The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-12-13


CHAPTER V.
Time ,yassed on. and there was no change in
If,ts Of things. Still an uncloudCd sun
,,ll the deep. intense blue SKY winds on the
.,th hut no moisture: and the whole frame
"n,,ure seemed crumbliug into chaos. Pau
,.,f felt the strife with fate to he unequal in
t.,5 aud could scarcely comprehend that he
~ hi< family were truly survivors amid such
"..;ruc,ion but he resolved not to give in
,,,.lIe the means remained to him, but TO fight
,h. fchs out until overpowered by the mate
r,1l universe He told Ellen that they must
lave ln some place where they might hope to
,ii, more diamonds and Ellen agreed, wish
inc with Paulett, that the strife were over
.nf ,h, last agony suffered, and that they
were among the free and t'isembodieti spirits.
Inndon was their object; for there they
,o,rht hope 10 find most Of the materials OF
what was now the most precious OF all things
water and, providing As we'll as they could
for their necessities 10y the way, they quilted
The cavern and set OF on their journey.
First came the father, carrying the little
Alice in his arms the boy held his mother by
the hand. and they followed Paulett In his
rath There was the delicate woman, the
mother Of all tha; remained alive of the hu-
laan race. setting out on the desert, which she
remembered but a few years before the scene
ui luxury and abundance. On her shoulder
she carried a bnrthen, containing corn for their
su-tenance, and the brave boy took his share
b, bearing the jar of water which had been
provided for their support on the journey and
thus the last family of mankind set out on
their pilgrimage over the desOlatsd earth.
The unmitigated sun had made great
RENTS in the sides of the hills, and, to-
grthrr with the wind, had broken up the
roads, between which and the parche4l fields
ihrre was scarcely now any difference. Where
tht'rc had been Enclosures and hedges, the
w!thered sticks had, in most places. yielded to
the winds, and Were scattered about the spot
where they had stood. Here and there were
the marks OF fire. which had run along the
country I'LL sorle interval of the previous desc
,,;, h,f. nod m " had hx.ar
The case, the black. unsightly remains lay
sircwn over the surface, one further step ad-
,anced III dissolution than the dead world
around. There WAS no want of habitntiOnS
1or their nightly shelter. Palaces and cottages,
all alike, open ; all alike We're silent and
7.nantless hab'ations. They might choose
where they would. And the first day they did
hot go far. for Ellen and her children, with
stout hearts, had not bodily strength for great
fatigue, and Were unused 10 the strong exertion
they were now compelled to make. Towards
evening, therefore, when they reached Il house.
rith which Paulett and Ellen had once been
familiar. they determined to rest there for the
n!ght. They pushed open the gates which still
swung on their hinges, and which admitted
,htm 10 what had been Il park, filled once with
trees. and bathed with waters. A large wood
covered the hiu which rose on one side and
which now, under Il summer sun. stood per-
trctly bare, and all OF one uniform grey color
;iS far as The view extended. On the other
SIDE, the eye looked over tract OF country
varied with hill and dale. but desolate OF every
shade. Tie setting sun ehOne among the leaf
l-ss branches, casting long brilliant rays OF
light. The uncloItded sky met the sparkling
elrth. aud both glittcrtd with unnatural bril-
Itucv. To Paulctt and Ellen everything
spoke of desolation and death and an exclama-
ton escaped Ellen, i'll a low tone, that it was
plttous and horrible spectacle. But Charles,
stnntiing still AT their side AZ they looked on
the scene cried, it was beautiful-the cOlors OF
ihe splendid on the fine white
tre,s, and one could see SO far, and every thing
white and shining on the earth. The
parents felt that ideas We're ceaSlnS TO be IN
common between the last and the first mem
bcrs of the old and the new generation and
tar from contradicting theix boy they tried to
purtake his pleasure and enter into his impress
sons. They moved on up to the old familiar
door. and entered the open, silent hall, where
tiiey remembered the ceremonies and the
courtesies OF life. They chose among the
rooms, which had been those OF friends, and
recognized familiar objects Of their every day
existence 1t conceit Of Paulett's, for
which he smiled at himself, to wind up the
clock in the hall, and set 1t to toll out the time
again for another week. There were musical
Instruments III a room adjoining, and over one
OF these Ellen timidly passed her fingers II
was out of tune, and the sounds, though sweet
Ia themselves, all ]nrred with one another.
That's the last music OF the world, per-
haps,'' said Ellen, "and all discord, too"
They found some small store OF corn in one
OF the rooms they prepared and ate IL, ana
lay down to sleep forgetting in fatigue all
their dismal feelings, and in their dreams see
ing the old stute of things and dead persons
nay, dead world-without wondering
that they We're to come to life again. All
the days OF their journey wore an uniform
character, and they kept on and on through
waste and ruin. glad TO leave the country be-
hind them, and expecting ae some relief the
aspect of streets and town. They halted, at
lrng III, within Il few miles of London and lay
down TO rest. thankful to be SO near their
home for they had suffered rs much fatigue
they could we'll bear, and their stock OF
diamonds WAS waxing very lOw and needed re-
pienishmcnt. Paulett continued busy pre-
pairing water from those that remained, after
his wife and children were asleep. His own
frame scarcely felt the exertion of the jour
ney, and he was full OF the thoughts with
which the approaching sight of what had
hefn once the great metropolis filled him
The vast untenanted dwelling place, the soli-
tude OF the habitation Of crowds the absence
OF mind and talent from the scene they had sc
filed-all these things excited his feelings, and
gaining ground in the solitude OF the night. ne
1rt At last that he could not willingly delay
his first meeting with the bereayed city. and
HAT he should be pleased to have an OppNr
iunity OF indulging alone the highly wrought
emotion with which he expected the sight OF
IL. Accordingly, when the light began &c
break. he wrote word TO Ellen that She should
wait for him few hours, and that he would
be back in that time TO lead her and the chill
d.en to their journeys end; and then softly
leaving the house, set forward eagerly on his
way.
II was evening before he returned. HI
in his arms usual, and seemed like ont
upon whom a thing he has seen has made &
deep impression, but who either doubts thu
power OF words TO convey the same impres
sion, or thinks that he himself Is over excited
by IL.
% Ellen.' he said at last, London is burned
10 the ground
The sudden flush on her face, and heI
rlasped hands While she spoke not, showed
that the event touched her, too, as deeply n!
him and then he went on freely:
had -
There all In ruins-the whole city in ruins! l
has been the work of some great Storm which
fired 1t when all were gone dead for there
has been no pulling down, no pllaRe, no aid
40 attempt to stop the fire! All the palaces
all the museums, all the stores OF learning ant
art, tho streets, tho crowded houses they ar'
gone, Ellen-they are all Rone"'
Hi. wifehnd never before, In all their misery
seen him SO deeply noved-so nearly over
powered by anything that had occurred. Hi
excitement communicated itself to her, ant
she caught the full bearing Of his narration
She felt for the long ages of story, and thu
monuments Of human skill, buried i'll the grra