Newspaper Page Text
A MIDNIGHT SURPRISE,
And How it Was Foiled by Dis-
oliedience of Orders.
Written for the Scksy South.
BOUT the 10th of
Jane, 1861. Kershaw's
Second §outi> Carolina
regiment was camped
near Fairfax Court
house Virginia, and
(the Federate were at
, F tils Chuich, about
seven miles away The
dlHerent roads be
tween the two points
were picket* d by both
foie s with zialous
vigilance and occa
sionally with ex
changes of musketry, the outposts being
cavalrymen as a rule. It was very early
in the war, as will be notice t—in fact, it
Was earlier than the war, for there had
been thus far no genera' engagement
whatever between the opposing armies
Hence it was not uncommon for certain
infantrymen of the main body to go out
to the vidette lines "just to take a look
at a live Yankee picket.”
One day the writer and five others of
one of Kershaw's companies contrived
an incursion into the enemy s country,
the expedition being suggested more by
a love of adventure than by any probable
utility of which it mi-rbt prove from a
military standpoint. Beiog already a
mile in advance of camp, it would have
been laborons to return for permission;
so it was determb ed to flank bot h lines
of pickets of friend and foe a-lke, and
to procei d and return with celerity in
oner to report duly at roll call in camp,
failing or which the whole party would
be severely punished for their absence.
It wa9 not difficult to elude the Cm fed
crate picket in passing out, but lest ti e
attempt should prove aoortive on our re
turn, we had possess* d ourselves io|some
way with botn the countersign arid pa
role for the day. ...
With unexp clod ease we flanked the
Federal pic^eis and penetrated tb* ir
lines, proceeding cautiously along the
open load, but keeping close to the
feriCjs.
Within three miles of Fills Church we
cams suddenly upon a civilian, a Ctilon-
isi, whose couutenaucs betrayed his
fright, and whose fright betrayed that
he suspected we were Confederates. He
was on his way througu the F-jieial line
to ir.'de, having a pass from (leoerel
Mansfield, commanding r.t Alexandria.
Seeing thut ir he rescind the Ftderal
lip., be would be ceit-in to relate tne
present adventate, the result of which
THE WORLD'S DESIRE.
A STORY OF OLD GREEK AND EGYPTIAN LIFE.
BY
H. RIDER HAGGARD AND ANDREW LANG.
CONFEDERATE VETERANS’ HOME, ATLANTA GA, NOW NEARING COMPLETION.
that was certain—and it was determined
to play is mud as we could on his fears
in order to ootain all the advantage pos
sible to our unique siluatioo, and also to
learn definitely ,f w« cuuid the numb rs
and position of the Federal force at Fall’s
Cnurch. With evident inteut to be
truthful, he laid bare all bo kuea; and
the correctness or his stat-ment was
soon sft.r verified in pari Hj told us
that the r*per'e force at Fail's Church
vfls about 6.000, w-ile the picket at
Bi>-ns' couBisieu of 60 cava ry, two pieces
of field er-Mihry and two «o npanies of
infantry—about 300 men. This last state
ment c mu ported with oar own observa
tions.
j The prisoner was now told to turn off
wcuisTbeour prompt pursuit and capture, | the road and lead the way througu the
we seized tils military pass ou the | woods. If he shoiio entrap us, he was
Humped up plea of^ «£ j Jodie. If "nXvTng
, iti»f I ii{pMntlV dlVlUL'd. Sllffi I®d t-O
arm the previously unarmed amateur
scouts, and tie entire slxwere nowpro
, u red for a dauntless defence in the
event of attack. The sabre, entirely use-
less and cumbersome, was car. red by
e *Taktng D a straight w ay through a broad,
dense ^as d P “'Xo°n neutral
F ,^d P This movemetf 8»v«d the
prisoner the he e*£
admit to terrify* and «“»*>!***
safsrft.
the exploit. ,d and given his free
He was now P-j alu rtdly waved his
dom, and he goor^e vent off, minus
nmer - * * rms »»<I everything
horae, equlpmer^pp^^j. j n ^ he be
save bis wean f satisfaction at being
trayod • appeared that he had
thus exfffiPontinuous and severe out-
0®*® “.“fen at that early time, and
P° B * ” l .ysick of the service.
reached camp and it was dis-
" M 9iat we were primed with im
cov® r ^nformation gathered on a dan-
P° rt *Bccut within the deadly lines of
g® r °emy, Col Kersnaw not only over-
J®?d our unpermUted absence, sod
J%with remitted our sentences of ex
V duty, bat he determined upon an
amediate exploit wbicu, had it been
arried out, would have been one of the
riost brilliant of the war. In short, he
determined to attempt a midnight sur
prise of the enemy’s outpost camp ne .r
Bums’ house, and to gob le up the wnole
force.
