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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 27, 1890)
CLEOPATRA. Being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmachis, the Royal Egyptian, AS SET PORTE BY HI8 OWN HAND. By H. Rider Haggard, Author or King Solomon's Mlno," " She," " Allnn Quntormain," " Etc., Etc., Etc. "So not afraid, " IAnweTea: "ll-rc.Tuce thou didst see naught but what was in thy mind. All things are shadows. How caust thou then know their nature, or what is aud What only seems to bel But how toes itl Remember thou, this sport Is played to an end." "It goes well," she said. "By to-morrow's dawn these tales will have gone round, and thou wilt bo moro feared than any mau in Alexandria. Follow mc, I pray thee." CHAPTER XL or tub ways or chaiimion; and op the CIIOWN1NG OP HAIIMACHIS AS THE KINO OF LOVE. THE following day I received the writing of my appointment Eir fi H ?J n9 Astrologer and mWyMm. Magician in-Chief to fSRjiSL ; tho Queen, with the pay tiHts5S?i;J L "'id perquisites of that ra7 oftlce, which were not Stf small. Also room wcro wWL HttflF 3 throuBh wliicli I passed at night to the high watch tower, wheuco I looked on . V, .,.. .1 .1 u t-ll-V ' mu diuis mill uicw mull talk auguncs. For at this time Cleopa- ch troubled nbout matters political And not knowing how tho great struggle among tho Homan factions would end, but being very desirous to side With tho strongest, sho took constant coun sel with me as to tho warning of tho stars. Thcsel read to her in such manner as best seemed to lit the high interest of my ends. For Antony, tho Roman Triumvir, was now in Asia Minor, nnd, rumor ran, very wroth because it had been told to him that Cleo patra was hostile to tho Triumvii ate, in that her General, Serapion, hiid nided Cassius. But Cleopatra protested loudly to me and others that Serapion had acted against her will. Yet Charmion told mo that, as with Allienus, it was because of a prophecy of Dioscorides, tho unlucky, that '.lie Queen herself had secretly ordered Serapion so to do, Nevertheless, this did not save Scrap ion, for, to provo to Antony that she was in nc'jent, she dragged tho General from tho sanctuary and slow him. Woo bo to those who carry out tho will of tyrants if the scale should rise against thorn I And so Sorapion perished. Meanwhile all things went well with us, for tho minds of Cleopatra and those about her wero so set upon affairs abroad that neither sho nor they thought of revolt at homo. But day by day our party gathered strength in tho cities of Egypt, and oven in Alexandria, which is to Egypt us another land, all things being foreign tliero. Day by day those who doubted wero won over and sworn to tho cause by that oatii which can not be broken, and our plans of action more llrtnly laid. And every other day 1 went forth from the palnce to take counsel with my uncle Sepa, and tliero at his housu mot tho nobles and tho great priests who wero lor tho party of Khetn. Of Cleopatra, tho Queen, I saw much, and nevor was 1 moro astonished at the wealth nnd splendor of her mind, that for richness and variety was as a woven cloth of go d tin-owing back all lights from its changing face. Sho feared mo somewhat, and therefore was fain to make a friend of me, asking mo many matters that seemed to bo beyond the province of my ofllce. Of tho Lady Charmion nlso I saw much indeed, she was ever at my side, so that I scarce knew when sho caino and when she went. For with that t.oft step of hers would she draw nigh, and I would turn mo to lind her ut hand nnd watching beneath tho long lashes of her downcast eyes. There was no service that was too hard for her, and no task too long, for day and night she labored for mo and for our cause. But when I thanked her for her loyalty and said it should bo had in mind in that time which was at hand, she stamped her foot nnd pouted with her lips like an angry child, saying that, among all tho things which I had learned, this had I not learned that Love's sor-ico asked no payment and was its own guerdon. And I being innocent in such matters and foolish that I was, hold ing the ways of women as of small account, read her sayinirs in tho sense that her serv ices to tho cauBO of Khem, which she loved, brought with them their own reward. But when I praised so lino a spirit she burst into angry tears and left mo wonder ing; for I know naught of the trouble at her heart. I know not then that, unsought, this woman had given me ull her love aud 'thit she was rent and torn by pangs of passion llxed like nrrows in litr breast. 