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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (April 17, 1890)
CLEOPATRA. Being an Account of the Fall nai Venceance of Harmachis, the I Royal Egyptian, AS BET FORTH BY HIS OWN HAND. By H. Rider Kagoard, Author or " King Solomon's Mlnea," She," "Allan Quatermaln," ' Etc., Etc., Etc. Bho bowed her head awhllo, and then, as 1 spako not, onco moro wont on : "Lot all my sin bo told, Harmachis, and then let justice como. See how this thing happened. lialf did Cleopatra learn to lovo theo, and deep in her heart sho bethought her of taking theo to wedded husband. For tho sake of this halt lovo of hci ) she spared tno lives of those in tho plot whom sho had meshed, bothinking hor that if she wedded theo sho might uso them nnd theo to draw tho heart of Egypt, which loves not her nor any Ptolemy. And then, once again sho on trapped theo, nnd in thy folly thou didst bo tray to her tho secret of tho hidden wealth of Esrypt, that lo-day sho nquntidcrs to do light tho luxurious Antony; and, of n truth, at that tlmo she purposed to in alio good her oath and marry theo. But on tho very morn when Dellius carao for answer sho sent for ma. and. tclllnc mo all for mv wit- nbave any, sho holdi at price domandcIToT' ma my judgment whether she should defy An tony and wed thee, or whether sho should put tho thought away and como to Antony. And I now mark hou all my sin I I, in my bitter jealousy, rather than I would soo her thy wedded wifo and thou hor loving lord, counseled her most strictly that she should como to Anto-j;', well knowing, for I had had speech with Dellius that If sho came, this weak Antony would fall liko a ripo fruit at her feet, as indeed, ho has fallen. And to night havo I shown theo tho issuo of tho scheme. Antony loves Cleopatra and Cleo patra loves Antony, and thou art robbed, nnd matters havo gono well for mo, who of all women on tho earth to-night am tho wretchedest by far. For when I saw how thy heart broke, but now ray heart seemed to break with thine, and no longer could I bear tho burden of my evil deeds, but knew that I must toll them and tako my punish ment. "And no moro havo I to say, save that 1 thank theo for thy courtesy In hearkoning, and this ono thing I add: Driven by my great lovo, I havo sinned against thso unto death 1 I havo ruined theo, I havo ruined Khem, and myself also havo I ruiuod I Let death reward met Slay thou mo, llnr machls I Gladly will I die upon thy sword ; ay, and kiss its bladol Slay thou me, und go; for if thou slayest mo not, mysolf will I surely slay 1" And sho threw horself upon her knees, llftiug her fair breast toward mo, that I might smito hor with my dagger. And, in my bitter fury, minded was I to Btrlko, for abovo all I thought how, when I was fallen, this woman, who herself was my cause of shame, had scourced mo with hor acorn. Bi hard it is to slay n fair woman; and even as I lifted my hand to striko I remembered that now twice had sho saved my lifo. "Woman I thnu shameless woman 1" 1 said, "arisol I slay theo not 1 Who am I, that I should judge thy crlmo, that with mino own do overtop all earthly judg ment!" "Slay me, Harmachis 1" sho moaned; "slay mo or I slay myself I My burden is too grout for mo to bear I Bo not so deadly calm I Curso mo and slay I" "What was it that thou didst say to mo anon, Charmlon that as 1 had sown so must I reap! It is not lawful that thou shouldst slay thyself; it is not lawful that I, thino equal in sin, should slay theo, bo catiso through thee I sinned. As thou hast rhnvTiilnn. sn must Vioxt also roau. Baso woman 1 whose cruel jealousy hath i brought all these wo--son mo nnd ligypt, live livo on, and from year to year pluck tho bitter fruit of crlmo 1 Haunted bo thy sleep by visions of thy outraged Gods, whoso vengeance await9 thee and mo In their dim Amonti 1 Haunted bo thy days by memories of that man whom thy fierce love did bring to ruin, and by the sight of Khem a prey to the lnsatlato Cleopatra and a slave to Roman Antony." "Oh, speak not thus, Harmachis I More sharp are thy words .than any sword, ana moro surely, if moro slowly, shall thoy slay I Listen, Harmachis," and sho grasped myrobo; "when thou wast great aud all powor lay within thy grasp, thou didst re ject me. Wilt reject mo now that Cleopatra hath cast theo from hor- now that thou art poor and sktv.'