Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-12-09
sNO.A.

PoNPEII.-In digging out the ruins of Pom.
peii, every turn of the spade brings up, some
relic Of the ancient life, some witness of Ernpe-
rial luxury. For far the greater part, these req
les have merely curious interest; they belong
to archaeology, and find appropriate resting Pla
ces in historical museums. But there are some
exceptions. Here, for instance, the excavator
drops, an unlimited guest, upon the banquet
there, be unexpectedly obtrudes himself into
tomb. In one place; he finds miser covering
on his heaps another shows him bones of dan
cling girls and broken instruments of music ly-
ing Onrthe marble floor. In the midst of pain
ted thambers, baths, halls, columns, fountains
-amoug the splendid evidences of material
wealthae sometimes stumbes upon simple
inciaen;. s souching human story, such as strikes
the i,na ae<hation and suggests the mournful in
tere{ of the great disaster--as the sudden sight
Of "a wouffed soldier conjures up the horrors of
a field of battle Such, to our mind, is the Ia
test discovery of the excavators in this melan-
choy field. 1t is group of skeletons in the
act Of fight, accompanied BY dog. There are
three human beings, one of them young girl
with gold rings and jewels IN en- her fingers.
The fugitiyes had bags Of gold and silver with
them, snatche1 up, 70 doubt, in his haste and
sarkness. But the fiery food was on their track
-and vain their wealth, their fight, the age of
one, the youth Of tIe other The burning lava
rolled above them and beyond; and the faithful
dog turned back toshare the fortunes of its mis-
tress-dying at her side.
Seen BY the light of such an incident, how
vividly that night Of horrors looms upon the
sense? Does not Imagination picture that little
group, in their own house, by the side of their
evening fountain, .languidly chatting over the
daY's events and of the unusual heat? Does it
not hear, with them, the troubled swell of the
waters il the bay-see, as they do, how the night
down in sudden strangeness, how the
sky opens over head aud flames breakout, while
scoriae, sand and molten rocks come pouring
down? What movement, what emotion, what
surprised The scene erszs darker every in
The hollow moaotone Of the bay is lifted
into yell<ana shrieks-the air grows thick with
dust and hot with flames-and at the noun
tain's foot is heard thedeadly roll of the liquid
lava. Jewels, household gods, gold and silver
coins, are snatched up on the instant. Notime
to say farewell: darkness in front, and fire be-
hind, they rush into the streets-streets choked
with falling houses and fl fying citizens. How find
the way through passages which have no long
er outlets?- -soiifnssion, danger, darkness, up
roar, everywhere;- shouts of parted friends,
the agony of men struck down by falling col
madness, and despair unclaimed
here, Penufy clulching gold it'aannot keep
there, Gluttony. ieeaing on its final meal, and
Phrenzy stril;inc ii the dark to forestan DEATH
Through al, taacy hears the young girls
Gre s on her jewelled hand. No
time for thought-no pause;-the foods roll on
and wsdon, beauty,. age and youth, with the
stories of their love, their hopes, their rank;
wealth, greatness-alI the.one affluent life-are
gone forever. When unearthed after many
ages, the Aameless group has no other import
anee to mankind than as it may serve 'to point
a moral or adorn tale."- London Atheneum.