1 did not know how should 1 know it, who never looked upon her otherwiso than as an instrument of our joint and holy cause! Her beauty never stirred me; nay, not even when she leaned over me and breathed upon ray hair, I never thought of t other wise than as a man thinks of tho beauty of a statue. What had I to do with such do lights? I who was sworn to Isis and dedi cated to tho causo of Egypt. O, ye Gods, bear mo witness that I urn Innocent of this thing, which was tho source of all my woo and tho woe of Khem I How strange is this love of woman, that Jt is so small in its begaining and in its end so great I See, at the first it is even as tho little spring of water welling from a mountain's heart. And at tho last what is .itl It is a mighty river that flowoth ar gosies of joy and makes wide lands to bmilo. Or, perchance It is a torrent ta wash In a tlood of ruin across the llelds of Hope, bursting in tho barriers of design, and bring to tumbled nothingness tho tenement of man's purity and tin U'lnples of his faith. For when tho Invi iblo conceived tho order of tho universe, io set within its plan this seed of woman's i'tvo that by its most unequal growth is d tomed to briug about equality of law. For tow it lifts tho low to heights untold, and ic iv it brings tho noulototho lovel of tho dust. And thus, whilo woman, tint great surprisoof Nature, is, Good and Evil can never grow apart. For still sho stands, and, blind with lovo, shoots tho shuttle of our fate, and pours sweet water into the cup of bitterness, and poisons tho wholesomo breath of life with the doom of her desire. Turn this way and turn that, sho Is at hand to meet thee. Her -weakness is thy strength, her might Is thy undoing. Of her thou art, to her thou tjtL She U thy slave, yet holds thee J-.ntlve; athor touch honor withers, locks op'en, and barriers fall. Bhe li Infinite at ocean, she It variable at heaven, and her name.U the Unforwn. Man. strive not to escape from woman and the lore of woman; for, tiy where thou wilt, the It yet thy fate, and whate'er thou buildett thou bulldtit It for her I r And thus it came to nas that. I. iturmn. chit, who had put such matters far from me, was yet doomed to fall by tho thing I held of no account. For, see, this Char mion ; sho loves me why, I knew not. Of her own thought sho learned to lovo mo, and of her love camo what shall bo told. But I, knowing naught, treated her even as a sister, walking as it were hand In hand with her toward our common end. And so the time passed on till, at length, all things were made ready. It was the night before the night when tho blow should fall, and there were revel Ings in tho palace. That very day had I seen Sepa, nnd with him the captains of a band of five hundred men, who should burst into tho palace at midnight on tho morrow, when I had slain Cleopatra tho Queen, nnd put the Roman and tho Gallic legionaries to tho sword. That very day had I sub orned the Captain Paulus, who, since I drew him through the gates, was my will'sslave. Half by fear and half by promises of great reward 1 had prevniled upon him, for his was tho watch, at tho signal on tho morrow night to unbar that small gato which faces to tho east. All was made ready the flower of Free dom that had been live and twenty years In growth was on tho point of bloom. In every city, from Abu unto Athuo, armed companies were gathered, and from their walls spies looked out, awaiting tho com ing of tho messenger who should bring tidings that Cleopatra was no more, and that Harmachis, tho Egyptian, had seized tho throne. All was prepared, triumph hung to my hand as a ripo fruit to tho hand of tho plucker. Yet, as I sat at tho royal feast my heart was heavy, hum n shadow of coming woe lay cold within my mind. 1 sat thero In a placo of honor, nigh to tho majesty of Cleopatra, and looked down the lines of guests, bright with gems and gar landed with flowers, marking thoso whom I had doomed to dio. Thero before mo lay Cleopatra's self, in all her beauty, which thrilled the beholder us ho is thrilled by tho rushing of the midnight gale, or by tho sight of stormy waters. I gazed on her as sho touched her lips with wine nnd toyed with the chaplgt of roses on her brow, bo thinking mo of tho dagger beneath my robe that I had sworn to bury in her breast. Again, nnd yet again, I gazed nnd strovo to hato her, strove to rejoico that sho must die and could not. There, too, behind her watching me now, as ovor, with her deep-fringed eyes was tho lovely Lady Charmion. Who, to look at her innocent face, would believe that sho was the setter of that snare wherein should miserably perish the Queen who loved her? Who would dream