The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-09-06
CHAPTER V.

CHAPTER, V.
Time passed on and there was no
change in the state of things Still an
unclouded sun-still the deep intense
blue sky-winds on the earth but no
moisture; and the whole frame of ma
ture seemed crumbling into chaos
Paulett felt the strife with fate to be
unequal indeed, and could scarcely com
prehend that he and his family we're
truly survivors amid such destruction :;
but he resolved not to give in, while the
means remained to him, but to fight the
! fight out until overpowered by the ma
terial universe. He told Ellen they
must move to some place where they
might hope to find more diamonds, and
Ellen agreed wishing with Paulett that
the strife were over and the last agony
suffered, and that they were among the
free and disembodied spirits. London
was their object; for there they might
hope to find most of the materials of
what was now the most precious of all
things, water; and providing as well as
they could for their necessities by the
way, they quilted the cavern and set off
| Oh OAAOAA
First came the father, carrying the
little Alice in his arms; the boy held
his mother by the hand and they fol-
lowed Paulett on his path. There was
the delicate woman, the mother of all
that remained alive of the human race,
setting out on the desert, which she re-
membered, but few years before, the
scene of luxury and abundance. On
her shoulder she carried burthen con-
tanning corn for their sustenance; and
the brave boy took his share by bearing
the jar of water which had been provi-
ded for their support on the journey
and thus the last family of mankind set
out ON t!:eir pilgrimage over the desc
lated earth. unmfrtgated sun had
made great rents in the sides of the
hills, and, together with the wind, had
broken up the roads, between which and
the parched fields there was scarcely now
any difference. Where there had been
enclosures and hedges, the withered
sticks had in most places yielded to the
winds, and were scattered about the spot
where they had stood Here and there
we're the marks of fire, which had run
along the country till some interval of
previous desolation had stopped it; and
where this had been the case, the black
unsightly remains lay strewn over the
surface, one further step advanced in
dissolution than the dead world around.
There was no want of habitation for
their nightly shelter. Palaces and cot
tages, all alike, were open; all alike
were silent and tenantless habitations.
They might choose where they would.
And the first day they did not go far,
for Ellen and her children, with stout
hearts, had not bodily strength for great
fatigue, and were unused to the strong
exertion they were now compelled to
make. Towards evening, therefore,
when they reached house with which
Paulett and Ellen had once been famil-
lar, they determined to rest there for
the night. They pushed open the gates,
which still swung on their hinges, and
which admitted to what had once been q
park, filed once with trees and bathed
with waters. A large wood severed the
hills which rose on one side, and which
now under a summer sun stood perfect
ly bare, and all of one uniform grey
color as far as the sight extended. On
the other side the eye looked over a
tract of country varied with hill and
dale, but desolate of every color that
used to shine forth in the light and shade.
The setting sun shone among the leafess
branches, casting long and brilliant rays
of light. The unclouded sky met the
sparkling earth, and both glittered with
unnatural brilliancy. To Paulett and
Ellen every thing spoke of desolation
and death; and an exclamation escaped
Ellen, IN low tone, chat twas piteous
and horrible spectacle. But Charles
standing still at their side as they look
ed on the scene, cried it was beautiful
the colors of the sun were so splendid
on the fine white trees, and one could
see SO far, and everything was SO white
and shining on the earth. The parents
felt that ideas were ceasing to be in COM
mon between the last and the first mem
bers of the old and new generation /; and
far from contradicting their boy they
tried to partake of his pleasure and enter
into his impressions. They moved on
up to the old familiar door and entered
the open, silent hall, where they remem
bered the ceremonies and courtesies of
life. They chose among the rooms
which had been those of friends, and
recognized familiar objects of their
every day existence 1t was conccit of
Paulett's for which he smiled at himself,
to wind up the clock in the hall, and set
it to tell out the time again for another
week. There were musical instruments
in the room adjoining, and over one of
these Ellen timidly passed her fingers.
1t was out of tune, and the sounds,
though sweet in themselves, all Jared
with one another. SOD
"That's the last music of the world,
perhaps" said Ellen, "and all discord
too"
They found small store of corn
in one of the rooms; they prepared and
ate it and lay down to sleep, forgetting