The American patriot., 1855-01-31
A Touching Relic of Pompcii.

In digging out the ruins of Pompcii, every turn
Of the spade brings up some Of the ancient life,
some witnesses Of the imperial luxury. For far
the greater part, the relics have merely curious
interest; they belong to archaeology, and find ap-
propriate resting places in historical museums.
But there are some exceptions. Here for instance,
the excayator Drops an uninvited quest, upon
banquet; there he unexpectedly obtrudes himself
into tomb. In one place he finds miser cover
ing OH his heap; another shows him bones OF dam
cling girls and broken Instruments of music lying
ON the marble floor, in the midst of the painted
chamber, baths, halls, columns fountains. Among
the splendid evidences of material wealth. he some
times stumbles on simple incident, touching
human story, such as strikes the imagination
and suggests the mournful interest Of the great
disaster, as the sudden sight Of a wounded soldier
eonjures up the horrors Of field Of battle.
Such to our mind is the latest discovery of the
cxcavators in the melancholy field: it is group
of skeletons in the act Of flight, accompanied by
dog. There are three human beings, one OF them
ayoung girl, with gold rings and jewels still on
her fingers. The fugitives had a bag of gold and
silver with them, snatchcd up, no doubt, in haste
and darkness. But the fiery flood was on their
track, and vain their wealth. their fight-thc 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 his mistress,
dying at her feet
Seen by the light Of such an incident, how
wildly that night Of horrors loom upon the senses!
Does not the imagination picture the little group
in their evening fountain lagguidy chattering over
the days events and 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 sudden strangeness, how the sky opens
overhead and flames break out while cornice sand
and molten rock came pouring down? What move
ments, what emotion, what surprise! The scene
grows darker every instant; the hollow mOnotony
Of the bay is lifted into yclls, shricks, the all
grows thick and hot with flames and ut the noun
tains feet is heard the roll of the liquid lava.
Jewels household gods, gold and silver coin
are snatched up on the instant. No time to say
farewell; darkness in front and fire behind, the,
rush into the strcets-choaked with falling houses
and flying citizens. How find the way through
passages which have no longer outlets Confus
ion, danger, darkness, uproar, everywhere; tn
shouts Of parted friends, the agony Of men strucl
down by falling columns; fear, madness, an
despair unclaimed; here penury, clutching gol'
it cannot keep-their gluttony feeding ON its hna
meal and phrcnzy striking in the dark to forcsta
death, Through all fancy hears the young girl
screams; the fire is on her jeweled hand. No tim
for thought--no pause-the food rolls on, and WIZ
dom, beauty, age and youth, with all the storlt
of their love, their hopes their rank, wealt
and greatness--all the once at1luent life, arc gon
forever
When unearthed after many years, the nam
less group has no other Importance to mankin
than as it may 'serve to point moral, or adorn
tale"