.od, and with no pillow to thy neaOf Ollll am I u, uU thee! Let mo fly withtuee, and maim mono-, mont by my life-long love. Or, If this be monl.I?,. i m,hU,ltntkl too great a thing to ask let mo bo but as thy sister and ttiy servant. my vciy u that I may still look upon thy faco and shore thy trouble and minister to thee. O Harma chis, let mo but como and I will bravo all things and enduro all things, and naught but Death himself shall spear me from thy sido. , For I do bollevo that tho lovo that sank me to so low a depth, dragging thee, can yet . onualhnlcrht. and thee with me." I ,. "w . " ,' ihniirht r find thee with me." wr pped in a cioait, niuo neeuing nnu uo Uftmotoaaeq causo I showed no fear the sailors cried out . TSUld hPthmk tootomiS taUhatIwa.awiMrd,andwouWhaToa8tina 4nd dost thou think, Oharmion, inn in . . Catal would no, At and Tncs 1 L1 whoro 1 must hide, n iid bear, dav by day. to look upon thy tfl f:e. and itJ rnrnfimbor that those i'r' betrayed "SSSlf shaft tboa'.lene. This and mv T know: Many ana wavy enau be thy lonoly days 01 pecaue. 1 that hour of vengeanco may JK Pirchanco that hour or vengeanco muj -. Perchance thou shall livo to pl f ihy part la it In tho Court of Cloopalm moil thou Mine, ana imblde, aud whllo thou art !.;, yen live. I will from time to time 5-e " to give the tiding.. Perchance . Uj dawn when once more I thai', aa .4 thy sorvlco. Now, swear that. U '"t, thou wilt not fail me n scconA Ur "I awear, Harmachlsl 1 r everlasting torments, too hMaa w b dreamed-more hideous cv.b, by thoso that wring mo now-bt ay portion If I fall then In ojjs iat ox tUMJ s- ttwugh I wall a lifetime for to word; " 'Tis well; see that thou Uttp the oath not twlco may wo betray; I go to irk out my fate; abldo thou to work out u'r . Per manco our divers threads will onco more nlnglo ere thoweb bo spun. Chartnlon, ivho unasked didst lovo mo and who, prompted by that gentle lovo of thino, didst Betray ana ruin me faro thee well 1" Wildly sho gazed upon mo sho stretched jut her arms as though to clasp mo; and then, In tho agony of her despair, cast herself at length and groveled upon the j round. 1 took up the sack of clothing and tho staff nnd gained the door, and, as I passed through, ono last glanco I east upon her. There sho lay, with arms outstrotched moro whito than her white robes her dark hair streaming down her nnd her fair brows hidden in tho dust. And thus I left her; nor did I again set my eyes upon her till nine long years had como and gone. CHAPTER XXIV. OS TI1E ESCAPE OF HAHSIACHIS FROM TAtlSCS; OF IUSUKl.NO OAST FOKTIt AS AN OFFKK1.NO TO THE GODS OF TUB SEA: OF HIS SOJOUIW IN THE ISLE OFCVl'itUS; OF HIS HETUIIN TO ABOUTHIS; AND OF THE DEATH OF AMEN EM HAT. MADE my way down the stairs In safety, and presently stood In tho courtyard of the great houso.. It was but an hour from dawn, nnd nonn wero stirring. Tlu last reveler inr drunk his till, t" (ancing girls ha' .icd their daucir id silenco lay u tho city. 1 drew ncai iiio gate, und was challenged bv an offi cer on guard wrapped in a heavy cloak. "Who passes !" said tho voice I of Hrennus. 1 "A merchant, may It please theo, sir, who having brought gifts from Alexandria j to a lady of tho Queon's household, and, haying been entertained of tho lady, now ' departs to his galley," I nnswored In 9 I feigned voice. '"Umnhl" ho growled. "Tho ladies of tho Queen's household keep their guests lato. Well: 'tis a tlmo of festival. Tha password, Sir Suopkelpcr! WitliouP the password thou mustneods return und crave tho lady's further hospitality.'' " 'Antony,' sir, und a right good word, too. Ahl I've wandered far, und never saw I so goodly a man and so great a General. And, mark you, sir, I'vo travelod far, nnd scon many Generals." "Aye-; 'Ant ny' Is tho word ! And Antony Is a good General In his way when It is a sober way, and when ho cannot find a skirt to follow. I've served with Antony and ngainst him, too, und know his points. Well, well; bo's. got nn armful nowl" And all this while that ho was holding mo In talk, tho sentry had been pacing to and fro beforo tho gate. But now ho moved a littlo way, leaving tho entranco clear. "Faro theo well, Harmachis, and begone," whlspored Brtmuus, leaning forward and speaking quickly. "Linger not. But at times bethink theo ot Bronnus'who risked his neck to savo thino. Farewoll, lad; I would that wo woro sailing north together," and ho turned his back upon me and begun to hum a tuno. "Farewell, Brennus, thou honest man," 1 nnswored, and was gono. And, as long aft erward I hoard, whon on tho morrow tho huo and cry was raised because tho murder ers could not And me, though everywhere thoy sought mo to slay me, Brennus did mo a service. For he swore that as ho kept his watch alono an hour after midnight ho saw mo como and stand upon tho parapet of tho roof, that then I strotched out my robes and thoy became wings whereon I (loato up to heaven, leaving him astonisbod. j d all thoso about tho court lent ear unto tho his tory, believing therein, because of the great