San Andreas independent., 1857-10-03
: A Touching Relic of Pompeii.

In DIGGING the ruins of Pompeii, every
urn Of the spade brings up some relic of
anciert life, some witness of imperial lux
ary. For far the greater part, the relies
lave merely: curious interest; they be-
ong to archaeology, and find appropriate
esting places in historical museums.
But there are some exceptions. Here,
Or instance, the excavator drops, an un-
invited guest, upon banquet; there he
Unexpectedly obtrudes himselfinto a tomb.
one place he finds miser covering in
is heap, another shows him bones of
ancing girls and broken instruments of
usic, lying on the marble floor In the
hidst aofo the painted chambers, baths,
lis, columns, fountains, among the
-Iendid evidences of material wealth, he
netimes stumbles on simple incident
touching human story-such as strikes
ne imagination and suggests mournful
asidents siof the great disaster, as the
gsaddena sighs of a wounded soldier con-
ares up the horrors of the field of battle
such, to our minds, is the latest dis
very 81 Of the excavators in this melan-
lsly 6eldsa 1t is group of skeletons in
ora actdfEfight, accompanied by dog.
,;4Aiel are three human beings, one of
EN- d Young girl, with gold ring and
wells still on her fingers. The fugi-
vssshadA bag of gold and silver with
aehl,a ashatthed up, no doubt, in haste
I'd darkness But the fiery food was
h1d their track, and vain their wealth,
heir fght-the age of one, the youth of
x5neB 8 The burning lava rolled above
md beyond, and the faithful dog turned
'4lck to share the fortune of his mistress,
- ing at her feet
!. Seen. BY the light of such an incident,
Ii6w yividly that night of horrors looms
uoron she senses! Does not the imagina-
siignl pioture1th little group in their own
Rouse, by the side of their evening foun-
tin, languidly chattering over the day s
vents, unusual heat ? Does it not hear
with them the troubled swell of the waters
IN the bay? See with them how the
light comes down in sudden strangeness,
hoHsnths sky opens overhead, and the
Hames break out, while corre, sand and
flIolten rocks come down. What move
aei1ts,iIwhat emotions, surprise! The
scepe grows darker every inst9nt; the
hollow nionotony of the bay is lifted into
KeIls. and shrieks; the air grows thick
sod lfot with fame, and at the emountain' S
isDss heard the roll of the liquid lava
tew els, household goods, gold and silver
Lis are, snatched up on the Instant
70 time to say farewell darkness in
d pnt and fire behind; they rush into the
os sreets2astreets choked with falling houses
ztid flying citizens How find way
.I6,aropgh passages that have no longer
0utlets Confusion, danger, darkness,
.tproar, ar,ererywhere. The shouts of parted
fiends, the agony of men struck down by
aealling columns fear, madness and des-
pair ,nnehained here penury clutches
sid ii .onulds not keep-there, gluttony,
nedinguon its final meal, and frenzy
strikipg IN the dark to forestall DEATH
lhfqp all, fancy hears the young girls
soTea hs the fire is on her jeweled hand
yol time for thought = no pause-the
saood sfolls .on,e ,eand wisdom, beauty, age,
md youth, with all the stories of their
ibsegg their hopes, their rank, wealth and
greatnes all the once affiuent life-are
gone forever.
When unearthed, after many years, the
aameless group has no other Importance
so mankind, than it may "serve to point
| morsJ or adorn tale"