sacred edifice, whirling and crackling on high, threw their lurid light on the edges of the clouds above, or danced back from the long marble colonnades of a hundred palaces. The war shouts of the iegions, com- mingling with the agonizing cries of the Jews, who, on seeing the Holy of Holies ia flames, gave up all in despair, added to the sublimity and terror of the hour. Truly it seemed as if an avenging Diety was vindicating his insulted majesty and laws!
Suddenly Miriem beheld a crowd of fugitives, who had been driven from the temple, advancing toward her, pressed hard by the victorious legions. At the head of the pavic-struck multitude, endeavoring to check its mad career, she recognized her father, his grey heirs floating in the night-wind, and the blood streaming from many wounds. She bad been left in her present position for security, and the wisdom of the selection had been proved by her being undisturbed through all the horrors of the day, but now she lost every thought of her own safety, and thinking only of her parent, rushed down staircase after staircase until she reached the street, and, unlocking the door of the deserted tower, passed out. The street was filled with her countrymen, despair written in every face; bul all hurrying to the succor of the fugitive band with which her father fought. She was borne onward in the torrent. Soon she reached the very centre of the tumult, and heard close at hand the tramp of the advancing legions. But fruittess were all her efforts to reach her sire. In vain she strove to pieree to the front, where she caught a glimpse of him fighting: in vain she shrieked his name; in vain abe implored those around her to aid her in her pious wish. The battle thickened; arrows and javelins flew like hail; each men bad to think of himself alone; and, at last, Miriam sank insensible.
‘When she recovered her consciousness the voice of tumult had passed offto. the distance, and she found herself supported by some one in the shadow of a lordly colonnade. A soft, silvery light fell around, ‘The change from the uproar and press of the strife to this quiet made her think, fora moment, that abe had passed from earth; and the illusion resolved itself into conviction when she beheld the face of Publius gazing tenderly down on her.
"Where am I?” she whispered, and smiled faintly. “Oh! Publius, said I not we should meet in Heaven?’
“Nay! dear one," answered the living Publics. ‘You yet survive on earth. Look around you and see! This sweet light is that of the moon, but afar you can behold the glare of conflagration, the tumult of the strife, and all the other horrors attending the fall of this doomed city. 1,1 the bead of my legions, heard your voice in the crowd, and reached you just in time ta save you from being trodden under foot. At once 1 bore you hither, leaving to my lieutenant the command of my brave soldiers.”
Miriam had clung to bim as he spoke, her eyes eagerly perusing every linearaent of his countenance, ag if to ansure herself it was indeed her Publins she saw. When he concluded, he pressed bis hand, and longed to ask him how he still ived, when she had delieved bita desd. But she thought of her sire,
“My father,” she said, “do you know aught of my father?”
Alas! he lies low. I recognized him in the fight and tried to save him; but he spurned every offer; and fell just as I beard your voice.”
Miriam gave a shriek and again swooned away; and all that night lay as one between life and death. When the recovered consciousness in the morning, Jerusalem was a mass of ruins, and the temple, ‘work of a thousand years, no more.
A few months later, and Miriam, leaning on ber husband's arm, for she was now the wife of Publius, was standing on the deck of a vessel destined to bear them to their home in Italy.
“Ah! this was the treacherous tea which I thought had engulphed you,” she said; and, as che epoke, she looked up into her husband’s face, with eyes over: flowing with love.
“The vessel in which I sailed, n hopeless man, to return to Rome, was indeed wrecked, as I have told you,” he replied. ‘But I clung to a spar, and, the next day, was picked up bya trireme. Il is hus you heard of my loss, When, afterward, the subjugation of Jerusalem was reeolved on, I solicited permission to join Titus, trusting to save you and your family by my presence.”
Long and happy wore the subsequent lives of Pub- liun and Miriam, They escaped the many persecutions directed against the Christians, and died at last, within year of each other, happy in their glorious faith.
__________________________
TO * * *.
LOVE'S VOW.
___
BY MARION M. CLARK.
___
By the dark splendor ca thine eyes,
Now flashing, beaming wildly bright,
Now, veiling 'neath those snowy lids
In softened sadness their rich light.
“By that sweet mouth, now gently arch’d
‘With smiles, like Cupid's golden bow,
And now compress’d, as some chance word
Wakes in thy heart a thought of woe—
By every charm that Nature's hand
On thee hath lavishty bestow’d,
And, by thy pore and noble soul,
Fit tenant of its fair abode—
By these, dear lady, let me vow
To love thee fondly e’er as now.
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