es they did actually meet and
grow together in perfect pillars, reaching from floor to roof.

"The stalagmites are very beautiful," said Virginia; "but the
stalactites are still more beautiful."

"I think," said Penn, "there is a moral truth symbolized by them. As the
rock above gives forth its streaming life, it benefits and beautifies
the rock below, while at the same time it adorns still more richly its
own beautiful breast. So it always is with Charity: it blesses him that
receives, but it blesses far more richly him that gives."

"O, must we pass on?" said Virginia, casting longing eyes towards all
those lovely forms.

"We are to return the same way," replied Penn. "But now Cudjo seems to
be in a hurry."

"Dat's de last ob de sticktights," cried the black, standing at the end
of the colonnade, and waving his torch above his head. "Now we's comin'
to de run."

"Come," said Penn, "and I will show thee what Hood must have meant by
the 'dark arch of the black flowing river.'"

A stupendous cavern of seemingly endless extent opened before them.
Cudjo ran on ahead, shouting wildly under the hollow, reverberating
dome, and waving his torch, which soon appeared far off, like a flaming
star amid a night of darkness. Then there were two stars, which
separated, and, standing one above the other, remained stationary.

"Listen!" said Penn. And they heard the liquid murmur of flowing water.

He took the torch from Carl, and advancing towards the right wall of the
cavern, showed, flowing out of it, through a black, arched opening, a
river of inky blackness. It rolled, with scarce a ripple, slow, and
solemn, and still, out of that impenetrable mystery, and swept along
between the wall on one side and a rocky bank on the other. By this bank
they followed it, until they came to a natural bridge, formed by a
limestone cliff, through which it had worn its channel, and under which
it disappeared. On this bridge they found Cudjo perched above the water
with his torch.

They passed the bridge without crossing,--for the farther end abutted
high upon the cavern wall,--and found the river again flowing out on the
lower side. Few words were spoken. The vastness of the cave, the
darkness, the mystery, the inky and solemn stream pursuing its noiseless
course, impressed them all. Suddenly Virginia exclaimed,--

"Light ahead!" though Carl was with her, and Cudjo now walked behind.

It was a gray glimmer, which rapidly grew to dayli