famo of my magic; nnd much they won- dored what tho wonder might portend. The tale also traveled into Egypt, and did much to savo my good namo among those whom 1 had botrayed ; for tho moro ignorant among them believed that I acted not of my will, but of tho will of tho droad Gods, who of their own purpose wafted mo to heaven. And thus, oven to this day, tho saying runs Ciat "II7ien Harmachis comes aailn Egypt thaUbt free." Only Cleopatra, though sho was much afraid, doubted her of tho talo, and sent an armed vessel to search for tho Syrian merchant, but not to find him, as shall bo told. When I reached tho galley whereof Charmlon had spoken, I found her about to sail, and gave tho writing to tho Captain, who conned It, looking on mo curiously, but said naught. So I went aboard, aud immediately wo dropped swiftly down tho rivor with the current. And having como to tho mouth I,117.H ,l,nl,hu.n..rl "-e 1 ,,, many vessels, we put out to sea with o strong favoring wind that ero night fresh- ened to a great gale. Then the sailor men, being much afoared, would fain havo put about aud run for tho mouth of tho Cydnus onco again, but could not because of the wildness of tho sea. All that night it blew furiously, and ere dawn our mast was car ried away, and we rolled helplessly in the troucb of the great waves. But I sal wr pped in a cloak, llttlo heeding; and bo into tho sea, but the Captain would not. At j dawn the wind Blackened, but ere noon It onco moro blew m terriblo fury; and at the fourth hour from noon wo came In sight of tho rocky coast of that capo in tho Island oi Cyprus which is called Dinnretum, whero is a mountain named Olympus, and thitherwards we drifted swiftly. Then when tho Ballon saw tho terrible rocks, and how tho great waves that smote thereon spouted up In foam, onco moro thoy grew much afraid, and cried out In their fear. For, seeing that I still sat unmoved, they swore that I cer tainly was a wizard, and camo to cast mo forth as a sacrifice to tho Gods of tho sea. And this time tho Captain was overruled, and said naught. Thureforo, whon thoy camo to mo I roso and defied them, saying: "Cast me forth, if ye will; but if yocast mo forth ye shall perish." Forin'my heart I cared littlo, having no moro any love of life, but rather a deslro to die, though greatly I feared to pass into the preseuce of my holy Mother His. But my weariness and sorrow at tho bitterness ol my lot overcamo even this heavy fear, so that when, being mad as bruto boasts, they eued mo anu, 1 raging waters, tolslsaud mak seized mo and, liftingmo, hurled molntotht I did but utter ono prayor make mo ready for death. But it was fated that I should not dio; for, when I roso to the surface of tho water I saw floating near to me a spar of wood, whereto I swum and clung. Aod a great wave cams and swept mo, ruling, as It were, upon tho spar, as when a boy I had learned to do In tho waters of the Nllo, pasttbo bulwarks ot tho galley where tho fierce faced sailors clung to seo me drown. And when they saw mo como mounted on tho wave, cursing them at I came, and saw. too, tbat tho color of my faco hud changed for the salt water had washed away the pigment, they shrieked with fear and cast tbomsolvcs down upon tho deck. And within a very Ultic while, as I rods towards Uw rocky s v . V HL 7 'ft coast, n great wavo poured into tho vessel, that rodo broadside on, nnd pressed her down Ictc the deep, wheueo no moro she roso. And so sho sank, with all her crew And In that samo storm nlso sank tho galley that Cleopatra had srnt to search for tho Syrian merchant. Thus wero all traces of mo lost, and of a surety sho believed that 1 was dead. But I rodo on toward tho shoro. The wind shriekod aud tho salt waves lashed my face as, alone with tho tempest, I rushed uou my way, while tho son-birds screamod bout my head. o fear 1 felt, but rather n wild uplifting of tho heart; and inthostress ; of my imminent poril tho lovo of lifo seemed onco ngain to waken. And so I plunged and drifted, now tossed hlch toward tho lower-1 ' - ... ing clouds, now cast iiito tho deep volleys of tho sea, till nt length tho rocky headland loomed beforo me, and I saw tho breakers snilto upon tho stubborn rocks, and through tho screaming of tho wind heard tho sullen t.. under of their fall and the groan of stones sucked sou ward from tho beach. On I high throned up tho hiano of a mighty billow -fifty cubits beneath mo tho level of tho hiss ing waters; above mo the inky sky! It wu donol Tho spar was torn from me. and, drugged downward by tho weight of thoba:; of gold and tho clinging of my garments', struggling furiously, I sank. Now I wns under the light for a moment streamed green through tho waters, and then came darkness, and on tho darkness pictures of tho past. Picture nftor picture all tho long scene of lifo was written here, Then in my ears 1 ucnrd only tno song oi I - . ... .1 I SKW A SI'Alt OF WOOD, TO WHICH I SWAM. tho nightingale, tho murmur of tho summer sea, und '.ho music of CleopatraltLlauirh of victory followed mo softly and yet moro soft as I sank awny to sleep. Once moro my lifo eamo back, and with It a sense of deadly s.ohness and of aching pain. I opened my e,os and saw l'nd!y faces bending o'or inc, und know that I. was in a room of a tmlldcd house "How camo I hither!" I asked, faintly. 