that locked in hor girlish breast was the secret of so much death! I gazed, and grow sick ut heart becauso I must anoint my throne with blood, and by evil sweep away tho evil of tho land. At that hout I wished, indeed, that I was naught but somo humble husbandman, who in its suason sows and in its season garners tho golden grain 1 Alasl tho seed that I had been doomed to sow was tho red seed of Death, and now I must reap tho fruit of tho harvest 1 "Why, Harmachis, what ails thee?" said Cleopatra, smiling her slow smile. "Has tho golden ske.n of stars got tangled, my astronomer? or dost thou plan some new feat of magic? Say what is it, that thou dost so poorly grace our feast. Nay, now, did I not kuow, having made inquiry thereon, that things so low as wo poor women are far beneath thy gaze, why, I should swear ttiat Eros hud found theo out, Harmachis I" "Nay, that I am spared, O Queen," I answered "Tho servant of tho star marks not tho smaller light of woman's eyes, and therein ho is happy." Cleoiitra leaned herself toward mo, look ing on me long and steadily in such fashion that despito my will tho blood fluttered at my heart. "Boast not, thou proud Egyptian," sho said in a low voice which nouo but I and Charmion could hear, "lest perchance thou dost tempt mo to match my magio against thlno. What woman can forgive that man should push us by as things of no account! 'Tis an insult to our sex that Nature's self abhors," and she leaned back and laughed most musically. But glancing up, I saw Charmion, her teeth upon her lip and an angry frown upon her brow. "Pardon, Royal Egypt," I answered, coldly, but with such wit as I could sum mon, "boforo tho Queen of Heaven even stars grow pale!" This I said of tho moon, which is tho sign of tho Holy Mother whom Cleopatra dared to rival, naming herself Isis como to earth. "Happily said," sho answered, clapping her whi o nands. "Why, hero's an astron omer who hath wit and can shapo a com pliment. Nay, such a wonder must not pass unnoted, lest the Gods resent it. Char mion, tako thou this chaplct from my hair nnd set it upon the learned brow of our Harmachis. King of Love ho shall be crowned, whether ho will it or will it not." Charmion lifted the duplet from Cleo patra's brows and bearing it to whero I was, with a smile set it upon my head, yet warm and fragrant from tho Queen's hair, but so roughly that sho pained me some what. And this sho did because sho waa wroth, although she smiled with her Hps and whispered: "An omen, Royal Har machis " For though sho was so much a woman, yet, when she was angered or suf fered jealousy, Charmion bad a ohildUh way. Having thus fixed tho chaplot, sho court esled low before me, and with the softott tone of mockery named me, In the Greek tongue, "Harmachis, King of Love." Thereon Cleopatra laughed and pledged me as "King of love," and so did all the com pany, finding the jest a merry one. For In Alexandria they lwe not those who live straightly and turn aside from women. But I sat thore, a smile upon my Hps and black anger in my heart. For, knowing who and what I was, it irked mo to think myself a jest to tho frivolous nobles and light beauties of Cleopatra's Court. But chiefly was I angered against Charmion, becauso sho laughed tho loudest, and then I did not know that laughter and bitterness are often tho vails of a soro heart where with it wraps its weakness from the world. "An omen," sho said It was that crown of flowers and so it proved indeed. For I was fated to barter tho double diadem of tho Upper and tho Lower Land for a wreath of passion's roses that fado even ere they fully bloom, and Pharaoh's ivory bed of stato for tho pillow of a faithless woman's breast. "King of LoveJ" they crowned me in their mockory; ayo, and King of Bbnraol And I, with tho perfumed roses on my brow I, by descent and ordination the Pharaoh of Egypt bethought me of the Imperishable halls of Abouthls and of that other crown ing which on tho morrow should bo consum mated. Cut snuismlllng, I pledged them back, aud answered with a jest. For rising, 1 bowed before Cleopatra and craved leave to go. "Venus," I said, speaking of the planet that we know at Donaou in the morning and Bonou in the evening, "wat In the ascendant. Therefore aa new crowned King of Love, I mutt now past to do my homage to ita Queen." For thete bar barian name venut yueen oi ivo. And to amid tbelr lauxhter I withdrew me to my watch tower, and, dulling that ibameful chaplct down amid the Inttru- "an omen, uovai, haumacius." monts of my craft, in ail o pretense tonotc the rolling of tho stars. Thero I wnitcd, thinking on many things that wero to be until such time ns Charmion should come with tho list of tho doomed and tho messages of my undo Sepa, whom sho had that even ing seen. At length tho door opened softly, nnd she camo jeweled and clad in her white robos, oven as sho had loft tho feast. CHAPTER XII. OF THE COMINO OK ci.gopatha TO TUB CHAM- BEit or haumacius: or tub tiiuowino ronm or the keuchif.f or chahmion; oi TUB STAHS, AND Or THE UIFT 11V C BO PATIIA Or HER FRIENDSHIP TO HEU SrilV ANT HAKMACHIS. LENGTH thou art IWRfti mVt IV V. com. Charmion," 1 SS"SK over into." "Yes, my lord; but by no means could 1 escape Cleopatra. Het mood is strangely crossed to-ntght. 