At midnight of July 3,1861, Colonel
Kerah&w, having appointed part of bin
regiment for the daring project, took tao
pieces of Dels/.are Kemper s Alexandria
battery ai.d perhaps forty of the Blacx
Horse Cavalry, and moved noiselessly
away from Fairfax on the Falls Church
road. Tne wheels of the aitillery had
been mu 111 d, and the infantry had left
their canueus in camp.
At the first peep of day. the “surprise
party” came to a nalt, and then were be
gun a series of mysterious evolutions
which indicated that we must be In the
vicinity of tue game., Soon after the
white, siiieut tents of the sleeping Fed
erals cou.d be deserted in the gray-black
light of the earliest streaks of dawn.
Preparatioi s were at once made for
attack from simultaneous points, and
everything seemed full of promise of a
great result The formation was that r -f
a triangle with its sharp corn rs severed.
Tue artillery occupied one angle; the
cavalry the second; the infantry the
tnird. The plan was for the artillery to
open with cannister, firing a specified
number of rounds and then to cease. The
infantry were to discharge rapid volleys
into the startled camp and to pick off
the men as they came from the tents.
The cavalry were to ride down all who
attempted to escape.
A singular misfortune to the Confed
erates foiled the whole undertaking at
the very instant wheu its success seemed
most assured.
It was cow good daybreak, and distant
objtctsof prominence were easv to see.
The guns at the navy yard in Washing
ton, D. C., were distinctly beard, firing
the national salute—it being Fourth of
July morning—as the troops stood ready
ano impatient for the expected order to
attack.
It would have come in a minute, but a
volley of musketry burst forth from the
Confederate ranks, and a few men on
horseback were seen to scatter, and two
left hiui Oenuded of, m
“^mTh^iarwe fastened without
ir firient till we came in Bi*ht off tne re
serve guard of the Federal outpost. nuti“
SEiVnSHra
r2Se l, womaui>f conservative tendencies,
sfsasrw: sssmm
meals*at ’SE'SELtS*
and meet them, the
for her
time, for there was no one to assist he
snack, insisting
jSfejsjssutsg
wrote a challenge to Captain He
Smey of the Fiderals, fifty yards away.
^‘^'and^^dVnd^thVwaffor
him! This message, sealed and addressed,
&
his dinmr. Sne was not told the con-
tents but was made to believe they re
lated to an intercet slon for us on account
of our great military transgression of ,;
•H^g^rt^rharricdly of • l«f "
cbeon, we ponte y though precipitant
left-fir she had casually announced t
approachof the officers. From thec^
of a dump ot trets across the fi<trd
could see these file into h .°J* J >e
it was not long ere wo imagined thing
lanv atd his companions were *nts of
thtlr teeth over the defiant c
our daiing note. _ emerged
° j n a «ow minutes an offijivept tne
from the house and eager
hor zou with a quick glana chorus.
“That’s Deiany,” we satined toward
The uniformed figure Y, wbo were
a group < f mounted canid seemed to
halted plainly i- cur v authority.
sppftK nervously mid darted oil down
Half a dozen ef tb „ ..
the road. jne »® a 8® ll y> the
The bIx rebels lander the cnarglng
shaking of the esy felt, so near were
wetotbem! *‘*9 part of the story is
heautv -were unarmed, except
that the six an can i id small Colt’s
revolvers? just six, armed to the
» a . x cavePant our position without
, ria and, having scoured area
J^VYvir for us and finding us not,
„,..h;«ed at a gallop—that ie, five of
luian fiurned. We waited possibly
the »nutes for the sixth man to re
LtwJ then res dved to step forth
"jjr hiding placs and take the
f.s of discovery and capture.
• hat the six men feared the solita
va i .-r, but a gun fired by him at
. erins would have brought upon us
charge 'fa squadron.
Afith aTjnici-, tireless tread and keen
atcb upon objects, we retraced our way
or pert aps 1 hrte n i!es, when we heard
tfeeneez o a turu beyond the sharp
tern in the road a hundred feet before
ns. Dividirg quickly, we leaped tbe
fecc-s on both sices and fell -endlong
amor gTtbe deep,dead leaves, at the in*
stant that a robust cavalryman, appar
ently nncont clous of oar presence, rode
leisurely into view.
“Halt!” “hall!” was shouted simulta
neously from both sides of the road, and
the man reined up and seemed dumb
founded. . . .
There bad been no arrangement what
ever f<. r the exchange of prisoners at
pjist early day; indeed, tbe status of
“prisoners” was wholly undetermined;
and it was comidered a terrible thing to
become a mi it cry captive, since the
chance s of being unceremoniously hang
ed were first class.
The cavalryman seeing tbat rei i dance
seemed useiess, well armed as be was,
rather sullenly dismounted after hand
Ingdown his sabre and haviog been re
lieved of his carbine and pair of revolvers.
