THE COAL TO THE KINDLING WOOD 83 



plant to rock land, or from the Vegetable to the 

 Mineral world. 



" Look at me ! I am the first of the true line. 

 House People call me Cannel Coal. Am I not 

 glossy like jet, that is also a kinsman? When 

 I feel the touch of your magic torch, see how 

 quickly I give back my stored sunshine in an 

 oily tongue of flame ! 



"But though I have stored much carbon 

 there are others of my family, all older than I, 

 who hold more. Two brothers I have, Soft 

 Coal that House People burn in locomotives, 

 and Hard Coal that makes the steady kitchen 

 fires. Two cousins also I have, the first named 

 Black Lead, that House People know quite inti- 

 mately, using it in their pencils and making it 

 speak their thoughts." 



" To be sure," cried Anne, " I never thought 

 of it ; but lead is very like coal. What is the 

 other cousin ? I think it must be ink." 



"No, the other, the rarest, the one that has 

 made all the changes and is the farthest away 

 from wood, is the Diamond." 



" The Diamond ! That beautiful jewel in 

 mother's ring? How can that be, King Coal, 

 when all the rest of the family are sooty and can 

 be burned, and the diamond is so clear and white 