1 know not what I may portocd. Strango whims aud fancies blow across it like light and contrary airs upon a summer sea, and I can not read her purpose." "Well, well; enough of Cleopatra. Hast thou seen our uncle?" "Yea, Royal Harmachis." "Aud hast thou tho last lists?" "Yea, hero they bo," and sho drew tliom front her bosom. "Hero is tho list of those who, after the Queen, must certainly be put to tho sword. Among them thou wilt noto is tho name of that old Gaul, Brenuus. 1 grievo for him, for wo nro friends; but it must bo. It is a heavy list." " 'Tis so," 1 answered; "when men write out their count they lorget no item, and our count is long. What must be, must be. Now for tho next." "Hero is tho list of thoso to bo spared, as friendly or uncertain; aud horo that of the towns that certainly will riso so soon as tho messenger reaches their gates with tidings of tho death of Cleopatra." "Good. And now" aud I paused "and now as to tlie manner of Cleopatra's death. How hast thou settled it) Must it be even by my hand?" "Yea, my lord," sho answorcd, and once again I caught that note of bitterness in her voice. "Doubtless my Lord will rejoice that his should bo the baud to rid the land of thitrfulso und wanton woman, and nt one blow break tho chains which gall the neck of Khem." Talk not thus, girl," I said, "well thou knowest that I rejoico not, being but driven to tho act by deep necessity and the press ure of my vows. Can sho not, then, ba poisoned I Or can no one of tho eunuchs bo suborned to slay her? My soul turns from this bloody work 1 Indeed, I marvel, how ever heavy be hor crimes, that thou canst talk thus lightly of tho death by treachery of ono who loves theo!" "Methinks my Lord is ovor-tendor, for getting tho greatness of tho moment and alt that hangs upon this dagger stroke that shall cut tho thread of Cleopatra's life. Listen, Hurmarclns. Thou must do the deed, und thou alone t Myself would I do it, had my arm the strength; but it has it not. By poison it can not be done, for every drop she drinks and every morsel that shall touch her lips is strictly tasted by three separate tasters, who can not bo suborned. Nor may tho eunuchs of the guard bo trust ed. Two, indeed, nro sworn to us; but the third can not be como at. Ho must be cut down afterward; and, indeed, when so many men must fall, whnt matters a eunuch moro cr less I Thus shall it be, then. To morrow night, when Bonou at three hours before midnight is in tho right ascension, thou dost cast tho final augury of tho issuo of tho war. And then thou wilt, as Is agreed, descend alone with mc, having tho signet to tho outer chamber of tho Qucou's apartment. For ths vessel bearing orders to tho Legions sails from Al exandria at tho following dawn; and alono with her, for she willa that the ;hlng be kept secret as the tea, thou wilt read the message of tin. stars. And as she pores over tho papyrus, then must thou itabherintho back, so that sho dies; and leo thou that thy will and arm fail theo notl The deed being done and mdeed it will bo easy thou wilt tako tho signet and pass out to whero the eunuch is for tho others will be wanting. If by any chance tliero bo troublo with him but thero will bo no trou ble, for ho daro notontor tho private rooms, and the sounds of death can not reach so far thou must cut him down. Then will I meet thee; and, passingon, we will como to Paulus, and it shall bo my care to sou that ho is neither drunk nor backward, for 1 know bow to hold him to tho task. And ho and thoso with him shall throw open tho lido gate, when Sepa and the five hundred chosen men who nro In waiting shall pour In and throw themselves upon the sleeping legionaries, putting them to the sword. Why, tho thing is easy, so thou rest true to thyself, and let no woman's fears croep into thy heart. What Is this dagger's thrust? It is nothing, and yet upon it may bang tho destinies of Egypt and tho world." "Hush I" I said. "What is that? I hear a sound." Charmion ran