The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1853-12-01
JACKSON Fl, OHIO THURSDAY DECEMBER l. 1853


In digging out the ruins Of Pompeii
every turn of the spade brings up som,
relic of the ancient life, some witness O
imperial luxury. For far the greater par
these relics have a merely curious inter
est; they belong to archaeology, and fnt
appropriate resting places in historical
museums. But there are some excep.
tons. Here, for instance, the excavation
drops, and uninvited guest, upon the ban
quet, there he Unexpectedly obtrudes
himself into a tomb. In one place, he
finds a miser covering on his heaps-an-
other shows him bones Of dancing girls
and broken instruments Of music lying on
the marble floor. In the midst Of paint
ed chambers, baths, balls, columns, foun-
lalns-among the splendid evidences oI
material wealth-he sometimes stumbles
upon simple incident, a touching hu.
man story, such as strikes the magma
ton, and suggests the mournful interest
OF the great disaster the sudden sight
of wounded soldier conjures up the hor-
rors of field of battle. Such to our
mind, is the latest discovery of the exca-
vators in this melancholy field. 1t is a
group Of skeletons in the act of flight,
accompanied by a dog. There are three
human beings-one Of them young girl,
with gold and jewels still on her fingers.
The fugitives had bags Of gold and silver
with them, snatchedup no doubt, in haste
and darkness. Butthe fiery food was on
their track and vain their wealth, their
fight, the age of one, the youth of the
other. The burning lava rolled above
them and beyond and the faithful dog
turned back to share the fortunes of its
mistress-dying at her side.
Seen by the light Of such and incident,
how wildly that night of horrors looms
upon the senses Does not imagination
picture that little group, in their own
house, by the side of their evening foun.
tain, languidly chatting over the days
events and of the unusual heat? Does
it not hear with them, the troubled swell
of the waters in the Bay-see, as they
do, how the night comes down in sud
den strangeness, how the sky opens over
head and flames break out, while scor-
Use, sand and molten rocks came pour
ing down? What movement, what emo.
ton, what surprise! The scene grows
darker every instant, the hollow mono
tone of the Bay is lifted into yells and
shrieks,-the air grows thick with dust
and hot with fames,-and at the NOUN
tain's foot is heard the deadly rool of
the liquid lava. Jewels, house hold goods
gold and silver coins, are snatched up
on the instant. No time to say fare
well; darkness in front, and fire behind
they rush into the streets-streets chock-
ed with falling houses and flying citizens.
How find the way through passages
which have no longer outlets ?-confu.
sion, danger, darkness, uproar every
where; the shouts of parted friends, the
agony of men struck down by falling
columns; fear, madness, and despair un-
chained here, Penury clutching gold
it cannot keep,-there, Gluttony feed
ing on its final banquet, and Phrenzy
striking in the dark to forestall death.
Through all, fancy hears the young
girls screams,-the fire is on her SWELL
ed hand. No time for thought,-no pause:
the floods roll on, and wisdom, beau
ty, age, and youth, with the stories of
their love, their hopes, their rank, wealth,
greatness,-all the once afluent life
are gone for ever. When unearthed
after many ages, the nameless group
has no other importance to mankind than
as it may serve "to point a moral or
adorn a tale."-LOndoa AtheHeHm.