Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-09-18
Eighteen Centuries Ago.

The pick and shovel are letting the
modern public into the family secrets of
the people who perished at the commence
ment Of the Christian Era. More than
eighteen hundred years ago a shower
of fire, ashes, and boiling water buried
the city OF Pompeii, the most dashing
place of ancient times, many fathom
deep. To-day the palaces Of its first
families are traversed by strangers from
all parts of the civilized world, aud the
habits and modes of living of its former
residents, patrcian and plebian, are in
dcated so plainly by the relics that have
been disentombed, that he who runs may
read. Two hundred men, women and
girls are now employed in excavating the
ruins of Pompeii, and new and most in
teresting chapter in the history OF that
city, has Just been opened; several OF
its inhabitants having been discovered in
such a state OF preservation AS would ena-
BILE any intelligent coroner's jury to de
termine the classes to which they belong
when living, and the peculiar circum-
stances under which they met their fate.
In one of the mansions lately uncovered,
lay the crumbling shape of lady, evid.
emily the mistress Of the house, and by
her side, in the remains of what had once
been a sort Of reticule, were ninety-one
pieces Of silver money, two pairs of ear
rings and a finger-ring of gold, together
with some keys. She had evidently been
surprised by death In the midst Of her
housewifery, and in the same atttude-a
posture of agony-in which she breathed
her last in the days of the Eyangelists,
the antiquarians found her skeleton form
about two months ago. The web of the
drapery in which she was clothed was
visible, and its fneness indicated that the
wearer had belonged to one of the F.
F. P's, or first families of Pompeii.-
Near her, were the remains Of little girl,
who had thrown portion of her dress
over her head when the burning storm
burst over her. In the same building
that contained these relics of Roman
mother and child of the first century, sew
eral other members of the household were
discovered, each silent figure telling its
own sad story of sudden surprise, at
tempted fight, and mortal agony.
1t seems that the loafers Of Pompeii,
like those of modern cities. were in the
habit of scribbling vulgar jokes on the
walls of houses, and some of these which !
have been brought to light within few
weeks, are said to be very funny
Among the domestic curiosites recently
dsinterred are sixty loaves which were
baking when Vesuvius burned the whole |
city into an oven and barbacued consid- |
cradle portion of the population. With
the exception Of Jerusalem and its sur
roundings, there is no locality on the face |
of the earth more interesting to the trav-
eler than Pompeii. There he can see
with his own eyes how well to do Ro-
mans employed themselves in the reign |
Of Tiberius, peep into their kitchens, their
dormitories, and though the symposiarch /
no longer reclines on his couch in the
banquet hall, surrounded by the wits and
bon-vivants and men-about town of the
imperial capital, shape of dust that once
was he, and which perchance had hob
nobbed with Sallust, the historian,
(whose villa still exists in good preser-
vation,) is likely enough to be found in
some corner of the silent mansion, en-.
shrined in volcanic pummice.
ESE Adam was the first man-Eye