to the door, and gazing down the long, dark passage, listened, in a moment she came back, her finger on her lips. "It is the Queen," she whlspored, hurriedly; "the Quoon who mounts tho ttalr alone. I heard her bid Iris leavo her. may not bo found thus alono with theo ut this hour; it hath a strange look, and sho may suspcot somowbat. What wants sho here? Where can I hldo me?" I glunced iround. At the further end of tho chamber ivas a heavy curtain that hid a little placo built in tho thlaknest of the wall which I uted for the storage of rolls and Instru ments. "Haste thee there!" I tuld, and she glided behind the curtain, which swung back and covered her. Then I thrutt the fatal scroll of death into the bosom of my robo and bent me o'er the inyttlo chart Presently I heard the twocp of woman' robes, and there came a low knock upon tho door. 'Enter, whoever thou artl" I taid. The latch lifted, and Cleopatra swept In, royally arrayed, ber dark hair hanging tbout her and tba t.acjed make of royalty Yves V r ; i ' glistening orTher'brow. "Of a truth, Harmachis," sho said, with a sigh, as she sank into a scat, "tho path to Heaven is hard to climb I Ah I I am weary, for those stairs are many. But I was minded, my astroflomor, to seo theo in thy haunts." "I am honored overmuch, O Queen I" I said, bowing low before her. "Art thou now! And yet that dark face of thino hath a somowhat angry look. Thou art too young and hnudsomo for this dry trade, Karmachls. Why, I vow, thou hast ca-st my wreath of roses down amidst thy rusty tools I Kings would have cher ished that wreath along with their choicest diadems, O Harmnchlsl and thou dost throw It down as a thing of no ac count I Why, what a man thou art But stay; what is this? A l.vdy's kerchief, by Isis 1 Nay, now my Harmachis, how camo this hero? Aro our poor kerchiefs also in struments of thy high art? Oh, fie, flol have I caught theo, then? Art thou, in deed, a fox I" "Nay, most Royal Cleopatra, nay I" I said, turning; for tho kerchief which had fallen from Chnrmlon's neck had an awkward look. "I know not, Indeed, how tho frippery camo hero. Perchnnco somo of the women who keep the chamber may hayoJetii fall." to UK rONTlNtlM). PITH AND POINT. A littlo learning Is a dangerous thing; but tho danger is not in tho loarning but tho littleness. Whatever you or your friends do is never wholly wrong; whatever your enemy or his friends do is never wholly right. Tho man who doesn't know where his next dollar is to eonio from always sends it whore his last wont. Phila phla Times. When you can induce a man to hold your horse in the rain, how iritnral it is to tarry around tho tiro on tho inside. Atchison Globo. Pralso never gives us much pleasure unless it concurs with our own opinion, and extol us for those qualities in which wo chielly excel. Iluino. As I know more of mankind I ex pect less of them, and am readier to call a man good on easier terms than I was formerly. Dr. Johnson. Common courtesy is quito distinct from a matter of common curtesy, but somo pooplo don't seem to know it. Morohant Traveler. Ho who bears failure with patlenco is as much of a philosopher as ho who succeeds; for to put up with tho world needs as much wisdom as to control it. A slight divergence at the outstart carries the arrow far out of tho way at tho end, just as a false step in starting gives lifo a result that is disastrously wido of tho mark. To begin woll is to begin truo, and with a sure aim. United Presbyterian. Every oifj who sullers punishment, if tho punishment hasbeen rightly dealt him by another, must needs either him self bo made better and thus benefit thereby, or elso servo as an example to others, that they, seeing tho suiTorings which ho endures, may bo made bettor through dread of them. The man whose conversation is habitually chaste and pure, from whoso lips "no corrupt communication" pro coeds, and whose words tend to "minis ter grace unto the hearers," knows how to talk and what to say. One is always in good company when in tho company of such a man. His society is worth having, and contact with him will tend to make ono bettor. A WONDERFUL DOG. How Ho Saved Four Hoys from Alinunt Certain Death. Nit is a big jot-black Newfoundland dog who lives in the northorn part of Now York City, and is supposed to bo jointly owned by Oscar and fioorgo Smith. Ono Saturday afternoon tho brothers, with two other boys, tranipod up to tho Uronk river to a dlsusod mill dam, determined to havo some fun, and of courso Nit was along. Presently they found an old boat, twolvo foot long, fastened by a rusty chain to a stake. Thoy climbed In, and woro