, could not hope to lont, 1 withstand the enemy. He gave ordera 1 that the Queen with the three princca
 should at once seek safety in flight. A galley was provided in which, before 1 the dawn of the next day, she was to | drop down the river and make her way
 to the court of her kinrnan, Gotta, King l Of Paphiagonia. Altado begged and oh-
 tained an interview with the King be- l fore she left In that interview Sar- danapalus and Altada were reconciled and the Queen begged to be allowed to stay with him and share his fate It was only by representing to her that he lives of the young princes must be preserved to save the line of Nin,-
 rod that she was at length induced to leave tho palace.
 The next morning dawned upon a paI- ace hopelessly besleged. Yet all that day the garrison kept back the rebels from the walls. When night came again
 soldiers brought into the hall where Sar. danapalus was resting from his exertions. Saemenes, wounded unto death He drew forth the iavelin which had pierced his side and died at the feet of the king. The king had begged and commanded Myr- rah to fly long before by boat down the Euphrates, a way of escape still open. But the heroic girl determined to stay and share the fate of her royal lover. When night came down again and the fighting ceased for Q time word
 was brought that the river was subsid- ing and the enemy making preparation to rush the breach in the walls at day. break.
 Sardanapaus called to him the few re- maining soldiers of the garrison and hay ing sworn them to obey his last orders, commanded they bring fagots and make funeral pyre around the throne. Then they were ordered. under the command of Pania, to embark in galley and drop down the Euphrates and so seek Paphla- goria. When they were safely embarked they were to blow bugle and then look back; but still keep on their way. The soldiers at first refused to leave tha ki,r