The first thing he i sked was:
“Boys, what are you going to do with
me?” . .
This quest ion was not an ef sy one, for
the half dozen rebels were still witbiu
the Yankee lines, and it was absurdly
apparent that they could not take him
either forward to the picket line or back
in the other direction.
Bnt the prisoner waa decidedly scared—
A GEORGIA RAT
A GREAT SHOWING.
Which Perished in a Humane | The Southward Trend of Material
or three of them to tall to the ground
Part of the BlackHorae Cavalry, in dia
regard of the most imperative and pre
cautionary lnatrnctlona, had dashed
helter-skelter down a road on which Ker
sbaw’s tnfantry were leveling a hundred
rifles, with orders to fire into anything
that came that way!
Weil, t vo men were killed outright,
and tbe first of these was pierced by six
teen bullets. The second had been shot
twelve times.
This terminated the expedition.
This firing of coarse aroused the slum
bering roe not alone on picket, bat at
Falls Church, 6 000 or 7,006 strong, and
tbe loDg roll c juld be heard all over the
land.
Kershaw had to get out of the trap as
rapidly as possible, and he did it. The
dead and wounded victims of the unfor
tunate stampede were put into wagons,
and the assaulting column turned its
face toward camp, arriving withont far
ther casualty.
Bismuth Miller.
Cause.
It is by no means an uncommon thing
for persons to ie bitten by rats, not
withstanding th-.t many believe the
tooth of the rodent to be deadly as tbat
of the asp, and to be quite ae certainly
avobicbl i. In trntb, the bite of a rat is
comparatively harmless, and would nor.
be very painful save for tue habit wh’ch
the animal has of pullirg his clenched
teeth quickly through tne flesh instead
of Mauaratin^ his ia wa who^ lu. Vv-Bti-b
tne war the hospitals at Richmond were
iafest. d by rats and thousands of Con
federates were nightly subjected to tin ir
rabid forays, the favorite points of attack
- eing the thin web of fl si between the
fingers and the cartialge between the
nostrils
It is seldom that a rat can resist the
inspiration to sink bin teeth into a sleep
ing person, aud this is probably some
times done from a pure spirit of mischief
When the wounded wight suddenly
wakes, smarting with a sharp, brief pain,
toe action terrifies the guilty animal,
who, as we have said, negltcts to open
his jaws, bat jerks away In alarm, tear
log ois teeth c.ear through the flesh.
. There was a rat in Gordon, tteorgia,
which, white folly sharing the predatory
proclivities of his genus, was clearly in
spired oy humane or premonitory mo
lives in his attacks upon the human
species. H* ra is the story as told by the
Gordon Press Appea’:
* A gentleman whose modesty prevents
our publishing his name and whose
veracity is unquestionable, relates tbe
following: -I had been picking cotton
in my field very hard all the morning,
and when dinner time came I laid down
in the ginhouee, ana must have dozed off
to sleep when all at once I felt a sharp
prick on the end of my finger. I jumped
up and saw a large rat looking at me in
tently, and he kept running backwards
aud forwards, bat coaling back at the
same place eacn time. I picked up a nut
and threw it so accurately that it killed
tne rat. About that time I discovered
some cotton on fire, which, I believe,
caused the -traoge actions of the rat, and
I believe that I, as well as the giuhouse,
would have been burned nad it not been
for the timely bite of the rat. I shall
have him stuffed.’ ”
LET HIM TRY IT HIMSELF.
Lesson Given to a Joker by a Man on the
Way tu the Guillotine.
Some years ago it was the custom in
France to conduct condemned criminals
through gaping crowds of idle spectators
to the public guillotine. On one such
occasion the unfortunate, seated upon
his coffin in tbe cart, heard a would be
wit in the crowd remark to a compan
ion:
“Well, I’ll bet that fellow don’t feel
much like laughing.”
The coarse attempt at a joke stung the
prisoner, and when tie arrived at the
scaffold he asked tnat the processsiou he
stayed a moment, as he had a confession
to make.
“Although I denied it at my trial, I had
accomplices in the crime for wnich I
nave been sentenced, and there,” point
ing to the joker, “is one of taem now.”
Great excitement ensued, and the party
designated was seized by the gendarmes
with no gentle hands. Out or tne con
fusion somebody managed to drag order,
and tjie wit was placed ou the scaffo.d
beside his accuser.
Such a fearfal case of abject t* rror as
the j >ker presented was never witnessed
in tnat sombre locality. After enjoying
his helpless fright for a few momeuts the
fated convict Bald to the official in
charge:
“Hd tried to make sport of my suffer
ings, bnt the man is Innocent. And as
soon as he seemed to be sore that it waa
no lauihing matter to be here, I waa
curious to see how mneh such a funny
feliow would laugh under similar circum
stances.”—Philadelphia Times.
