Over the first doorway they saw a ram’s head and the first sign of the
Zodiac called Aries, while on either side of the broad steps leading to
the portico were lambs lying at rest.
“I am sorry to be the first to leave you,” said Harold, “but I am
strongly attracted this way.”
“Really, are you?” exclaimed Ione. “I don’t feel attracted toward it in
the least, and I should think I would, loving you as I do.”
“Not at all! Not at all!” responded the Brother. “That has nothing to do
with it.”
“Well, good-bye, we will soon join you in the temple,” they cried as
they walked toward the second entrance. Over this door they saw the head
of a bull and the second sign of the Zodiac called Taurus, while two
ferocious-looking bulls stood on either side of the entrance. No one
seemed inclined to pass through here.
Over the third entrance they saw the carved figures of The Twins
symbolizing the third sign, Gemini, but all passed by.
As they approached the next door, however, Ione said, “I feel decidedly
attracted this way,” and entered the door over which was to be seen the
Crab, symbolical of the fourth sign, Cancer.
As Ione passed through the doorway, the Princess said, “I wonder what
sign will attract me.”
“I think you will like Virgo best,” replied the Brother, and so it
proved, for they all passed the fifth door over which they saw the Lion
and when they neared the sixth entrance, that of Virgo, represented by a
beautiful carved figure of a virgin, the Princess said, “You are right,
Brother, if this is Virgo, for I want to enter here, so good-bye.”
After leaving Virgo, they passed the door over which was seen the scales
or balance representing the seventh sign, Libra; the one over which a
huge serpent was curled, representing the eighth sign, Scorpio, one over
which was to be seen the Archer, with his bow and arrow, the ninth sign,
Sagittarius, then past Capricornus, symbolized by the Goat, on to the
eleventh sign, Aquarius, the Water-Bearer. Here the Prince paused. “This
is my sign,” he said, “for it is the first I have felt drawn toward.”
“You are right,” replied the Brother. “It is yours and I will enter with
you and see what the others think of their respective signs. You have
made the complete round of the signs with the exception of the twelfth,
Pisces, which is symbolized by the Fishes.”
“We are glad to see you at last, Prince,” Harold cried. “We thought
perhaps you were hard to please and could not find a sign to suit you.”
“Oh, no,” he replied, “but I had to almost complete the circle before I
found where I belonged.”
“Now,” said the Brother, “I will tell you in a few words some of your
inclinations, according to your signs, but you must remember that these
will be greatly modified or accentuated as the case may be, according to
the position which different planets held at the hour of your births. It
would take too long to calculate planetary positions and give you an
exact reading of your future, so I will confine myself to what the birth
sign shows for each. I will commence with Mrs. Fredericks.”
“Oh! Oh!” laughed Ione, “For mercy’s sake don’t call me Mrs. It sounds
so grown up and queer. Please call me Ione.”
“Very well then, Ione. Being born under the sign Cancer which belongs to
the water division you will largely partake of the nature of that
element and will be changeable and restless, having many ups and downs
in fortune and position, also dangers especially of captivity. Journeys
or voyages are certain to be frequent and long. You are frequently in
danger from falls or hurts from horses, even wounds by human hands are
to be feared. As to your inclinations you are gifted with a fertile
imagination and you delight in strange scenes and in adventure. You can
easily adapt yourself to both places and people, the friendship and
attachment of others is an imperative need of your nature. You are
discreet and independent and very capable in a variety of ways. As the
Moon has great influence over the tides, so too it will strongly
influence you, causing you to feel elated and happy then correspondingly
gloomy and depressed. But the strongest characteristic of this sign is
the sympathy it inspires and the love for home and children. You are
very intuitive and can be governed by love rather than ruled by fear.
You are impatient of control and have little sympathy or liking for
narrow, conventional people, while very fond of the beautiful whether in
nature or in art, having decidedly artistic tastes. Your astral colors
are green and russet brown. Your jewels, the emerald and black onyx.”
[Illustration:
THEY WERE SOON GLIDING THROUGH CANAL AFTER CANAL
(p. 128)
]
“But you have not told me any of my faults,” said Ione.
“These I never tell with this kind of a reading. I only tell them when I
give the influence of the planets.”
“Mercury read Harold’s horoscope, so he can’t have his told again but we
should like to hear what you can tell the Princess,” said Ione.
