Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-12-22

In digging out the ruins of POmpeii
every turn Of the spade brings up some
relic of the life, some witness OfimperiaI
luxury. For far the greatest part, of the
relics have a merely curious interest:
they belong to archeOIogOy, and find
appropriate resting places i'm historical
museums. But there are some expecta-
tiOns. Here, for instance, the eXcava-
tor drops, an unlimited guest, upon a
banquet there he unexpectedly O6tudes
himself into tomb. In one place he
finds miseT covering on his heap; an
other shows him bones Of dancing girls
and broken instruments Of music lying
on a marble floor, In the midst of the
painted chambers, baths, halls, columns
fountains, among the splendid evidences
of material wealth, he sometimes, on a
simple incident, a touching human stO-
ry such as strikes the Imagination and
suggests mOurnful of the great disaster,
as the sudden sightOf wounded soldier
cOnjUTeS up the horrors of the field of
battle. Such, to our mind, is the latest
discovery Ofthe eXcavatOr in this mel
anchOly field. 1t isa group of skeletons
in the act of flight, accompanied bv
dog. There are three human beings,
one of them a young girl, with gold
rings and jewels still on her fingers.
The fugitives had bag of gold and sill
yer with them, snatched up no doubt,
in haste and darkness. But the fiery
flood was on their track, and vain their
wealth, their flight, the age of one, the
youth of the other. The burning lava
rolled above them and beyond, and the
faithful dog turned back to share the
fate Of his mistress, dying ut her feet.
lr~f 11r 1ffrl,H e 4
how vividly that night of horror looms
upon the sense. Does not tina fmagina=
ton picture the little group i'm their
own house, by the side oftheir fountain,
languidly chattering over the davis
events and the unusual heat9 Does it'll
not hear the troubled swell of the wa
ters i'm the bay? see, as they do, how
the night comes down in sudden strange
ness, how the sky opens overhead, and
flames break out while scOriB, sand and
motion rocks come pouring down .
What movements, what emotion, what
surprise! The scene grows darker eve
ry instant; the hollow mOnOtany Of the
bay is lifted into yClls and shFiekS; the
air grows thick and hOtWith flames, and |
at the mountains foot is heard the roll /
of the liquid lava. Jewels, household !
Gods, god and silver coins, are snatch I
ed up on the instant. No fine to say
farewell; darkness In front and fire be- /
hind, they rush into the streets, chOked .
with failing houses and flying citizens.
How find the way through passages .
which have no longer outlets? COnfu-
sion, danger, darkness, UprOar, every
where; the shouts of parted friends, the
agony Of men struck down by failing
columns; fear, madness and despair un-
changed; here, penury ciutchiug go}d It
cannot keep, there gluttonY feeding ON
It's tinal meaL and phrenzy striking in
the dark to furcstaH death. Through az
fancy hears the young giuis screams;
The fire is ON her jeweled hand. No
time for thought, no pause, the floods
-oV on, and wisdom, beauty and youth,
with al the stories of their love, their
hopes, their rank, wealth and greatness
~ the once atiluent life, are gone fore
,vcr. When mearthed for many years
he nameiess group has no other impOr-
ance to mankind than as Il may serve
q "point % moral or adorn a tale. -
Banner Of Inc Cross.