The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-30

TN H. G. Wells book, 1.-THE War In the
4 Air." Is contained a prophecy of the
destruction Of civilization through strife
such as that raging in Europe. But in this
remarkable tissue of scientific imagination
IT Is America that Is first assaied by tho
Germans. Prince Karl Albert, of Germany,
dreams Of world rulership and attacks New
York with feet of gigantic dirigbes. New
York Is destroyed, but the Americans in
aeropianes battle with the invading fleet.
A storm arises and scatters the combatants.
The Prince Is marooned for time In Lab.
rador, while his airship is repaired.
During this time the fire of worldwide
conflict begins to rage connagration that
has been set going by the Germans invasion
of the United States. The Chinese and
Japanese, in hOrdes of superior flying ma.
chimes, swarm over the world carrying death
and destruction. Every nation Is at each
others throat. Credit dies, business Is
wiped out-all the fabric OF our civilization
Is torn to shreds. Humanity-what there Is
left of tat least resolves itself into little
communities fighting fiercey for existence
There are no more nations-the hands OF
time are moved back to conditions that pre-.
vailed before the cave men even.
The story centres around the adventures
OF a little English cockney. Bert Smallways,
who Is carried by fate through the strife
from the time Of the destruction of New
York to the final stages of civilizations
disintegrntion.
The prophecy of the end Is contained in
the Epogue of the book in which Tom
Smallways Berts uncle, tells his grand
nephew OF the past:
All round ere. Teddy there was people
those
'ouses and more people. You'd ardly be.
lieve me, Teddy, but it's Bible truth. You
can go on that way for ever and ever and
keep on coming on 'ouses, more 'ouses, and
more. There's no end to 'em. No end.
They get bigger and bigger" Ills voice
dropped as though he named strange names
'It's London" he said.
And It's all empty now and left alone
All day it's left alone. You don't find 'ardly
man. you won't find nothing but dogs and
cats after the rats until you get round BY
bromley and Beckcnham. and there you find
the kentish men herding swine (Nice
rough lot they are, tooD tell you that so
long as the sun is up it's as still as tho
grave. been about by day-orfen and
orfen" He paused.
And all those 'ouses and streets and
Ways used to be full of people before the
War in the Air and the Famine and tho
Purple Death. They used to be full OF pco
pie, Teddy, and then came a time when
they was full OF corpses, when you couldn't
20 a mile that way before the stink of EN-
drove you back. 1t was the Purple Death
ad killed en- every one. The cats and
dogs and ems and vermin caught it. Every
thing and every one 'ad it. Jest a few OF
us appened TO live. pulled through and
YOUR aunt though it made 'cr lose er air
Why, .you find the skeletons in tho 'ouses
now This way We been into all the 'ouscs
and took what we wanted and buried moro
or the people, but up that way, Norwood
way. there's ouses with the glass in tho
windows still, and the furniture not touched
AL dusty and falling to picces--and the
BONES OF the people lying. some in bed some
aoou, the ouses. jest as the Purple Death
lett EN- iiveand-twenty years ago"
but what killed all the people uncle?"
asked Teddy.
1T was smash.up" said old Tom
everything was going right until thoy
started that war. Everything was going like
cIock'work. Everybody was busy and every.
body WAS Apply ana everybody got a good
square meal every day"
But ow did the people set kilcd," said
the little boy in the pause.
-, M iein' YOU, Teddy" said the old man.
II was the stoppin OF business come mex.