'Of a truth, Poseidon br.ought thee. Stranger," nnswored a rough volco in bar barous Greek, "for wo found theo cast high t.-.-.n ion rmurn nr.B u uruil uu'iDhia.-ft""' brought theo to our house, for wo are nsncr r,ilk And hero mcthlnks must thou Ho awhllo, for Uiy left leg is broken by tho forco of tho waves." 1 strove tomovo my foot, but could not. It was true, tho bono was broken abovo the knee. "Who art thou nnd how urt thou nnmodl" asked therough-hoarded sailor. "1 um an Egyptian traveler whoso ship hath sunk in tho fury of tho gale, and Olym pus am I named," I answered, for Olympus these people called a mountain that wo had sighted, and therefore I took tho namo at hazard. A nd as Olympus henceforth was I known. Hero with theso rough llshcr-folk did I abide for tho half of n year, paying thorn a llttlo out of tho sum of gold that had come safely ushoro upon mo. For long was it bo foro my bones grow together again, nnd then was I left somowhit of a crpplo; for I who hud been so tall und straigbtand strong now limped ono limb being shorter than tho other. Aud after I recovered from my hurt, still I lived thero, and toiled with them at tho trade of fishing; for whither I should go or what I should do that I knew not, und, tor nwhile, fain was I to become a peasant fisherman, and so wear my weary llToaway. And these peoplo entreated mo kindly, though, as others, they feared me much, holding mo to bo a wizard brought hithor by tho sen. For mothlnks that my sorrows had stamped no strange an aspect on my faco that men gazing thereon grew fearful of what lay beneath Its calm. Thoro then I ubode, till at length one night ns I lay nnd strove to sleep, grem restlessness camo upon mo, and a mighty desire onco moro to seo tho broad faco of Sihor. But whether this deslro wns of the Gods or born of my own heart, not knowing I can not tell So strong was it nt tho lust, that before it was dawn I rose from my bed ot straw, and clothed mysolf in my llslior garb, and, because I had no wish to answer questions, thus I took farewell of my hum. ble hosts. First on the woll-cloanod table oi wood I placed some piecosof gold, and thon taking n pot of flour I strowed It in the form of letter-writing "TMi from 0im;u, tht 71pttan, ui10 return into the tea," Then I went, ana on iiioiuiruuujjwu to the great city of Salamis, that is also on the sea Hero I abode in tho fisherman's .-.,,,. tt vog8G. wa9 nbout to sail for Then I went, and on tho third day 1 camo quarter till a vessel was about to sail for Alexandria, and to the captain of this ves sel, a man of Paphos, I hired mysolf as a sailor. Wo sailed with a favoring wind, und on tho fifth day I camo to Alexandria, that hateful city, nnd saw tho light glaring on its golden domes. Hero might I not nbido. 80 onco again I hired myself out ns a sailor, giving my labor In return for passage, nnd wo passed up tho Nile. And from tho talk of men I learned that Cleopatra had como back to Alexandria, drawing Antony with hor, and that together they lived in royal stato In the palace on thv Lochias. Indeed, tho boatmen already had a song thereon, which thoy sang as thoy labored at tho oar, Also I heard how tho galley that was sent to search for tho vessel which carried tho Syrian merchant had foundered with all her crow, and tho tulo that tho Queen's ns tronomer, Harmachis, had flown to Hcavon from tho roof of tho houso nt Tarsus. And tho sailors wondered because I aat and labored, nnd would not sing their ribald songs of tho loves of Cleopatra. For thoy, too, began to fear me, nnd mutter con cerning mo among themselves. Then I know thnt I was a man accursed and sot apart-a man whom nono might lovo. On tho sixth day wo drew nigh to Abouthis, whore I left the craft, and right glad wero th sailors to seo mo go. And, with a breaking heart, 1 walked through tho fortilo fields, Boeing faces that well J knew. But In my rough dlsgulso and limp ing gait none knew ine. At length I came, as tho sun sunk, near to the groat outer pylon of the Templo; and hero I crouched down In the ruins of u house, not knowing wbereforo I