The negroes of this country have taken
to celebrating the 9th of April aa the an
niversary of the day upon which their
emancipation became a practical fact.
It waa not an event in which they have
much right to gory. However much
they may congratulate themselves on the
consequences, they cannot dsim tbat it
was brought about by their efforts, or in
any special obecianca to their wishes.
The race felt satisfied with slavery as
their normal condition and had no aspir
ation for freedom which would have im
pelled to the endurance of sufferings and
the making of sacrifices for its attain
ment. Tueir emancipation, so far from
beiog achieved by them, was to a large
extent forced upon them; to pat it most
mildly, offered to them without their
special craving. No other people have
ever enjoyad freedom withont achiev
ing it.
Forces.
Special reports to the Manufacturers’
Record show that the iuv* stmect of out
side capital in the S >uth continues to
increase, with all indications puintlng to
a- heavy flo,? of mouey from the North
and England during the fail Into
mis sjetion. The entire' business world
seems to appreciate the fact that the
Scuta must, for the nexv 10 or 20 years,
be the center or the gres,’e .; activity
ui Ac* «*■ n«r jtere is
everywhere tb be seen irSouth ward trend
of Industrial movet. ents, of money and
of men of energy and foresight-. Among
tne leading enterprises of tbe week indi
eating this fact is the organization of an
English company to spend fl 000.000 or
xuore in the development of an iron
property In Tennessee, famous for sever
al generations for the quality of iron
produced when in operation, but idle of
late years because ot lack of railroad
facilities; the investment of fl,250 000 in
street railroad improvements lu Dallas
by a Philadelphia syndicate, and tbe
organization in the same city of two
companies of Northern capitalists to
build cotton mil s to cost about $500,000;
car works at Norfolk to cost $500 000;
a $200 000 ice factory at Atlanta by
Chicago peopb; a furnace and rolling
mill at Shenanboah, Va., by Philadelphia
capitalists; a.flEO OOu rolling mill at South
Pittsburg oy at. Louis iroumakers; a $2.
000,000 company of Northern people to
oeveiop a new town near Chattanooga,
to build a cotton mill and other enter
prises. These are bnt a few of the con
cerns repotted lor one week as being es
tablished by outside men and money. A
dozen or more other large enterprises
could be given, while hunartds are being
organized and will he brought out this
fall. While England and tue North are
thus taking such an active p«rt In the
industrial development of [ills section,
the South is keeping up wittlhe march
of progress, and is (icing, nwit has done
in tne past, a still greater Work on its
own account. Moreover, it ■ busy now
preparing to handle the Urgent cotton
crop ever pioduced—a crop that, count
ing the value of seed, wil fiield to the
South not much less tnan ^ 0 000,060—a
crap raised at the minimum i f cost, and
which will command the i aximum of
price, because the world ntei i and must
nave our cotton, even at th« Ugh prices
now ruling. Tne people of l us s, ctiou
have reason to rejoice over t ie splendid
prospects for tbe fall and liuter, lor
Lever before was the outlook io good for
a season of grtat prosperity i id of great
industrial, railroad and meftantile tc
tlvity.
the farm. This includes what is sold,
wulch Is definlie. B sides this we must
I also add what is consumed by man and
| beast. This latt r is not taken into con
sideration in estimating the profit of
farming, and here the great mistake ~
made. If the labor of man and beast
charged to one side, wi.at they- consume
must bo credited to the other Add the
use of the beasts outside tbe farm, for
pleasure etc., would go to the credit
side. The farmer does not take in
that his living is rs valunble as that of
the meobaLic. Bring all these things in
to tne account, and credit his living and
other things as others pay for them, and
then if the two sides balance, farm
ing has paid.
It may also be that tbe farm has
K/pn permanently improved, which
fu.ip-c So fe» rcV , -.Jvw.--_Uu^'cea , uiii the
these things that they cannot tell wheth
er their farming pays or . ot. If they
find themselves in debt they conclude
that farming does not pay, while the fact
is, they are ia debt from other reasons,
and would be in debt in any other calling
jnst the same. The trouble lain them
selves, and not in the farm. Besides,
there is a great difference in tbe value
of the labor of farmers. That of one may
be worth twice as much as that or anoth
er. One it a good farmer and the other
is a poor one, side by side; one plays
while the other works, and one works
harder and wiser than the other. Brains
have valne in farming aa well as Indus
try. We know of one farmer who keeps
an account with every lot on his farm,
credits it with the interest on its value,
and with all it produces at market prices,
and charges it with all the labor pat on
it. He knows not only whether the lot
DOES FARMING PJY?
