Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-25

the future.
The Youngest, little Eva, was child of three
years OF age; her mother had reached forty.
Tho last survivor of the fathers had died OF
aneurism Of the heart on the day of his we'd
ding.
The interest which attaches itself to things
and which seems to be the cause Of life had d.
minished with the decrease of population and
OF business and with the more and more immi-
nent threat of a definite end. Formerly i'm
mense and populous, the city had disappeared
beneath a poor but invading vegetation: all
those ancient dwellings we're empty, deserted
ruined, partly hidden beneath the moss and
weeds, and the traces of the ancient bou-
ievards and principal streets were hardly visible
TO the eye. As humanity had retired SO
nature had resumed her rights; polar
plants, larches, pines. some snow birds and
more recently penguins and bears had arrived
near the ancient city. The last building which
remained standing was the public library, in
which the purely literary works had nearly all
been abandoned to the insects and in which
were to be found only the scientific treatises
written on the supreme question Of the end of
the world and the historical annals of the de-
parted centuries, humanity not having con-
sented to Its own extinction and having chung
TO all that personitied it. But the fatal day
| had come. The world must end.
The decline of human forces had brought
about the decline of the inventions and usages
which seemed but lately the most indispensa-
Die They had wearied of all. even of hope.
Inc electric motor had fallen into disuse.
There was no more travelling after the inva-
made to repair the interrupted Geographic
communications. Only few centuries before
all the Inhabitants of the globe, in whatever
portion they may have dwelt, had constant in
tercourse with each other, though they had
inhabited the same country, conversing and
hearing each other. whatever may have been
the Instance that separated them, and there
was put one nation and one single language
for all the globe. But now isolation and sepa-
ration had returned as in the primitive ages;
the three groups remaining in the world no
longer knew each other; and the population
OF Ceylon, although composed only of women,
had lost all spirit of domination. all senti-
ment OF curiosity, all energy and all vitality.
Henceforth. deprived Of all desire of pleasing,
OF all idea Of rivalry and of all coquetry
they formed among themselves but one family
OF sisters, associated in a common misfortune
| and they had all adopted a somber mourning
costume sort OF black and misshapen relig-
ious garment.
But this little population itself had RAPIDLY
diminished. Fifteen years had suficed to re-
duce 1t by more than half. At the moment when
the events narrated above took place there re
manned but the youngest of the Ceylonese then
eighteen years of age, with four OF her COM
panions.
We have left our aerial expedition in the
al
OF the Americans. No more women in America
The same situation, or almost the same, in
Africa. Europe buried beneath the SHOWS,
Asia forgotten for more than century, and
doubtless sharing the same fate as Europe
There was nothing left for the travellers but to
return to their own country, and that was de-
cided on the very next day.
VIhey visited the ruins of the American me-
troPolis; the glories of which had been cele-
DRAFTED by the historians and which now lay
forgotten. For one instant they thought of
uniting In one group the two wrecks of male
humanity and of all leaving together for SUM-
town, but on the one hand these men wished
only to sleep forever in the tombs of their an
ce itors, and on the other hand the travellers.
who had carefully concealed the existence of
women In their own country, did not insist on
this brotherly project. They resumed their
way through the air, deciding, however, as
they had come by the east, to follow the same
direction along the equator on their return, in
order to see whether, by some Unforeseen cir
cumstance. they might not discover some other
last living tribe.
Thus it was that after having crossed the i'm
mense Pacific ocean, and having stopped over
all the points that emerged above its surface
even at the moment when they had noticed
that the eternal winter announced by scientists
extended over the lands of Siam, of Java. of
Sumatra and Of Malacca. entirely deserted. they
noticed in Ceylon a region less invaded than
themselves for some time above ruined city
they discovered a small group of women in
mourning.
In one instant, and before they had had time
to recover from their surprise, the celestial
travellers were at their feet At other periods
when the right Of might governed humanity
these last tive daughters of Eve would have
been rudely seized and carried away at full
speed through the air toward the African city,
perhaps not without a struggle, for the number
nf he 49, ell.
But for long time they had ceased to exert
their strength; sentiment, reason, intelligence.
freedom of choice, always decided
They told the object of their explorations.
and had no difficulty in convincing the fair
Asiatlcs. Their despair, which had seemed
eternal, disappeared like a mist: their brows
were cleared their lips smiled, and few hours
after the arrival of the aeronauts the five nuns
in mourning had given way to the most elegant
OF women.
turn to Suntown, and it seemed that from the
point OF view of peace, happiness and TRANQUIL
ity. 1t would be preferable to remain in Ceylon
But the old provision stores were well-nich ex-
hausted, the fields and gardens we're wanting.
the Ice was near; while III Africa tho fatal mo-
ment seemed perhaps many years Off From
the first interview, Omegar and Eva had expe-
rlenced the effects OF mutual attrac tion and
had understood each other though they had
met again after a long separation. Omegar had
proud to present his companion to her. A
fortnight after their arrival, the explorers rich
In their discovery, embarked on their aerial
hotilla and set sail for Suntown. The resur-
rection of humanity was assured. What a
triumph and what rejoicing on their return!
But what was their disappointment. on arriy-
ing above the antique city, to see none OF their
fellow citizens come forward to receive them:
to find the public square, where they were in
the habit OF meeting, silent and deserted: to
have before their eyes naught save q sort of
desolate cemetery. Descending from their
aerial boats they first rushed with their COM
panions to the government palace. A frightful
spectacle offered itself to their gaze Their
relatives, their friends, lay around, dead or
dying. The population of the city, reduced
after the departure of the travellers to about
thirty persons. had undergone during their alb
sence of few months a snow cyclone which
had destroyed the last vegetable growth and
part OF the habitable dwellings,. The small
remnant had chosen a refuge the spacious
and stronger rooms of the palace, but an epi-
demic, a sort OF typhus, had attacked first the
the others. The strength of the bravest had
finally given way and the first care Of the
travellers was to assist their unhappy fellow
citizens.
Unfortunately the cold increased daily, a
bitter wind blew increasingly. and the pale
rays of the sun could not even penetrate the
thick mists. The only means of preserving q
little heat was by keeping up fires and cut
ting OF almost every communication with the
outdoor air; but the bravest, the most courage