had come or what I was about to do. Llko a lost ox I bad strayed from far, back to tho fields of my birth, and for what! If my father, Amenemhat, still lived, surely ho would turn his faco from uo'. Idarel not lato tio "roseace oi my father. I sat hidden there among the broken rafters and idly watched tho pylon gates, to seo If perchance a faco I know should lssu 'orth. But none carao 'orth oi tntered In, though the great gates stood vldo; and then I saw that herbs were growing 'twixt the stonos, whero no horbe had grown for ages. What could this bel Was the Templo deserted) Nay; how could Iho worship of the eternal Gods have ceased that for thousands of years had, day by day, been offered In tho holy placo? Was, then, my father dead! It well might bo. Andyot, why this slloncol whero wero tho priests! whero tho worshipers! No more could I bear tho doubt, but ns tho sun sank red I crept like a hunted jackal through tho open gates, nnu on 1111 1 reached tho first treat Hall of T - T - . . ...... Hilars, xicru i puu?iu ami ;uzi-u uiuuuu me not n sight, not a sound in tuo dim and holy place I On with a beating heart I wout to tho second great hall of ix-and-thlrty pillars, whero I hod been cr uod Lord of all the Land; still not a sight or a sound I Thenco, half fearful of my owu footfall, so terrible did It echo In tho stlcnco of tho de serted Holies, I passed dowu tho passago of tho names of tho Pharaohs toward my fa ther's chamber. There still swung the cur tain o'or tho doorway; but what would thero bo with'ul ulso emptiness! I lifted It, and noiselessly passed in, and thoro in his carveu chair tit tho table whereon his long whito beard flowed down, sat my father, Amcnemhat, clad in his priestly robes. At first 1 thought that ho was dead, so still ho sat; but at length ho turned his head, and I . .!... V. . 1. ! I .n,(ln.a mai. ms. m u i-iu imu,uuusi,iiucsj. Ho was blind, nml bis faco was thin ns tho faco of a dead man, and wooful with ago and grief. I stood still and felt tho blind eyes wan dering over mo. I could not spoak I dared : not speak to him; I would go nnd hldo my self afresh. Already had I turned nnd grasped tho cur tain, when, in a deep, slow volco, my fnthor I spoke: "Como hithor, thou who wast my son and a?t n traitor. Como hither, thou Hnrmachis, i whereon Khem buildod up her hopo. Not in vain, thon, havo I drawn theo from far .way I Not In vain havo I held my life In j me till I hoard thy footfall creeping down ! thoso empty Holies, llko the footfall of a j thief!" I "Oh! my fathor," I gasped, astonished. I "Thou art blind; how knowest thou mo I" I "How do I know theo! und askest thou 1 thnt who hast learned of our lorol Enough, I l know theo and I brought theo hithor. I Would, Harmachis, that I know theo uotl would thnt I had been blasted of H10 in vlsiblo oro I drow thoo dowu from tho womb of Nout to bo my curso nnd shamo, and tho lust woo of Khoml" "Oh, speak thou not thus 1" I moaned, "Is not my burden already moro than I can bear! Am I not myself botruyed aud uttorly outcast Bo pitiful, my father I" "Bo pitiful! bo pitiful to theo who hath hown so great pity Thy pity 'twas which gavo up noble Sopa to dio benoath tho hands of tho tormentors 1" "Oh, not that not that!" I cried. "Ay, traitor, that! to dlo In agony, with his last poor breath proclaiming theo, his murderer, honest and innocent! Bo pitiful to theo, who gavoth nil tho flowor of Kticin as tho prico of a wanton'b arms! thlnkost thou that, laboring In tho darksomo dosort mines, thoso noblo ouos In thought aro piti ful to theo, Harmachis! Be pitiful to theo, by whom this holy Templo of Abouthis hath boon ravaged, its lands seized, its priests scattered, and I nlono, old and wlthorcd, loft to' count out its ruin! to theo, who hath poured tho trcasuroa of Hor into thy Ionian's lap, who hath forsworn thyself, thy country, thy birthright, and thy Gods I Yen, thus am I nltlful : Accursed bo thou, fruit of my loins! Shamo bo t.iy portion, Agony thy end, nnd Hell rocolve theo at tho last! Whoro art thou! Yea, I grow bllud with weeping when I heard the truth sure, thoy strove to hldo It from mo. Lot mo And thee that I may spit upon thoo, thou ltenegado 1 thnu ..AnQstatol thou Outcastl" and he rosoTTuTi'1 lils soat and staggered Illto a liv ing wrnth toward me, smiting tho air with his wand. And ns ho camo with outstrotched srms, awful to see, suddonly his end found him, and with a cry ho sauk down upon tho ground, tho rod blood streaming from his lips. I ran to him and lifted him; and as ho died, ho babbled: "Ho was my son, a bright-eyed, lovely boy, and full of promise as tho spring; und now and now oh, would that ho wero dead!" Then carao a pause, and tho breath rattled in his throat. "Harmachis," ho gasped, "nrt thero!" "Yea, father." "Harmachis, Atonol atonol Vongcanco can still bo wi caked forgiveness may still bo won. There's gold; I'vo hidden It Atoua sho can tell theo uh, this painl Farewell I" And ho struggled faintly In my arms, and was dead. Thus, thon, did I and my holy father, tho Princo Amenomhnt, meot togeth er for tho last tlmo In thq flesh, and for tho last time purt. to iik continukdJ. THE THEORY OF DEW. All tho I'riitty I'hik'Ivs of l'itn llpmit Hun! I'niilK. 