If the almost universal comp] int among
farm era. at .tie presenttlme were well
founded, there would bt but cne answer
tb this question. Not <niy Would it be
that farming does not lay, ott that far
mere were on the vergtof ruft. We ap
prehend that the com paint it not made
with any uuiform or evo d ti cite idea of
w hat w*. uld be paying inning. Nor are
there many farmers ’ho really know
whether th*ir farmingpays or not. It
does not at all folio' fcesause prices
of farm produce are lk, that farming
does not pay. It mf be that other
things are equally low, and that
the balance is as goo as ever it was.
There is a tendency aoug farmers when
pric- s are low to find Mt with the man-
efacture of machinery id with railroads
and the government stead of looking
into tbe fact s of the ca.
If g farmer can buy wnueh as he ever
could with his produces farming pays
as well as it everdidjthough he may
not handle as much mey. Edward At
kinson, the highe-t statical authority,
maintains with facts tt measured with
tbe costs of productu now and in by
gone years, and by tapresenc aa well
as past purchasing p** ®f what he
produces, farming * ** profita-
Die as ever. If * re j 1 '* been
a decline In tbe t* ot produce,
there has also been decline In the
price of |farm machsry since 1880
of Lorn thirty to si*, per cent. Tue
same Is true of groges, dry goods,
etc. The Orange Judwarmsr says the
farmer has gained moky reductions in
his favor than he haWt from the de
creased value of his jduc.s. There is
too much prassiinismiong the farmers
and about farming. *nd out whether
farming pays, one shii first ascertain
tbe present value cf Lf" 1 ®’ com
pute interest on tb*tthe legal pe*
cant. Then add to tt the value of the
labor of man and beafxpended on tne
farm, and whatever kpanded tor im
plements, fertilizers!
make the debtor sid
the creditor side we 1
pays, bnt also what pays best on the lot.
That farmer is ranked as a most intelli
gent farmer, and is growing rich. The
jiving of farmers is different, and h era is
wh»re the profit is used np or saved. An
old Quaker, esteemed very honest, used
to say to bit customers. “Ag.1 live, I
cannot call that for any less.” And for
years no one noticed the emphasis he
put on the words to tell the truth, until
one cf bis customers replied to him, “As
you llveT then you must live differently.”
As he lived, bis business must pay large
profits, otherwise he must change his
style of living. Here Is the trouble with
farmers and all classes; the style of living
is too expensive tor the product of their
labor If one must have fine carriages
and his house be furnished with Brussels
carpets aud piano, and other things to
correspond, he cannot expect his farm to
pay for them. If his wife and daugh
ters must have silk dresses and otber
things to match, there cannot be a sur
pins.
But the manner of living has nothing
really to do with the question whether
farming pays. The question is simply
this: Does farming pay interest on mon
ey invested, and a fair price for labor be
stowed? The farmer boasts of his inde
S endence, and may take a day off when
e pleases, and gets good food and plen
ty of it, and his calling is respected, and
if his farm does not yield large profits, it
gives comfort and health and home, and
nothing pays better in this country than
to raise farmers’ sons and daughters.—
Cincinnatus in New York Evangelist.
Atlanta Scotch-Irish Society.
A patriotic address was issued in May
to those citizens of Atlanta and vicinity
who descended of Scotch-Irish parent
age, the appeal being intended to bring
all sues together into formal and irater
nal nnlon. Out of this effort has now
evolved one of tbe best organized and
most promising social bodies in onr city.
Tbe object of the society is laconically
told in tho second article of the Consti
tution:
“Tne purposes of the Society are tbe
preservation of Scotch Irish history, the
keeping alive the esprit du corps ot the
race and the promotion of social inter
course and fraternal feeling among its
members, and no political or sectarian
action shall be taken by the Society.”
It is needless to say that toe new So
clety already includes in Its membership
many of our most notable citizens, and
that its esprit and vigor are sack as to
assure rapnte and permanence to its
career.
Tne officers of the Scotch Irlah Society
are as follows:
President, Rev, J. N. Craig; First Vice-
President, Col. B J Wilson; Second Vioe*
President, Rev. G. B Striekler. D. D
Third Vice President, Judge J T. Nesbit
Secretary and Treasurer, W. Hugh Hun
ter; Assistant Secretary, J. W. Xhomp
son.
Directors-Dr. W. S K-ndriek, Rev. G.
M. Funsten, J C. Kirkpatrick, T. H. P.
Blood worth. William Laird, N. C. Spence,
Jas. L. McWhorter, Samuel Barnett.
The headquarters of the society are at
Room 8, Gate Ci«y Bank Building.
The Summer's Fatalities.
CHAPTER VII.
“The Divine Pharaoh Raineses died,
and was gatheied to Osiris With these
hands I closed his coffin and set!'in iu
bis splendid tomb, where he shall rest
unharmed forever till the day of the
awakening. And Meriamun and Mnnep-
tah reigned in Kehm. But to Pharaoh sue
W as very cold, though he did ner will iu
everything, and they had but one cnild,
so that in a while he wearied of her love-
* “But hers was the master mind, and
she ruled Pharaoh as sbe ruled all else.
