St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-07-15

|" Who knows if there be not one
more powerful than Jovc?" and the
two began TO pace the deck again,
whilst the rowcrs bent to their oars.
1t was yet early night. The in
habitants were in the streets, in the
Observation-Disclosures
the templcs--in the gardcps-in the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS astir with
life and motion, and the hustle of
every amusement and distraction.
But, in the midst Of their fcasting
and rcvclry, and utter oblivion, the
awlu! hour of Doom was marching
upon them--had already overtaken
them. Suddenly the cloud of ashes
drifted away as by the breath of q
whirlwind. Sounds and crashings,
and rcvcrberating thunders, more hor-
rible and discordant than any that
had fallen upon human ears, began to
fill the armament. The mountain
belched forth from its vast interior,
huge masses of fire and molten lava,
and drove it down its sleeps in cX-
terminating rivers, and the sea rose
and rcccdcd as if aff'rightcd, to rush
back upon the shores in tumultuous
tides and destroying cataracts. The
appalling splendor, the ineflable ter
rors Of the. scene, became visible to
those on board, and to the shuddering
spectators fleeing away, or who, from
some place Of security on the shore,
bcheld the overwhelming slightly
the binding fires of the mountain,
now casting forth itself, as it were, in
blazing torrents against the sky.
Some faint idea of the dreadful specta-
Gle may be gathered from the pages
of Pliny, who has, with simplicity
allied to the sublime, recorded the ca
tastrophe which entirely buried two
noble cities and the whole of the sur
rounding country, SO that, literally,
not vestige of them was left.
Meanwhile the pirates galley,
through imminent danger, and as by
a mere miracle, reached the island of
Caprea, where Eumolpus-though the
awful visitation he had witnessed had
cowed his heart, while present success
seemed to encourage his audacity--
engaged trireme, in order to embark
| with Thescis of Crete. lie succeeded,
and the Roman maiden, overwhelmed
with grief and terror, was borne OH
board more dead than alive. Leaving
Labeo faint and wounded behind him,
contrary to his first intention, and dis
charging his obligation to the pirate
leader in good Roman gold, he set
forth on his voyage, beginning now to
exult in earnest ii the success of his
vile stratagems.
A day or two after, while the news
of this frightful disaster had filled
the whole region with dismay and
horror, and the smoke of the devasta-
ted cities rose up a sullcn and lowering
cloud, and obscuring the heavens as
with pail, the tribune was fastening
Cor Gaeta in large Roman galley
with company Of soldiers; and filled
with apprehension on account Of his
daughter and her bctrotEed, put in at
Caprea, whittier many who had been
enabled to escape by sea fed for pres
ent refuge. Fortunately he met La
beo, wandering upon the shore, from
whom he learnt the story of the alb
duction of Theseis, which filled Me-
don's heart with more fear than even
the knowledge of her death might
have done.
As Labeo had heard the place of
destination named to which Eumolpus
WAS intending TO make his way, the
tribune lost no time in putting forth
to sea after the ravishcrs and his
three-decked galley, being strongly
manned with soldiers and rowers, by
the eve of the second day after their
starting, they came up with Eulnolpus
and his hirclings, who, in their dcspe-
ration, at first made stout resistance.
After brief and fierce conflict, how
ever, the latter yielded, and Labeo be-
ing the first to leap on board, had the
satisfaction Of passing his sword
through the heart Of the reckless profit
gate, and restoring his beloved Theseis
unframed to her fathers arms.
Years after, when both had long
been welded, and children grew
about them in their pleasant home be-
You'd the Piscari Hill, they would re-
late in awe and trembling, the story
of the fall of Pompeii, and the night
peril they had passed, when the once
lovely land was scorched and blast
ed plain, the fiery traces of which were
yet distinctly visible, and thank
Heaven that had protected them in
their fearful vicissitude, and suffered
them to reach together calm and
happy old age.