The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-07-22

could show. in o sort of vision, any mo-
ment of your future life that you liked
to ask for. But if you fixed on q mo-
ment in the future beyond the term of
your life, you beheld only d hideous
blank-I say hideous, because the blank
had m effect of the most desolating de-
scription on oil who beheld it. There
Was only darkness and nothinGncss. The
end Of the room seemed to be gone, and
all things gone with it; and some strong
men had been said to have tainted when
this revelation had been made to them.
Such revelation had been suffered 10y
our Scotch friend. He asked to see
what that momont would be on that day
two years. and had been answered by the
awful darkness I have mentioned. After
a day or two, I determined to 60 to the
sorcerer myself I told my French
suade me. I would not listen. Ho re-
fused to 60 with me, so took M Irish
man, q general favorite, with mo. He
was called O'Neil. don't know why l
went. I think I felt it would do Patter-
son, the Scotchman, good, if n few of us
wcro in similar predicament with HIM
self. know had no belief in these
prophetic visions being true. O'Neil
and I paid our visit to the wise man
on Valentines day. 1t was ut night-or
rather in the evening-in fact, just be-
fore o'clock. No difficulty of any kind
was made. put down gold-half
sovereign-for was going to do it rs
cheaplya rs I could. BE said, Double
that; you will require more than one
vision I said shortly that I onl6
wanted one; and that O'Neil would be
with me. Ho told me to take back the
gold, for to have O'Neil with me was i'm
possible. agreed then to go by my
self, and wo went up stairs. The man
lived in such house as tho moro opu-
lent Turks inhabit-built round court,
where fountain played very lazily. 1
remember that the drip of tho water
seemed to add to the strange silence in
this mans dwelling, rather than to dis
turb it. Every drop was heard so per-
fectly, telling of the unnatural quiet, as
the ticking of q clock tells of the silent
passage OF time. We went through the
court together, up great marble stair
case. md through passage where the
walls were painted, and inlaid in places
with ivory, jasper and moth pearl,
in the most tasteless, ignorant way. We
got at last into great room like gale
ry, perfectly dark, except for circle of
small lamps that burnt about two feet
FROM the floor in tho centre of the room,
as nearly as [ could guess. In a mo-
ment got accustomed to the dim light.
and then saw that the wise man was
standing at the very farthest end and
was holding out his arm to me. He had
before told me only to speak when he
spoke to me. Presently he said to mo,
:Ask for the moment you wish to see.
l sold This time next year felt tho
room grow warmer. I perceived high-
ly fragrant scent as of some sweet wood
burning; then the end of the room grew
brighter and brighter, something as you
may see ut SUNRISE, though the light was
less glowing, and then, by degrees, like
n thing being revealed out of the wavy
light and the receding darkness, saw
distinct scene-a scene which, but for it's
perfect stiffness, no one would know
from real life. There were two men on
the ground; one was dead-I had never
seen him them-the other was myself,
apparently dying. An Indian was on
his knees trying to staunch the blood
that flowed from wound which J. could
not see. I looked Mt it steadily. took
in every particular-more people ap-
pearcd in hazy outlines, and horse
then the minute was over, and tie whole
Wuo hil t5oAC. 1uC Iluu WINS III LIZ SlttC
before I knew that he had left the plac.
where had seen him, and he spoke;
You wish for another?' I said, L don't
know-wait. Don't speak till you are
spoken to. will ask you again soon.
SIN this silent interval, I wondered
with myself what it was best to do. The
question, Did die?'-or, Shall die?'
I suppose I ought to say-was so strong
within me, that felt it would be best,
at all risks, to answer it. If the next
sight gave ME the dismal blank, should
know what feared-if not, I should fear
no more. It was best to know. So,
when I was asked, will you see more?'
said, Yes. What moment shall it
be?' The voice came again from the
farthest corner. I said this time five
years. And it came"
''What came?" asked my brother.
"Why, this night-the moment when
I held her in with my left arm, aud
pointed my pistol at Bertie."
"Did you see Bertie?"
II saw only myself, and O woman, just
as she was. I knew the cloak when you
put it on me. AS covered the lad with