“For me, my lot was bettereo; she
talked much with me, and advanced me
to great dignity, so that I was tbe first
Master bnilder in Kiem, and commander
of the legion of Amen
‘-Now it chanced that Merismnn made
a feast, where si e entertained Pusraob,
and Hataaka sat beside htm. Sbe was
tbe fliat lady about the Queen’s person,
a beautl'ul but insolent woman, wno naa
gained Pnaraoh’s favor for the hour
Now wine worked so with the King that
ue toyed openly with the lady Hataska s
hand, but Meriamun, tbe Queen, took no
note, though Hataska, wno had also
drunk of the warm wine of the Lower
i .nri gross insolent, aa was her wont
Sbe quaffvd deep from her cup of gold,
and bade a slave bear it to the Queen,
crying: “Pledge me my sister.’
“The meanlu g of her message was plain
to all who bearo; this watting lady open
ly declared herself wife to Pnaraoh and
an equal of tbe Queen. Now Meriamun
carea nothing for fuaraoh’s love, Dut lor
power she did care, and sbe frowned,
while a light shone in her dark eyes; yet
she took the cup ana touched it witn ner
lips.
• presently she lifted her own cup in
turn and toyed with it, then made pre
tence io drink, and said softly to tbe
King s paramour, who had pledged her:
“ -Pledge me in answer, Hataska, my
servant, for soon, meihinfcs, thou snail
be greater than the Queen.’
“Now this foollth woman read her say
ing wrong, and took the golden cup irorn
tne eunuen who bore it.
“With a little nod to the Queen and a
wave of her slim nano Haiaska drank,
and instantly, with a greet cry, sue foil
dead across the board. Toen, when all
the company sat in terror, neither dar
ing to ne silent nor lo i peak, ana while
Meriamun smiled scorufu iy ou the dark
head ly ng low among me rost-s on the
board, Pharaoh leaped up, mad with
wrath, and called to the guards to stizj
tne Queen. But she waved them haca,
and speaking iu a co.d, slow voice, she
said:
“ -Dare not to touch Khemi's annoint
ed Queen, lest youc fate be as ner fata.
Rash-tsaiT wSSSk&tt&SSS.Sft^t r .:
It Is noted that the summer months of
this year have been marked by a long,
sad chapter of disasters, resulting in an
nnosnatly large nu ubsr of deaths. The
total losses of life, as far as reported,
from June 1 to August-20 comprise 222 by
„ fire, 828 by drowning. 202 by explosions.
This would ■ 51 by falling buildings, 94 in mines, 299 _
tha farm. For I by cyclones and storms, 1067 ou railroads I coming of the embalmers
the produce of and 237 by lightning. *. 1
thy wan ton 8 throw their insolence in my
teeth and name tee their sister? Not so,
for if my eyes be blind, yet are my ears
open. Peace, she is rlghtl.v served—
cnooee thou a lowlier mistress!’
“And Puaraoh made no answer, for be
feared ner with an ever-growing fear.
But she, sinkiug back in her seat of state,
played with the gold kepher On her breast,
and watched them bear the body forth to
the House of Osiris. One by one all the
company made obeisance and passed
thence, glad to be gone, till at tne last
there were left only Pnaraoh and Meria-
muD, the Queen, and myself—Rat, the
priest—fur aii were much afraid. Then
Pharaoh spoke, looking neither at her
nor at me, and half in fear, half in anger:
“‘Thou hateful woman, accursed be
the day when first I looked upon thy
beanty. Thou hast conquered me, but
beware, for I am still Pharaoh and thy
Lord. Gross my purpose once again,
and, by him who sleeps at Phi ae, 1 will
disown thee and give thy body to the
tormentors, and set tby son! loose to fol
low her whom thou hast slain.’
Then Meriamnn answered, proudl :
‘Pharaoh, be warned: lift Dut one fin
ger against my majesty and thou art
doomed. Thon const not slay me, but I
can overmatch thee, and I swear by the
same oath! By Him whosleeps at Philac,
life bnt a hand against me, ay, harbor
one thought of treachery and thon dieat.
Not lightly can I be deceived, for I have
messengers that thon canst not hear.
Something, Royal Meneptah, do I know
of tne magic of that Queen Taia who was
before me. Now listen—do this one
thing and all shall be well. Go on thy
path and leave me to follow mine. Queen
am, Quten i will remain, and in all
mateera of tho Slate, mine must be an
equal voice, though it is thine that
speaks. And, for the rest, we are apart,
henceforth, for thou fearest me, and,
Meneptah, I love not thee, nor any man.’
