The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-02

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as the tide receded, and now swept
along with such overwhelming fury,
that every fallen stone had been
whirled away in their mad career.
leaving only the ruined walls of the
cottage, which still remained stand.
ing, supporting the s.nall piece OF
flooring where crouched The lapless
children, us a monument Of their de.
stl~uctive power.
It is impossible to picture 1ppre
fcarfully desolate condition than that
of the two girls at this moment. They
SAW and heard the force OF the torrent
too plainly to dare to hope that their
mother might yet live; and saved, as
they felt themselves to be as yet, by
almost a miracle, yet the remaining
walls were rent by such wide assures,
that tley expected every moment to
be crushed beneath their ruins All
means of escape were cut up from
them, and although the wind fell ra-
pldly, yet the ccascless roar of the
contending waters effectually prevent
ed their cries from being heard.
In the meantime, as morning dawn
ed and the storm abated, the fisher
men rose early to examine the extent
OF injury sustained by their. boats
during the night. AS Il party of them
were walking over the high bank of
sea-wced thrown up by the gale, the
foremost struck his foot against some
thing which caused him to stoop down
and remove the mass in which it was
enveloped, when, to his horror, he
discovered the body of woman.
Calling to his companions, they re-
moved the long wet hair that streamcd
over the face, and in the dim twilight
recognized the features of the unfor-
tunate Mrs. Kendall. Wrapping it
carefully in one of their pilot coats.
they carried it to a cottage close by,
and then determined to proceed to the
house which she occupied to see IL hel.
children had shared her fate. AS they
nearcd the spot, they passed Il guam
tlty Of stones with mortal. adherinu.
boards, and two OF three broken
chairs, thrown nip on the beach by the
tide: With their fears doubly excited
ny these symptoms Of rain, they quick
ened their pace, and in turning an
angle OF the elf: came Suddenly upon
all that remain" OF the once neat and
pretty dwclin. Of Mr. Kendall. The
whole of the III fronting the river
was torn away, leaving the remains Of
the rooms exposed. Tie little kitchen.
and, indeed. the whole of the ground
floor, WAS .nled with water, and the
work OF destruction so complete, that
''ii the fragments had been carried
away, leaving nothing but the shatter-
ca wreck. One OF the party had pro
Nlded himself with IL ladder, which
they now planted against the upper
windows, and one OF the foremost as
cehded. The poor children. who We're
almost stnpc1ied With cold and watch
ing, no sooner heard the voices of Their
preservers, than they cn.le;.vored to
reach the window; but the terrors of
the night had been too much for the
Youngest, and she fell fainting on the
moor. Her sister knclt hv her, and
chafed her icy hands. At this mo-
nent' the hardy fisherman. bursting
IN the window by Il blow Of his power
11l INST, sprung into the room.
'Ihank God, you're alive" be cx-
c1"imec; then calling to one Of his
companions to help him, they wrapped
olinke1s around each, and carefully
carried them down the ladder. The
lnhabltants OF q cottage not far off
We're aroused; and the flintinc, ex-
ha1sted children carried to it, where
the kindness of the owners soon re-
stored them sufficiently to tell I'LL the
events of that fearful night. The next
thing to be done was to apprise the
husband and son of the catastrophe;
and the old fisherman who had disco
vered the body, undertook to walk
over to Stanlynch, and break the
dreadful news as gently as possible to
them. Like the artist who covered
the mourner's face in his painting,
we leave the imagination of our read