The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-12-12


there would be sometimes n miserable man or
woman tracing the presence Of living crea.
'ures and crying for water. PAulett or hit
we supplied several, and when they had been
!r, being strengthened themselves, felt the
! desperate desire Of life revive, and attempted
Violence 70 get at the treasure. After this
me inhabltants Of the cavern fell back to mere
self preservation, and the father and mother
we're able TO harden their hearts against others
oy looking at the two creatures whom they
lad horn into the world, aud who depended
upon them. But, indeed, life seemed to shrink
:apidly TO nothing over the face of the coun-
ry. 1t was very rare TO see q moving form OF
my Manifestations of beasts and men were In
lenty. and their white bones lay ON the arid
'oil or even their withered shapes, dried by.
Inc air and the sun, were stretched out ON the
,laces where they had ceased to suffer; but
life was most rare, and 1t became scarcely me-
yader Of their store. The dreadful misery
was, that this stOrq:stlimtnished. The heart OF
the earth seemed drying, and was ceasing to
oe capable Of yielding moisture even to the
I little one hot day that Paulett and Ellen
| scarcely mOistened their lips after their meal
u baked corn, and warned the children that
| the draught they received was the only one
that could be given them. Charles was now
seven years old, and had learned to submit,
but his longing eyes pleaded for more little
Alice was clamorous, and the mother felt
tears overflow her eyes to think that there
was no possibility Of yielding to that childish
peevishness, and that the absolute non exist.
ence OF water must punish her poor child's
willfulness. When Paulett had set his instru.
ments to work to renew, II possible, the sup
ply. and when Ellen had removed the silver
cups and dishes which had held their corn and
water, he and she sat down at the mouth Of
the cavern, and the little ones got their play
things and placed them on piece of rock not
far OF. The mouth of the cave is lofty and
there is a sort of a terrace running along one
side, at the foot Of which lay the channel of
fHGl
down the first reach Of narrow valley,
which turns presently afterwards, and SO
shuts out the world beyond from sight and
| the hill on each side rises high and from its
perpendicularity, seems even higher than II
is. The shade Of the cavern was deep and
cool, but the sky glowed with the heat and
light of the sun, and there was not cloud to
hinder him from burning up the earth. The
hill sides. the channel where the brook had
flowed, the stones of the cave, were all equal
ly bare; there was no sound of voice, or bird,
cave-nO moisture even in the cOOlness of the
shadow. Ellen leaned her head on her hus-
band and Paulett pressed his arm round her
both of them were thinking OF the basin
empty OF water. Ellen,' said Paulett, IL
think the time Is come when the elements
shall melt with fervid heat. 1t seems like the
conhagration of the world not, indeed,
we have always fancied it, with flames and
visible fire. but not the less on that account
the action of heat 1t is, perhaps, the Last
Day"
~ nope IL Is, said Ellen, hope 1t le
wish those precious creatures may be among
those that are alive and remain, and may be
spared the torments Of this thirsty DEATH"
You and could bear it if they were gone,"
ing his eyes
"Oh, yes - said Ellen, pressing near to him,
and taking his hand in both hers. They were
silent, and they heard the children talking IL
they played.
There is King Alexander" said Charles.
setting up pebble; "he Is going to dinner.
Put the dinner Alice
Alice put out several other pebbles before
King Alexander.
"And ne has a great feast. There Is plenty
OF water, more than he can drink, and he
drinks-drinks AS much as he likes, and still
there is plenty OF water when he goes to bed
Poor children! can't bear it, said Ellen.
"Oh, Ellen: it would have been better never
to have given them BIRTH said Paulett.
mo; not that" said Ellen, sitting down
again; though they must suffer, they are
better to be; when this suffering has dis
solved their bodies. ON the other side OF these
mortal pains there is ease and happiness
True, true, dear Ellen" said Paulett; "it
is only difficult to die"
He held her hand, and while ne did so his
eye fastened on diamond ring which she
wore. She observed his fixed look.
You gave me that when We little thought
how it was We should part-when I WAS a
bride-and there was all the pleasure and bu
siness of the world round us. 1t hardly
seems rs If we were the same creatures1"
NO, we are not for I am thinking con.
cerning that ring which you were never to part
with, whether could not convert the diamond
into water"
"HOw Paulctt?''
81 can't explain 1t TO you. but it has just
crossed my mind that it is possible and II SO,
there are stili plenty OF jewels in the world to
He drew Off the ring as he spoke, and went
into the interior Of the cave, whittier Ellen fol-
lowed him. There was fire and some appa.
ratus belonging TO Paulett, which he had used
i'll experiments upon the decreasing water OF
the basin. He knocked the stone out Of Its
setting, and applied himself to decOmpOse 1t
over the fire. He put forth all his skill and
Ill his power, and was successful; the dia-
mOnd disappeared, and there remained q few
drops of water. He looked ut his wife and
smiled she raised her eyes to his, astonished
and pleased, took the cup from his hand and
looked 1T the precious metamOrphOsis.
"In give it the children she said, and was
going away, but he stopped her. mo, Ellen,
there is not enough to do any good you and 1
viii drink each Others health in 1t - and he
put the cup first to her lips ana then to his
own. "God bless you, my dear Ellen - he
said, "my wife, pledge you again with that
diamond. The first drop Of water-comes from
the stone that plighed my faith to You, and
may it bring you health and happiness yet"
'.God bless you, my husband! 1t we could
but die nOW." E''
CHAPTER II.
Paulett now exerted himself to collect all
the diamonds that remained without owners
in the neighbOrhOod. First he visited his own
forsaken home, and took thence the jewels
which he had neglected in his retreat from 1t,
but which were now as precious as water. he
found no great store even after ransacking all
the houses within reach, and determined to
undertake longer journey in search Of more.
The basin in the cavern continued to yield y
scanty supply Of water. and Paulett extracted
a small quantity from his stones. He made
what provision he could for his family before
setting out. and for his own necessities took
the smallest possible portion In \ silver vessel,
cealed about his person. 1t was q strange
parting between his wife and him, both Of
them feeling and saying that alive they should
probably not meet again; yet Death was 80
near them constantly, and was 70 far better
than life, that his presence had grown familiar;
and it was only the mode in which he would
come that made them anxious. Paulett per-
ishing alone with thirst was the fearful image
to Ellen; and Ellen and her children waiting
for him, and dying one after the other for
want Of his help, was the dread OF faulett.-'
They stood In the cavern, and embraced each
other silently, and blessed their children with
the same prayer for the last time. The little
Ont iyQd0 nr1ru rr,od nd