The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-31


was beautifuf--Ei,a colors of the sun
were 30 splendid on the fne white
trees. and one. could sae so far, and
everyshirg was 50 white and shining
ON the earth. The parents felt that
ideas were ceasing 10 he in common
between the last and the first mem
bers OF the old and the new genera
ton; and faE from contradicting their
boy, they tried to partake his plea
sure, and enter into his impressions.
They moved on up to the old familiar
door, and entered the, open, silent
hall, where they remembered the ce-
remonies and the couftesies of life.
They chose among the rooms, which
had been those of friends, and recog-
nized familiar objects Of their every
day existence. It was a conceit Of
Paulett's for which he smiled at him
self, to wind mp the clock in the hall,
and set it, to toll out the time again
for another week. There were musical
instruments In room adjoining,
aud over one of these Ellen timidly
passed her fingers. It was out Of
out of tune, and the sounds, though
sweet in themselves, all Jared witt,
one another.
''That's the last music of the world,
perhaps" said Ellen, 'tand all dis
cord, too"
They found some small store of
corn in one of the rooms; they pre-
pared and ate it, and lay down to
sleep, forgetting in fatigue all their
dismal feelings, and in their dreams
seeing the old state of things and
dead persons-nay, a dead world
without wondering that they were to
come to life again. All the days of
their journey wore an uniform cha
racter, and they kept on and on
through waste and ruin, glad to leave
the country behind them, and ex-
pecting as some relief the aspect of
streets and q town. They halted, at
length, within few miles of London,
and lay down to rest, thankful to be
SO near their home; for they had suf-
fered as much fatigue as they could
well bear, and their stock of dia-
monds was waxing very low, and
needed replenishment. Paulett con-
tinued busy preparing water from
those that remained, after his wife
and children were asleep. His own
frame scarcely felt the exertion Of the
journey, and he was full of the
thoughts with which the approaching
sight of what had been once the
great metropolis filed him. The
vast untenanted dwelling place, the
solitude of tho habitation Of crowds,
the absence of mind and talent from
the scene they had so filied-all these
things excited his feelings, and gain
ing ground in the solitude of the
night, he telt mt last that he could not
willingly delay his first meeting with
the bereaved city, and that he should
be pleased to have All opportunity Of
indulging alone the highly-wrought
emotion viii, which he expected the
sight of it. Accordingly, when the
light began to break, he wrote word
to Ellen that she should wait for him
Il few hours, and that he would be
back in that time to lead her and the
children to their journeys end; and
then, softly leaving the house, set
forward eagerly on his way.
1t was evening before he returned.
He came in pale and excited, he took
his children in his arms as usual, and
seemed like one upon whom thing
he has seen has made deep impress
sion, but who either doubts the power
of words to convey the same impress
sion, or thinks that he himself is
over-excited by it.
Ellen, he said at last, London
is burned to the ground"
The sudden flush on her face, and
her clasped hands while she spoke
not, showed that the event touched
her. too, as deeply as him; and then
he went on freely:
ooh, Ellen, if you had seen it! 1t
stands there all in ruins-the whole
city in ruins! It has been the work
of some great storm, which fired it
when all were gone or dead; for there
has been no pulling down, no pillage,
no aid, no attempt to stop the fire!
All the palaces, all the museums, all
the stores of learning and art, the
streets, the crowded houses; they are
gone, Ellen-they are all goner'
His wife had never before, in all
their misery, seen him so deeply
moved-so nearly overpowered bv
anything that had occurred. His eX-
citement communicated itself to her,
and she canght the full bearing of his
narration. She felt for tho long ages
OF story, and the monuments Of hu-
man skill, buried in the great city.
Irretrievable ruin! The work which
men and years and growing know