“Very well! She is modest, reticent and must be well known to be well
understood as she keeps her talents in the background and never obtrudes
them upon people. She is an exceptionally good nurse as her hands
possess and impart a soothing, magnetic influence. She is kind and
agreeable in company and very confiding where affection is given. She
naturally inspires the confidence of her friends and will be the
recipient of many secrets which she will loyally keep. She is well
endowed mentally, is ingenious and even-tempered, not easily angered but
reasonable and just in her disposition. Long voyages in search of wealth
or in connection with property in foreign countries, are indicated.
Frequent changes of residence are shown, and residences or property in
two places. A goodly share of this world’s goods will fall to her share,
for her symbol the Virgin or the Gleaner promises much. With thrift and
an economical nature she combines an almost clairvoyant power of
discrimination and foresight. She must be known to be appreciated.”
After giving these short readings, the Brother asked if they would
partake of some light refreshments, assuring them that if they did not
like what was served they could not but be pleased with the beautiful
scene which would be laid before them.
They gladly assented and he quickly led them from the Temple to the
water’s edge where lay a magnificent gondola which they entered and in
which they were soon gliding through canal after canal until at last
they shot out from under a low hanging balcony into a Court of Honor,
lighted by myriads upon myriads of colored lamps and found themselves
surrounded by dozens and dozens of other gondolas floating or at rest
while their occupants, leaning back in graceful poses, listened to the
most sublime music mortal ears had ever heard. The musicians sat in
beautiful boat-shaped baskets made of flowers and suspended in air by
most beautiful, silken balloons that floated overhead carrying various
colored lamps and giving the scene the appearance of hundreds of
fireflies flitting here and there.
In the center of this Court of Honor was an island on which was a
pavilion of peculiar but beautiful design where refreshments were
served. This Court was so large that the magnificent buildings that
surrounded it were seen but faintly, which added greatly to the scene as
they seemed wrapped in a bluish purple mist, with only a white column
showing here and there lit by the reflection of some colored light. Here
one saw a pink fluted column half wreathed in mist; there another
glistening with a pale, green color, while in the cool depths of the
water on which they were floating could be seen reflections of the
entire scene as in a mirror.
Golden statues of females holding torches in their upraised arms lit
this gloriously beautiful court at regular intervals; broad steps led to
the water’s edge at the gondola landings, while magnificent colossal
statues of animals on broad pedestals stood as if guarding the
waterways.
“Oh! how beautiful!” they all exclaimed in tones of subdued ecstacy.
After they had feasted their eyes upon this view and had listened to the
divine strains of music that were wafted to them on gentlest breezes,
the Brother gave a signal to the gondolier to take them to the island.
While seated here he asked many questions about Earth and seemed greatly
interested in what they related. Then he told them what great changes
had taken place since he had lived there, but what astonished them most
was that he had been an astrologer on the lost island of Atlantis, and
that he had been on top of a high tower when the island was submerged.
“There has never been or ever will be such magnificent men and women as
lived then,” concluded the Brother, “for so much sin and disease has
crept into the world that it has destroyed the race physically and
morally to a great extent.”
Presently the old man spoke again.
“Have you heard of ambrosia that the gods lived upon? Well, I am going
to offer you some of it with some of our wafers.”
After tasting the ambrosia Ione said, “It tastes like the honey from a
flower wet with dew and has the bouquet of rose and violets, while it
makes one feel as if every drop of blood in him was a living cell of
life and joy.”
“I don’t wonder the gods were so powerful,” said Harold, “if they lived
on this nectar, for it certainly is the most delicious thing I ever
tasted.”
This praise greatly pleased the Brother. “Look in the west,” he said,
pointing his finger to indicate where the west was, up among the clouds.
They looked and then caught their breath. Forming a background to this
beautiful Court of Honor was what appeared to be the lights of an Aurora
Borealis while spanning it all was a rainbow of dazzling brightness.
“When these lights appear,” said Mercury, “it is a signal that I must
return to my island home shortly and as I want you to see the Milky Way
and several independent islands we have in space I think we had best bid
adieu to the Brother and hasten on.” With many hand grasps and farewells
they bade the Brother good-bye and once more floated off into the blue
ether, wrapped in their magic robes.