The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-29

Gf1GlOuS, CucSo AAuo hO" ASNS cSSh
over, and the years passed away
without bringing "r sending q single
wing. The course of the seasons,
too, was strange and unnatural. It
seemed as if the earth performed its
usual course in the heavens, and kept
its place and functions in the move
ments of the planets; days and nights
varied in their length according to
the season, and the heat of the sun
was at one time of the year great, and
at another weak; but much that de-
pended hitherto on the constitution
of the globe was suspended. There
were no clouds in the sky, no dews
dropping from the air, no reproduc-
ton in the earth. 1t seemed decayed,
and dying of old age. Yet Paulett
said n new existence would, perhaps,
arise OH this same scene, and from
these same elements. Once before
the earth had been reduced to eight
persons by the action Of water; and
now the absence of the same element
had brought it to four. Charles and
Alice might be the destined parents
of new race, and those names that
were so familiar now might become
the venerable appellation of tho
founders of the third race of man
Ellen smiled and shook her head,
looking at the boy and girl, who were
building house of pebbles; and both
parents listened for while to what
they were saying. Charles recollect-
the great shipwreck of human life
drove them to the cavern; and he
was teaching Alice that there were
rooms below and rooms above, and
that he had heard how people like
their father had carried great stones,
and put them one on another to make
these rooms. Alice persisted in
making her house one hollow ca
vern, and the other she called Charles
house. and did not understand his
recommendation.
"Charles is taking the part already
of a teacher, in whom remains the
Evolutionary knowledge of an old
world, said Paulett; ''and Alice rep
resents the new inhabitants, who have
their own rude copies of natural OBJ
jects, but who will be open to the
training of the learned man."
''The learned man will be their
father said Ellen. ''They will
gladly take their notions from him.
eyes; but if it should be so des-
tined, the first generation must work
hard, merely to ive-they must be
very long ignorant of everything ex-
cept paternal government and such
habitations as can be raised or appro-
propriated most easily. They will be
children in comparison to Charles all
their lives, if we can but succeed in
giving him the ideas of the age in
which We have lived. Fancy, then,
Ellen, increased to perhaps fifty in
habitants before he dies, very old
man coming round his chair to hear
Of the wonderful steam engine, and
the use Of the telescope, and to learn
the art of printing, and the list of the
different languages, which Romans,
Frenchmen, Germans, Greeks used,
and what lions wore. and horses"
cor tell them how he and Alice
escaped from the great drought"
said Ellen. "But, alas! it is far more
likely he and she will perish in it;
and, then, of what use is this know
ledge to him?"
"Why-his soul. 1t is a thing
immortal like thyself;' and if what
he knows is Of no use here, it will be
useful elsewhere.
What" said Ellen, smiling; "are
there railroads and telescopes in an
other world?"
''For aught / can tell. At all
events, the powers that contrive them
here may contrive something from
the same principles hereafter.'
''But we can tell nothing about the
other world" said Ellen.
''Nay, this is unoMer ,ro,3a to the
stars; and if we know nothing about
our destiny, the only way we have to
judge is by what we actully are, and
tend to be now. SO, while life re-
mains, | will teach my boy all I
know, and go on as man of this
world ought to do; then we Shall be
ready for everything.'
Accordingly, Paulett every day car
ried on his sons education, as far as
the boys age permitted, and instruct
ed him in all that he would have
learned had the world been as it was
formerly. Only like man in ship
wreck, looking forward to desert
island rs his best hope, he dwelt most
upon what would be most useful,
supposing Charles (being preserveD
to have to provide for the physical