The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-24


lEla cool huf no eacwed vitiz kh6
'fie5t azl f$SiS OF the s1ns ana SlSAx81
sSez N6S aclpnd 90 hinder lin frdSr
haixnipx mp the ;eaTth The, hiIlrsidas,S !
fhS ciaanneI where the brock had
flowed, the stones icf the csve, were
all equally bare; thare ives no soundS
Of voice, or bird, or insect mo cool
drops from the ceiling of; the caYe--s
no moisture even In the Goodness of
the shadow. Ellen leaned her head
on her husband, and Raulctt pressed
his arm sround her; both OF them
were thinking Of the basin empty of
,y:afersIFF y 4aEEE "a g
aEIlen," said Paulett, ssI think the;
time is come when the elements shall
melt with feryid heat It seems like
the conAagration of the world; not,
indeed, as we have always fancied it,
with flames and visible fire, but not
the less on that account the action OF
heat. Tt is, perhaps; the Last Day"
81 hope it is, said Ellen; 81 hope
it is, i wish those precious creatures
may be among those that are alive
end remain, and may be spared the
! torments Of this thirsty death.''
t.You and I could bear it If they
were gone, "said Paulett, glancing at
| them, and Withdrawing his eyes. E
sesOh, yes," said Ellen, pressing
near to him, and taking his hand IN
both of hers. They were silent, and
they heard the children talking as
they played.
ssThere is King Alexander" said
Charles, setting up pebble; che is
going to dinner. Put the dinner,
Alice"
Alice put out several other pebbles
before King Alexander.
| tsAnd he has 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"
said Ellen.
''Oh, Ellen, it would have been
better never to have given them
birth, said Paulctt.
"No, not that" said Ellen, sitting
down again; "though they must suf-
fer, they are better to be; when this
suffering has dissolved their bodies,
on the other side of these mortal
pains there is ease and happiness
"True. true, dear Ellen,' said
! Paulett, cit is only difficult to die. "
He held her hand, aud while he
did so, his eye fastened on o 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 was bride-and there was al
the pleasure and the business of the
world round us. 1t hardly seems as
If we were the same creatures
''No, We are not; for am thinking
concerning that ring which you never
were to part with, whether I could
convert the diamond into water"
"How, Paulett."
Il can't explain it to you. but il
has Juss crossed my mind that it is
possible; and if so, they are still
plenty of jewels in the world to keel
us alive
He drew Off the ring as he spoke,
aud went into the interior Of the
cave, whittier Ellen followed him
There was fire and some apparatus
belonging to Paulett, which he had
used in experiments upon the de
creasing water Of the basin. He
knocked the stone out of the setting,
and applied himself to decompose il
over the fire. He pnt forth all hi.
skill and all his power, and was sue
cessful; the diamond disappeared
and there remained few drops O.
water. He looked at his wife anc
smiled; she raised her eyes to his, as
tonished and pleased. took the cul
from his hand, and looked at tht
precious metamorphosis.
I'll give it the children, she said
and was going away, Int he stopped
her. ''No, Ellen, there is not enough
to do any good; you and l will drinl
) each others health in it, and he pu
the cup first to her lips, and then t,
his own. God bless you, my dea
} Ellen" he said, "my wife, 1 pledg,
you again with that diamond Th,
: first drop of water comes from tn,
: stone that plighted my faith to you
and may it bring you health and hap
piness yet"
God bless You, my husband. I
3 we could but die now"
r CHAPTER IT.
: Paulett now eXerted himself to col
: lect all the diamonds that RENAME,
l without owners in the neighborhood
+ First, he visited his own forsake
u