The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-12-27
Ijisrcl!Q,icolls.
Touching Relic OF POnucii.

Touching Relic OF pomueii.
In digging the ruins Of Pompeii,
every turn Of the spade brings up some
relic Of ancient life, some witness of
imperial luxury. For far the greater
par, the relics have merely curious
interes' ; they belong to archaeology,
and find appropriate resting places in
historical museums.
I But there are some eycep ions. Here,
for Instance, the exeavator drops, an
/ unlimited guest, upon banque, there
he uneSpec eddy obtrudes himself into a
tomb. In ono place lie finds IA miser
covering on his heap; another shows
him bones of dancing girls and broken
instruments of music lying on the
marble floor. In the midst of the
painted chambers, baths, halls, columns,
fountains, among the splendid evidences
of ma erial wealth, he some ines STUN
blcs on simple incident--a touching
human ory-such as strikes the mag
ination and suggests mournful in crest of
the great disaster as the sudden sight
of wounded soldier conjures up the
horrors of the field of battle.
Such to our minds is the latest dis
covery of the excava.ors in this mclan-
choly field. 1t is a group of ske,c ons
in the act of fight, accompanied by a
dog. There are three human beings.
one Of them a young girl, with a gold
ring and jewels still on her fingers. -
The fugitlyes had a bag of gold and sill
yer with them: snatched up no doubt
in has and darkness. But the fiery
flood was on heir track, and vain their
wealth, thcir figh.--thc age of one, the
youth CT the other. The burning lava
rolled above and beyond, and thc faith
full dog turned back 20 share the fortune
of his mistress, dying at her feet.
Seen by the light of such an incident,
how wildly that night of horrors looms
upon the senses Does not imagination
picture the lit lie group in their own
house, by the side of their evening foun-
tain, lauguidly chatting over the days
events, unusual heat Does It not hear
with them the troubled swell of the
waters in the bay See with them how
he light comes down in sudden strange.
ness, how the sky opens over head, and
The flames break out while corrc sand
and motion rocks come down. What
movements, what emotion, surprise -
| The scene grows darker every instant :
the hollow mono;onv of the bay is lii. ed
into yells and shrieks, the air grows
thick and hot with flames. and at the
noun aims foot is heard the roll of the
liquid lava. Jewels, household gods,
gold and silver coins, are snatchcd up
on the instant. No time to say fare
well darkness in front and fire behind,
they rush into the strcet-strects
choked with falling houses aud flying
citizens. How find a way through pas
sages that have no longer any gu let's
Confusion, danger, darkness, uproar
everywhere; the shou Of parted friends,
he agony of men struck down By falling
columns here pcnury clutching gold i
cannot keer--therc, gluttony feeding on
It's final meal, and phrenzy striking in
the dark to forestall death. Through
all, fancy hears the young girls
screams the fire is on her jewelcd hand.
No '1me for thought-no pause-the
food rolls on, and wisdom, beauty, age
and youth, wi h all the stories of their
love, their hopes, their rank, wealth and
grca ness-all the once at'luent life, are
gone forever.
When uncarthcd af,cr many years,
the namcless group has no other impor;-
ance 10 mankind than as it may " serve
0 point moral or adorn a tale"