1)T It is now hold by tho best physicians that Instead of falling from nbovo tho dow arlsos from tho earth. The generally-received opinion that tho dow Is formed of vapor existing at tho time in the atmosphere must bo glvon up for tho established fact that tho vapor which arlsos from the heatod earth Is trapped by tho cold surface earth. HoftidoH.whon wo imagine thnt on a cool evening uftor a sultry day in summer our foot uro be ing wet by tho dew on tho grans, wo make a grave mistake. For thnt moisture on tho grass is not dow at all, it is false dew in reality tho tranHplrod humor of tho plants. The drops at tho tips, which glisten diamond llko, uro not dow; close examination shows that these crystalino spheres are all situated ut tho points whoro tho veins of tho Iouvoh cut tho outor edges. Theso drops only give evi dence of tho vitality of tho plant. Tho dliforenco between tho true dew on tho grass und tho exuded drops through tho vein from within tho grass can bo easily distinguished, for tho for mer Is distributed all over tho blado In a moist film; wherouc tho latter aro of some size, und uro situated near the tips of tho blndo. Altered, then, Is tho meaning of tho lino: "Ilka Made o' grass keops its nln drop o' dow," for thoso brilliant globulort on tho potul, Hhaking to tho samo Hweot air, and often "gliding at onco all fragrant into ono," nro no dowdrops, but aro exuda tions of tho houlthy plants. Thoy glvo evidence of tho elixir viUo of vegeta tion; whereus, tho truo dow Is tho pearly instor, varnished in filmy hu midity over tho blades by that won drous alchemy whloh transforms tho water vajior rising from tho ground into tho plant refreshing dow. Good Words. AMERICAN FICTION. It Tonleiiclt ill tho PriMont Tlino Ar Drrliloilly Danjirritin. An eminent physician onco exclaimed: "God bless tho novelists, thoy tako us out of tho cares nnd trials that besot our dally paths nnd open up now and Ideal worlds of enjoyment to us!" Suro ly these worrit wero spoken beforo tho days of modern renllsm, in tho good old times when people read novels for Inno- cent diversion and have been known to i read far Into the small hours, without I having their souls stirred to tholr depths by some question of doctrlno or morality, lured on to regardlessness of ' the flight of tlmo by their absorbing in- terest in a labyrinthine misunderstand- , Ing between Dorothea and St. Giles, or 1 the relentless treatment of lovo's young 1 dream by some stem parent or guardian. It Is not, however, upon realism of tho j deadly dull sort that wo would dwell; that has already been talked nbout more than enough, nnd will doubtless j wear Itself out In tho hands of tho I many less skillful writers who are en deavoring to follow the footsteps of its gifted high-priests. An- , other phase, and ono that threat ens far greater danger to literature 1 and to life, is thnt which conies from foreign schools and which, unwholo- j some tis It Is In Its native habitat, is Htill more dangerous and disastrous when transplanted to other soils. For some years we were almost solely de pendent upon Franco for microscopic studies of morbid life, character nnd situation; but within a short period tho extensive importations from Russia and other northern countries havo enlarged the realistic horizon, and still moro re cently Spain has begun to sond in her returns. Many of theso novels, notably those ot Tolstoi, havo in them, with all tho objections which may W made to the scenes and characters Introduced, a high moral purpose and teach valuable and impressive lessons. Homo ot our novelists, however, with a strange fatal ity, and us if in dellanco of tho charge ot American seriousness in literature, have seized what may be looked upon as the outer shell of realism, carefully avoiding its innor spirit. Henco wo have in Homo of our later fiction tho dis tortions in life and situation Unit tho French realists delight In doplctlmr, united to a certain gross elaboration that marks tho northern novelist, with tho moral lessons entirely left out a sort of literary slumming for its own sake, with no good end in view, that is not only aimless, but distinctly debas ing in its tendencies. If