“ ‘As thon hast spoken, so be it, quoth
Pharaoh, for his heart sank, and bio fear
came back upon him. ‘Evil was the nay
when first we met and this is the price of
my desire. Henceforth we are apart in
bed and board, bnt in the council we are
still one, for onr ends are one. I know
thy power, Meriamnn, thon gifted of the
evil gods; thou needesc not fear that I
shall aeex to slay thee, for a spear cast
against tqe heavens returns on niin who
tnrew it. Rei, my servant, thon wert
witness to onr oaths; hear now their an
doing. Meriamun, tne Queen of ancient
Koem, thou art no mo.e wife of mine.
Farewell ’
“And he went heavily and stricken
with fear.
'* ‘Nay,’ she said, gazing after him, 'no
more am I Meneptan’a wife, but still am
I Khemi’s dieaded Queen. On, thou old
priest, I am aweary. See what a lot is
mine, wno have all things bat love,
aud yet am sick of all! 1 longed for
power, and power is mine, and what is
powei? ft is a rod wherewith we beat
the air that straightway closes on the
stroke. Yes, I tire of my loveless dsys
and of this doll round of common things.
O i, for one boor of love and in that hour
to diet Oo, that the future would lift its
veil and reveal the face of time to be.
Say, Rs,! Wilt thou be bold and dare a
deed?’ Aud she clasped me by the sleeve
and whispered in my ear in the dead
tongue known to her and me. ‘Her I
slew—thou sawest ’
“‘Ay, Queen, I saw—what of her?
’Twas ill none.'
“‘May, ’twas rightly done and well
done. Bnt thou knowest she is not yet
eold, nor for a wbi.e will be, and I have
the art to drag her spirit back ere she be
cold, from Where she Is, and to force
knowledge from its lips—for being an
Osiris all the future is open to her in this
boor.’
“ ‘Nay, nay.’ 1 cried. * ’Tie nnboly—not
lightly may we disturb the dead lest the
guardian gods be moved to anger.’
“ ‘Yet will I do it, Rei. If thon dost
fear, come not. Bnt I go. I am fain for
knowledge and thus only may I win It.
If I die in tbe dread endeavor write this
of Meriamnn: Tnat in seeking the To-
Be—she found It!”
“ Nay, Royal Lady,’ I answered, «thou
sbait not go alone. I, too, have some
skill in magic and perchance can ward
evil from tbee. So, if indeed thon wilt
dare this dreadful tning, behold now as
ever, I am thy servant.’
“‘It is well. See, now, the body will
this night be laid in the sanctuary of the
Temple of Osiris, that ia near the great
gates, as is the custom, to await the
coming of the embalmers. Come era she
be colder than my heprt, come with me 7^n’ the othw, Ytm
Rei, to the houce of theLird of the dead!’
“She passed to ner cu-tuibar wrapped
herself about In a dark robe, and hurried
with me to the temple doors, waere we
were challeng' d by tue guards.
“ ‘W no passes? In tbe name of the
Holy Osiris, speak ’
Rsi, the Master Builder and the an
ointed Priest, and with him another,’ I
made answer. ‘Opan.’
“ ‘Nay, I o; eu not. There is one with
in who may not be wakened.’
“ -Who, then, is within?’
“ ‘She whom the Queen slew.’
“ ‘The Quei n eeuds one who would
look on hi r she slew.’
“Then the priest gszid on the hooded
form beside me and started back, crying,
*A token, noble Ret.’
‘I held up the Royal signet, and, bow*
ing, he opened. Being come within the
temple I >it the tapers that hid been pre*
pared. Tneo by their feeble light w<
passed through tbe outer hall till we
came to the curtains that veil the sand
inary of the Holy Place, and here 1
quenched the tapers; for to tire must
enter there, save ’hat which burns upos
the altar of the dsad. But through the
curtains came rays of light.
“ -Open! said Meriamun, and I opened,
and hand in hand we pasted in. On the
altar that is in the place the flame burnt
brightly. The chamber is not wide and
great, for this is the smallest of the tem
ples of Tania, but yet so large that the
light coaid not reach its walls nor pierce
the overhanging gloom, and by mnch
gazing scarcely coaid we discover the
outline of the graven shapes of the holy
gids that are upon the wails. But the
light fell Ciear upon the great status of
the Osiris that was seated behind the
altar fashioned in t ie Dlack stone of
Syene, would about with tbe corpse
cloths, wearing on bis head the crown of
tbe Upper Land, and holding la his
hands the crook of divinity and the aw
ful scourge o r punishment. The light
shone all about the white shape of dread
that was placed upon bis holy knees, the
nated shvpe of the lost Hataska who
this bight had died at the hand of Meria-
man. There she bowed her headsgainst
the sacred breast, her lung hair stream
ing down on either side, her ar • s tied
across her heart-, and her eyes, whence
tbe hues of life had scarcely fifed, wide
ly stating at the darks ess uf tbe sorine.