amusing themselves by rooking it, whon tho chain broko and tho boat drifted out from tho shore. Hardly moro than fifty yards down tho rivor tho wator runs ovor tho dam and falls twonty foot on tho jagged rooks. There woro no oars in tho boat and nothing to uso as a substitute. In tho middlo of tho riv.er tho boat swung lazily around until tho prow pointed toward tho dam, and then it began to drift slowly down stream. Nit had stood on tho shoro with oars and tail oreot, watching tho boat drift away, and apparontly considering it a good joko. Hut whon tho boat bo gan to movo toward tho dam fJlt bocamo ill at ease, and ran barking and whining up and down tho bank. Tho boys woro thoroughly alarmod by this timo, too. Thoy cried out for holp, and Nit, tolling thorn by a sharp, short bark to wait for him, sprang into tho wator and beat his way toward tho boat, now dangerously near tho dam. Nit swam right In front of the boat, and tried to stop it with his body, but tho current swung tho stern around. Finding that this wouldn't do, Nit swam around the boat twice, think ing very earnestly all tho time. Having solved tho dilllculty, as ho thought, ho sprang up on tho gunwale and seized it with his tenth. This lifted him so far out of the water that ho couldn't swim. Then ho lot go his hold and went around tho boat onco moro for another Idea. Ho got it, and then tho question arose how to convoy it to tho frightened youngs tors. NitHwam close to the boat, and sticking his head over tho guuwhale, looked liu plorlngly into littlo Oscar's face, and whimpered. Oscar misunderstood, und thought Nit was tired und wanted to como in for a rest lie seized tho leath er strap and tried to lift him in. Hut Nit instantly dropped back into tho wator, and pointing his bond toward tho shore, Logan swimming for all ho was wortn. Gradually tho downward courso of tho boat was stopped. It swung around in answer to Nit's powerful legs, and slowly drew near tho shore. It grounded within a fow foot of tho dam, and tho boy sprang out as happy a lot of yougstors as lived. Thoy started homoward on a run, with Nit barking and frolicking around them. Uoldon Days. FOitEIGN GOSSIP. Disease has ravaged somo of th grouse preserves in Scotland alarming extent. On ono moor recently out of t!0() birds killed all had to bo buried. Tho government monopoly articles of Honduras nro gunpowder, tobacco, cigars and liquor. It rotalns comploto and absolute control of tho liquor tratlle. Although slavery does not exist, properly speaking, in China, in tho eyes of tho law tho largo boating-population and actors fill the position of slaves. There is in Windsor castle a gold punch-bowl and ladle for which George IV. paid 10.000 guineas, and tho Invest ment Is wholly profitless because thero Is never a drop of punch browed in it. When the construction of a railroad Is undertaken in China tho natives burn a temple, and then persuade tho pooplo that it is a manifestation of tho wrath of the gods against the road. London lawyers now employ short hand in their otlico work. Tho entries, drafts, affidavits and tho multitude of other documents they aro called upon to prepare are now taken down in short hand at their dictation and aro copied from that, In a village In theeantonof Lucerno, Switzerland, there Is a society of old maids. It numbers eighty, and, queer enough, it is under the patronage of tho St. Catherine .Matrimonial Agency. They perforin acts of charity, and aro highly esteemed In their neighborhood. There are now such a large number of foreign otllcers studying at lterlin that the German Government has estab lished an international military academy for their accommodation. Thero aro a great many Turks and also several Chi nese otllcers. An association in London, called tho Sunday Society, occupies itself with arranging the opening of private col lections to the public on the Sabbath. For two Sundays recently the Duke of Wellington lias opened Apsley house to those who wished to seo its treasures. King Humbert, before leaving Na ples, ordered that a bronze wreath should as soon as possible bo deposited on Garibaldi's grave in placo of tho flowers ho had put there. He said: "Our country and my house owe so much to Garibaldi that this island must bear from myself and my son a tribute of everlasting gratitude." Belgium Is an uncoinfortablo coun try for embezzlers. A cashier employed by the city of Ghent, who embezzled lti:i,000 francs of the municipal cash, has just caught it very hot indeed. He has been sentenced to forty years' imprison ment and five years' police supervision to follow, has been fined 8,450 francs