wo do not de mand a high moral lesson to bo taught by what is called our best fiction, which too apparent purpose seoms to bo the ground and front of Its oifendliig in tho oyo of many of itscrltics, let us at least require of It a reasonablo degroo of wholosonio ness, that old-fashioned Ideals of good ness bo not entirely sacrificed to fine spun theories, and that there bo enough Ideality loft in it to act as 11 corrective to tho gross materialism of tho ago. George Eliot, In eonsoquoftoo of tho fidelity and conscientious acouraoy with which she drew her oharaetors and scenes, deserves a high placo in tho templo of realism, and yot how much moro was sho than a realist? touching always tho lifo that sho portrayed with tho liner touch of spirituality, and treat ing hor personalities, whntovor thoir faults and failures, and whntovor sho hersolf may havo professed to bollevo or to disbollove.us tho children or a l'atlior who designed them all for tho noblest uses, nnd would boHiitlsllod with nothing short of the porfeotlon'of sonshlp. Why olso did sho judge her characters with such lnoxorablo severity, being satisfied with no standard short of the highest? Anno II. Wharton, in Philadelphia Amuricun. JUDGE COOLEY'S WAY. Ilnw Ho Iliinti'd tip ICvlilnnco AguliMt n Itiillroinl Coiiiimny. A railroad ticket agent yostorday, In commenting upon tho lndlscrlnilnato cutting by brokers, told this: ".ludgo Cooloy has a way of rounding up tho scalpers that puts a stop to tholr opera tions in short order. Ho doos not wait for tho railroads to bring in evidence against them, but just goes out on a still hunt by himself, and gonorally goes homo with his bag full. Tho lust time ho was In Chicago ho dropped in sort of Incidentally upon ono of tho most ob noxious of tho brotherhood, and brought him into camp in a manner whloh gavo tho other scalpers cold foot for a mouth. "What can I got a tlekot to Now York for?" said ho, loaning confidentially ovor tho countor and tipping a wink to tho man behind. "Soventeon," replied tho brokor, briskly. "Can't you do any hotter than that?" responded .ludgo Cooloy, persuasively. Woll, tho broker thought that ho could, .and finally arranged to glvo tho .ludgo four tickets way down bolow tho logal rate. "Well, bring thorn around to my room at tho Grand Pacific to-night," said tho Jttdgo, "I haven't tho full amount with mo." So at tho appointed hour tho broker upponrod at tho rooms of tho ludgo. The Judge received him kind ly. "Hold up your right hand," said ho casually. Tho brokor did so with somo amusement "Now," continued tho Judge, "do yon swear to toll tho truth, tho whole truth aud nothing but tho truth?" "I'll bo hanged if I do any thing of tho kind." said the brokor, as his ex pression changed to blank umuzomont, and his hand dropped llko u shot. "Oh, I guess you will," returned Judge Cooloy with a careless drawl; "bore's my friend, tho United States marshal, Bitting by my side, und you will bo given ovor to his custody If you don't. So, now, sit down in that chair and toll Judgo Cooloy, of tho Inter-Stuto Commission, all about thoso tlokots you offered to soli him bolow tho legal rate this afternoon. 1 wunt to know oxuotly how much each road got for thorn and your commission." Tho broker foil in a limp lioup in tho chair, and before ho loft tho room tho Inter-Stato Cominorco Commission had exacted hoiiiO information which struck tho brokers all In a heap tho day uftor. Minneapolis Trlbuno. MENUS IN ENGLISH. French Niiuir on II1IU uf Kara Sound yurrr WIumi Ancllrlrd. Thoso persons who object to tho French names of dishes as glvon on menus nnd want them in Kngllsh would l.o much amused with a literal transla don of them. For instance, putta d'ainour means literally, fountalnH of love; anls etolle, starry snlse-sood; alios do poularde an solell, pullets' wingH In the sun; teufs a 1'nuroro, eggs blushing: like Aurora; bumf a l'ecarlato, beef la so irlet, I. e. rave; sauco en petit deuil, i.nue" in half-mourning, nnd hnrlcotH vlorgot, white virgin lcans. French cooks, too, aro Ingenious in tho now dishes as well as In the epithets they attach to them. Thus wo havo culottes a la roynle, sauco veloiKe, breeches In the royal fashion, with velvot jauco; tendons do veau en queue do paon, tendons of veal In a peacock's tail, and, epaulu de moutoii en balloon, on musette, a shouldoc of mutton In a bal loon or 11 bag-pipe. Sometimes their names nro so fanciful as to be totally incomprehensible, es pecially If you look for them in a dic tionary; such us palnis do Ixuuf en crucovle, n palace of lieof in Cracovi.i; fraises de veau, strawberries of veal; lis de veau en amourette, strawbreads of calves' marrow; llotte, sauce