For at. Tanis to this day it is the cus
tom for a night to place those of h ; gh
birth or office who die suddenly upon tne
knees of tue statue of O-iiiis.
“ ‘See,’ I said to the Q ieeo, speaking
low, lor the weight or the dead place
sank into my hi art, -see how she who
scarce an hour ago was but a lovely wan
ton hath by thine act been clad in majes
ty greater than all the glory of tne earth.
Bethink thee, wilt thou indeed dare to
sumvnon oack the spirit io the form
whence thou hast set i: free? Not easily,
0 Queen, may it be done for all thy magic
ana if percoance she aDswereth thee,
well may it be that the terror of her
words shall o’erwnelm us.’
‘“Nay,’ she made answer. ‘I am in
structed. I fear not. I know by what
name to call the Khou tbat hovers on the
threshold of the Double Hall of Truth,
aud how to send it back to its own place.
1 fear not, bat if perchance thou fearest,
Rei, depart hence and leave me to the
task alone.’
“ Nay,’ I said. ‘I also am instructed,
and I go not. But I say to thee this is
unholy.-
“Then Meriamnn spake no more—bnt
lifting np her hands held them heaven
ward and so for a while she stood, her
face fixed, aa was the face of the dead
Hataska. Then, as mast be done, I drew
the circle round ns and round the altar
and the statue of Osiris and that which
•at upon his knee. With my staff I drew
it, and standing therein I said the holy
words which should ward away the evil
things that come near in anch an hour.
“Toen Meriamnn threw a certain pow
der ioto the flame upon the alia'. Tarice
she threw the powder, and aa she threw
it a ball of flame rose from the altar and
floated away, tach time tha. she threw
did the ball of fi:e rise; and this it
was needful to do, for by fire only can
the dead be manifest, and therefore was
a globe of fi.-e given to each of the three
shapes that together make the threefold
spirit of the dead. And when the three
globes of fire had melted into air. pass
ing over tbe head of the statne of Osiris,
thrice did Meriamun cry aloud:
“‘Hataiks! Hataska! Hataska!
“ ‘By the dre dful name I summon thee.
“ ‘l summon thee from tne threshold of
the Double Hail.
“1 summon thee from tie Gitesof
Judgment.
“ -I summon thee from the maw of
Doom
“ By the link of life and death tbat is
between thee and me, I b d tbee come
from where thon art and make answer to
that which I shall ask of tnee.’
“She ceaied, but no answer came. Still
the cold Osiris smiled, and still the body
on his knee sat with open eyes gazing
into nothingness.
“ ‘Not thus easily,’ I whispered, ‘may
this dreadful thing be done. Tnou art
instructed in the Word of Fear. If thou
dareat, let it pass thy lips or let us be
gone.’
“ ‘Nay, it shall be spoken,’ she said—
and thus sbe wrought. Passing to the
statne she hid her head within her cloak,
and with both hands grasped the feet of
the slain Hataska
“Seeing this I also crouched upon the
floor and hid my face, for it is aeath to
hear that Woid with an uncovered facs
“Then in so soft a whisper that scarce
had its breath stirred a feather on her
lips Meriamnn spoke the Word of Fear
which may not be written, whose sound
has power to pass aU space and open the
ears of the deal who dwell in Amenti.
Softly shwsaid it,! u t^in a about of th under
it was canaht np and echoed from her
lipe, and dren the eternal halls it seemed
to rush on the feet of storm and the
wings of thunder, so that the root rooked
and the deep foundations of the temple
quivered like a windstirred tree.
-‘‘Unveil, ye mortals!” cried adreadfnl
voice, ‘and look upon the sight of fesr
tbat ye have dared to summon.’
“And I rose and east my cloak from
about my face and gazed and then sank
down in terror. For round about the
circle that 1 had drawn pressed all the
multitude of the dead; that countless as
the desert sands they presstd, gazing with
swrol eyes open us twain. And the Are
that was on the altar died away, but yet
was there light, for horn those dead eves
it shone, and in the eyes of lost Hataska
was than light.
“And ever the faces changed, never for
one beat of time c id they cease to change.
For as we gszed upon a face it would
melt, even to the eyes, and round to th< se
a«»*n would gather bnt no
inore the same. And like the sloping
sides of pyramids were the faces set about
ns rrom the ground to the temple roof—
•®?«® u ; were fixed their glowing eyes.
thaf £?anlr Re1, instructed, knew
that to suffer myself to be overcome with
-.YELT“i i? 6 * 1 , 11 ’ f 8 ik w * 8 ® e ath to pass
withont the circle. Bo in my heart!
called upon Osiris, Lord of the Dsad
J° ®*. *nd even as I named
the ineffable name, lr! all the thousand,
thousand faces bent themselves In ador-
atton, and then, turning, looked each
though each