and ordered to restore the entire sum ho has embezzled, and will, in addition, lose ill his civil rights. The powor of one of tho greatest political figures of tho day, perhaps of all time, is said to bo on the wane. The Empress Dowager of China lias been shorn of her prestlgo by tho rebellous inuepondence of tho young Emperor. Ho refused to see the bride which she forced upon him, and has been issuing vigorous decrees on his own account. Ho has been censuring the old Ministers right and loft, particularly Chang Chi THE SULTAN'S POSITION. I.Ike That of Oilier Oriental Killer It Is Deelcleclly lIiiMiife. Ills Majesty, tho ruler, lends by no moans a happy life, notwithstanding his incomo of S10,000,000 a year, and that ho has his wives by tho score. His prede cessors lived in a great palaco on tho banks of tho Golden Horn, or rather of the Rosphorus at tho point whero tho Horn commences. In front of this pal ace stands the yacht of tho Sultan, and thofo is usually a gunboat or two sta tioned near by to guard It. Tho las t Sultan woko ono morning to find tho guns of those ships sighted on tho pal aco, and a sot of TurklHh robols do manded his surrondor. Tho prosont Sultan has a palaco away baok on tho hills. Tho grounds which surround It contain many acres, and thero aro watch towors built hero and thoro among them. In these guards aro stationed, who keep tho landscapo over boforo their eyes, and who would at tho least hostile demonstration inform His Ma jesty. Ho has thousands of soldiers con nected with his own body-guard, but ha .rusts very fow, and Hko ono of tho former Sultana, ho places implicit con fidence only in his mother. Ho has had a numbor of revolutions during his rnlgn, and if you look ovor tho history of Turkoy you will find that ussaBsl-, nation Is a very common fato for a Sul tan. 1 saw tho Turkish monarch several times while I was in Constantinoplo. Ho is a sallow, nervous little man, with a Roman nose, with a pair of bright, black oyos, which sparkle ns thoy look out under his red foz cap. He wears a suit of black clothos, much liko thoso of a preacher, and his coat is buttoned high ut tho throat. Ho doos not look liko a healthy man, and thoro is moro timidity than braggadocio about his bearing. It is said at Constantinoplo that ho dares not tyovo about unattended through tho streets of tho Turkish quarter, und his homo is on tho European sldn of tho water. When ho takes a ride through hiv capital tho whole army nt Constantinoplo turns out to guard him. Yellow sand is sprinkled j ovor the road in order that-4ils royal bones, be not jolted, and ho bus u couplo of the'most noted of his Generals in tho carriage with him. I am told that ho is really fond of hlssubjoots, notwithstand ing tho dangers of his situation, and that ho would do much for tho hot to ring of his kingdom if it woro not for the plots and plotters which continually sur round him. His situation is practically the same us that of tho other Asiatic tnonarchs of the courts which I visited. Not ono of them felt secure and safe upon his throne, und all of tho countries of Aslu havo their political factions and their political Intrigues. F. G, Carpen ter, in National Tribune, Tho wife of a bald-heudod man in constantly shadowed by tho Btiggootion that sho is not an amiablo woman. WHERE MAN THRIVES. A Maryland Town In Which Nmrljr AIlAi Giant anil Mptlnnctnln. "Hack in Montgomery County, cloven miles from Laurel, on tho Baltimore it Ohio railroad, is tho littlo village of Sandy Spring, a Quaker sottlomont, whose population Is but soventy-flvo persons, yet which Is noted for tho length of time Its inhabitants llvo and the stature they attain," said Robert II. Moran a day or two ago. "Now, I am not what you would call a little or a young man. 1 am 77 years old, six feet tall, and weigh '200 pounds, yet I can not hold a candlo to somo of the chaps who llvo thero. Tho old people there are dying olt, though. Now, there was the Penn family. Mary lived to be 100 years old. Edward dlod at 101. Lizzie was 1011 when sho died, and Joseph was 101. Joshua lived to bo 00 and 10 months. Mary No. 