Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-01-31
JANUARY 81, 1855.
A Touching Relic Of Pompeii.

In digging out the ruins OF Pompeil, ev-
cry turn of the spade brings up some relic
of the ancient life, some witness of imperial
luxury. For far .he greater part, the relics
have merely curious interest; they belong
to archaeology, and find appropriate resting
places in historical mua S.
But there are soma exceptions. Here,
for instance, the excavator drops, an unin-
vited guest, upon banquet; there he un-
expectedly obtrudes himself into tomb
In one place he finds miser covering on
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 chambers, baths. halls. columns,
4 fountains, among &c spl4sdid evidenceSof
material wealth, be sometimes stumbles on a
single incident, touching human story,
such as strikes the imagination, and sug
gess the mournful interest Of the great dis
aster, as the sudden sight of a wounded
soldier conjures up the horrors of field of
battle
Suct, to our mind. is the latest discovery
of the excavators in this melancholy field.
1t is group of skeletons in the act of
flight, accompanied by dog. There are
three human beings, one of them young
girl, with gold rings and jewels still
on her fingers. The fugitives had bag
of gold and silver with them, snatch
ed up, no doubt, in haste and darkness
But the fiery flood was on their track, and
vain their wealth, their fight-the age of
the one, the youth of the other. The burn
ing 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 looms up
on the senses? Does not the imagination
picture the little group in their own house
by the side of their evening fountain, Ian
guidly chattering over the days events and
the unusual heat 2 Does it 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 break out, while corse, sane
and motion rocks come pouring down
What movements, what emotion, wha
surprise! The scene grows darker every
instant; the hollow monotony Of the bay il
lifted into yels, shrieks the air grows thicl
and hot with flames, and at the mountain
foot is heard the roll of the liquid lava
Jewels, household gods, gold and silve
coins, are snatched up on the instant. N
time to say farewell darkness in front, anc
fire behind, they rush into the streets, street
choked with falling houses and flying cit
zens. How find the way through passage
which have no longer outlets Confusion
danger. darkness, uproar, everywhere; tn
shouts of parted friends, the agony of me
struck down by falling columns; madne'
and despair unclaimed here penury clutcl
ing gold it cannot keep-there glutton
feeding on its final meal, and phrenzy str
king in the dark to forestall death Throue
all, fancy hears the young girls screams
the fire is on her jeweled hands. No tin
for thought--no pause-the food rolls o
and wisdom, beauty. age and youth. with q
thestories of their love- their hopes, the
rank, wealth and greatness-all the once
fluent life, are gone forever.
When unearthed after many years, t
nameless group has no other importance
mankind than it may serve to point MOI
or odorn q ko1o