tomato, a fleet with tomato sauce, and unifs au mlrolr, which Is literally "eggs in a looking-glass," but means "poached, iggs." Hut there aro many of tholr dishes which are monstrous, and show strong tendency to cannibalism; for In stance: Salmi de ohassour.i, a hash of huntsmen; compete do bous Chretiens, a stew of good Christians; boucheo do lames, 11 mouthful ot ladles, andquatror meudinuts, four beggars, tho "four bog- jars" being almonds, raisins, ngs ana filberts. Thev like veau a I'utouiTudo, llvor ot veal, und poulets a l'volre, chickens llko Ivory. Other dishes are, on tho ;ontrary, quito shadowy and unsub Uantial, such as somolles do pordrlx, partridges' soles; Soulllo do rests v.osu pit IT, and line jonqulllr. jntlero, a whofo jonquil. Tho French nook, too, has way of serving up his dishes which Is as extraordinary as the rest. What should wo think of merlansen turban, whitings 111 turbans; eperlans cm comots, smelts in wafers; ralo boucleo aux capros, a thornback served with capers; or of tho jook who would bo so untidy us to send to table trulTos a la condro, trullloj cooked in aslios? Chicago ows. STRANGE PHENOMENA. l-'rtutkH or Nn turn Whlrli Torrltlml nml As IoiiUIiimI All Upholders. At Home, In I'J'J'J, It rained dust, mtxod with blood, for tbreodnys, and whon tho heavy clouds drifted away It looked as If tho sun was swimming in a sea of flro. Four years later, In lU'JO, a snow foil in Syrja, which presently molted and flowed in carinino rivers of blood, or iomo fluid muoh resembling it In every particular. Many of tho old wrltora record a throe-days' showor of blood-rod rain In the Island of Hhadosand through out Southern Itnly in 1!33(J. A monk, writing in 1S51, tells of a loaf being out oi tot whloh blood flowed as frooly a from a fresh wound. In 1!H8 thoro woro many great temposts. Several towns; and thousands of peoplo woro swnllowod up, and the courses ot rivers changod or stopped. Somo chasms In tho earth sont fortli poisonous fluids, as red us carinino Ink, as at Vlllaeh, In Austria. Pondor ous hailstones fell In many parti of Germany tho samo year, somo of thoin weighing from twonty to sovonty pounds. At Lnniech it rained llosh, dust, comets and meteors; fire brands and corruscatlons woro In tha u-ir; mock suns, with ilory tails, sailed through tho skies. Soon after thoso torrlblo scenes ut Lameoh It began at Catayii, near tho sea, and wont swoop ing throughout Southoni Europe An igneous vapor or sulphurous flro broko from tho earth at Caahory, Asia, and utterly consumed men, bousts houses and trees, so infecting tho air that a groat plague followed. Young soponta and millions of venomous insects foil from tho clouds. In liiui Burgundy oxporlonood tho novelty of n shower of blood-red rnln, whlolj ensanguined ovory thing" it touched; and in 1508 tho Antlura reap ers found all wheat heads to bo as rod. us blood. In 1588 broad put In tho ovon at Nuremberg was takon put covered with a bloody sweat. ertomborg had a shower of brimstone und aslios In l(i:u. In 1005 Llmoriok and Tlpporary, Ireland, had many showers of a soft, fatty substunco "resembling button It was of a dark yollow color and alwaya fell at night Tho peoplo gathorod it. nnd used it as an ointment, reporting- many astonishing cures. St. Louis Oiobo-Domocrat THE RIVAL LOVERS. A Htory Old n tho HIM Hut u (1 00a M Kver It W. A quaint story is told of two artist lovers who sought tho hand of a notod painter's daughtor. Tho quostion. whloh of tho two should possoss him self of tho prize so oarnostly covotod by both having como finally to tho fathor, ho promised to glvo his child to tho one that painted tho best picture. With tho highest skill his gonlua could coiniiiiind each strove for tho maiden. Ono palntod a ploturo ot fruit, and displayed It for tho fathor'a Inspection in 11 beautiful grovo whoro gay birds sang sweotly among tho foli age, und ull Nature rejoiced in tha luxuriance of bountiful lifo. Presontly tho birds camo t down to tho canvas ot tho young painter und nttompted to eat the fruit ho hud pictured thoro. In hlu sucpiiso and joy ut tho young artist's skill tho father declared that no onu could triumph ovor that. Soon, how ever, tho second lovor camo with his ploturo, and it was vallud. "Tako tho vaU from your painting," said tho old man. "1 .leave thatlto you," said tho young artist, with simple modesty. The fathor of tho young and lovely maiden then upproached tho vailed ploturo and uttemptod to uncover it Hut groat was his nston&ihmont whon, as hoat tempted to tako oir tho vail, ho found tho vull to bo tho ploturo. Plainly h who could so vail bis canvas with tho brush as to deceive a Hklllfulmnitor wa. tho greater artist N. V. Volco.