'J was OS, and another .Mary was 80. Will lain Thompson was ono- of tho oldest men in town, lie died at I lit years. The Hell boys were triplets. They were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Every one of them was ovor 100 years old, and tho smallest of thorn was (I foot A inches high. Roth tho others wero 0 feet ft. Then thoro were two men, ono named Davis and tho other Thatcher, both of whom woro ovor 100. Isaac Moore lived to be 10J. Mrs. Russell died at 104. Mrs. Kirk was 101. Hilly Matthews and Will McCormick were each 101 when thoy died. Hilly Simpson was 100, and Mahlon Chandtco is now living at 100. Cornelius Sullivan was HI, William Brown was 0J when ho Jon us, and Jimmy Whltostdo Is still liv ing, hale and hearty, ntt)0. Now thero is a raft of men ovor 80 years. Among those who are dead aro William Thomp son, Randall Thompson and Joo Thomp son, Joshua Lewis. Ephralm Murphy, Henry Stabler and Edward Stabler. Caleb Stabler, Richard Tucker, Porry liizo.ir, and JetT Higginsnro still living. Thero is such a raft of boys ovor 80 that It isn't worth while to mention them. "Now for tho big follows: Ed Penn was (1 foot 4, and Josh was 0- foot 2. Robert Sullivan was 0 feet ft. Ho liadf two sons, Will nnd Georgo, who woro (. feet 4 and 0 feet !! respectively. Mahlon; and Nelson wero brotliors, and each was- II feet 4 inches high. Tliero was Richard Sullivan, whom wo used to call Long Dick. He was 0 feet 4. Ho had two sons, Ed and Perrv, who aro still living, both 11 feet ii. Dr. Artomas Riggs was a daisy. Ho was tl feet 5 inches tall, weighing 2110 pounds, without an ounce of superfluous flesh, and was ono of tho best men in tho county. Thero woro three men who woro named William Krown, and wo had to nickname them to distinguish them. Thero was Rig Hill llrown, 0 foot !1. Long Rill Rrown was rt feet 5, and Littlo Hill llrown wns (l foot. Isaao Mooro was (1 feet J, but his son Nathan went him ono hotter and was (1 feet :t. Perry Llzoar Is still liv ing. Ho is over 80 years old, Is (I foot In his stockings, weighs 'HO pounds, is straight as an arrow, and ono of tho best men in tho county. I toll you what, If you havo any children and want them to live long and grow big, just send thorn to Sandy Springs." Baltimore Sun. A KINGLY EXAMPLE. How Two American lloyn Mittlu tint Ac quaintance, of Denimirk'H KIiir. An exchange rolatos a pleasing anec dote about two American boys traveling In Europe. They wero skylarking in. the streets of Copenliagen, and ono boy tossed the othor's hat into a troo. Whila tho victim was trying to dlslodgo if, thoro camo along an old gontloman,. with umbrolla undor his arm and his head burled in his hook. "Please, sir," said tho hatloss boy, "will you got my hat?" Tho old gon tloman fished around with his umbrella for about llvo mlnutos, and falling to dlslodgo the hat, allowed tho boy to mount his shouldors; and, with tho um brella, ho finally captured tho hat. An the boy dismounted and thanked tho. old gentleman, another gentleman camo along, who saluted and called tho ono with tho umbrolla, "Your Majosty." Tho boys wero astonished to find that, thoy had in this unceremonious fashion made tho acquaintance of tho King of Donmark, and thoy think tho King de serves tho kingdom. In fact ho is a capital fellow. Ho loves to mingle with, tho pooplo in their amusements, and thero is no fol-de-rol of royalty about him. Now this littlo incident toadies a les roii that perhaps somo of tho Trovern haven't learned: Tho King of Don mark Is not tho only "royal good fol low" among tho foreign nobility; thoro aro, In fact, a number of Dukos and Earls who havo roally a moro demo cratic spirit than somo of our untitled. Americans. Thoro aro plonty of pooplo In this country, who haven't tho rag of a title, nor much olso to distinguish thorn except tholr manners, and tho fact that their fathers havo managed to. scrape together a fow dollars ahead of' tholr neighbors yet who imagine that thoy belong to "tho aristocracy," and put on nil tho airs of a suporior being.; Yet wo aro willing to forgivo thorn bo- cause thoy aro Americans; but roally it is nastor to forgivo any other kind of o snob than an Amorlcan snob, ono who I has had all tho advantages of being born in this country. When wo comparo a follow of this sort with u scion of some titled European family, who Is at tho same time a gen tlemantreating all whom ho moots with courtesy and consideration, show ing his good brooding ullko to tho. "noble lord" who dlnos with him and tho servant who waits on tho tablo I when wo make this comparison wo seo that calling a man an aristocrat doesn't mako him ono. Tho Trovo boys and girls, in U4r anxiety to bo strong Amorlcans, must remember that a man may bo Holt or titled undor somo forolgn social system, and still be a simple-minded, domooratlo gentleman a citizen orodltablo to any country; nnd another may spend roottof his time proauhing about tho "rights of tho poor," yet not bo half bo muoh a. friend to thorn as tho first man, but a lowbred, contomptlblo follow. Wfaat ovor a man's surroundings, "a man's a, uiua for a' that." Treasure-Trovo.