Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-21


tons in Runic uniform characters
which to our eyes bore a marvellous
resemblance to those upon the slab
in the Mercantile Library, which was
brought from the mines of Nineveh.
Between the inches were projecting
pilasters, with draped Assysinian or
Egyptian heads, which presented a
most impressive and awe-inspiring
effect as they were Illuminated by
the torchlight. Those sweet, sad
faces looked down upon us from the
ancient ages, like the souls of the
departed. One of the passages OPP
ening on the north side seemed to
follow the course of the river, and
it is believed extends to the great
mound now being removed by the
North Missouri railroad, which was
the theme of much Interesting re-
mark at the last meeting of the His
torical Society. To those who have
not seen the mounds around st.
Louis, it may be necessary to say
that the mound known as the Big.
Mound, is about one mile above the
great bridge now being built. The
mound known as Monks Mound is
on the other side of the river, and
is but one of. a continuous chain of
mounds extending from the river to
the bluffs, distance ofnine miles. 1t
is conjectured that the tunnel under
the river and the mounds are init
mately connected, and that there
was in ancient times an opening
through the mounds from this sub
terranean highway. OF course
every scientific man is in a perfect
fever of excitement at these grand
discoveries which seem so full of
promise to archaeological and eths
biological inquiries after truth 1t
will be remembered by our citizens
that some few months since an ex-
animation of Monks Mound was
made under the auspices of some
eastern scientific society; and dur
ing the excavations there were fire.
qArent exhalations of disagreeable
gases and odors. Yet we will not
speculate, but wait in almost breath
less suspense for future develop
ments. Il
As we returned from our hasty
examination, passing through its
YailoSfapa1 hall ahnUa aooriboA rxro
observed a descending opening
about seven feet high by three feet
wide. Following this in its windings
about fifty yards, we came to
flight of forty one steps, ascending
which, we found ourselves in anoth-
er chamber of wonders-oval in
shape, about seven feet long, twenty
feet high and three feet wide. The
walls ofthis last chamber were seuip-
tured in magnificent basrelief and
Runie inscriptions. Prof. Bacehio,
the learned Sancrit of the university,
who was with Us, has taken upon
himself the task of translating the
inscriptions. OF the meaning of
some of the words and the colossal
sculptures, he already speaks very
confidently. One of the magnificent
groups he is certain is intended to
represent Ahashuerus browning
Queen Elizabeth. And another
group of colossal figures represent
ing captives following the car of
victorious conqueror are portraits
of Luke Deuteronomy and the friend
going into captivity.
This remarkable discovery, follow
ing so quickly the one at Rock Is
land, will awaken the intensest in
terest throughout the world.
1t is very desirable that the savans
into whose hands the rich treasure
of the Rock Island discovery has
fallen will send representatives here,
so that we may compare notes, for
it is possible that both these Won
ders and those discovered here were
the works of the same ancient people.
Isl. Louis Republican, Jan. is.
THE BALL SEASON In NEW YORK.
The New York correspondent Of the
Boston Post writes as follows
Everyday is going to balls. Next to
the passion for legs and busts at the the
aters, the passion for exhibiting ones self
in ball room now RACES 10 the bosom Of
Gotham And II the truth must be told,
there isn't great deal to choose between
the ballet and the ball room, in the mat
ter Of modesty. The dresses one sees in
ball roem are generally good deal
longer below than those worn by the
ballet, bat then they partly make up for
this extravaganza by being shorter above,
You may enjoy your own opinion as to
whether low bodiees and long skirts are
better calculated to promote and protect
virtue than high bodices and short skirts.
l am too modest to looksclesely at ladies'
in full dress (Which means as. little dress
as possible), but persons not afflicted with |
this weakness tell me that the "style' of |
some of the ladies in the ball rooms |
is quite shocking. | am Informed that |
Black Crook costumes seemed to be the |
favorites at the Dramatic Fund ball
on Monday night. The queens Of the
ballet and all the leading actresses were
there, and there was sprinkling of fast /
ladies who don't belong to the stage, and
nearly all the fast young men around !
town were on the floor. wonder how !
August Belmont and S. L. M. Barlow,
and the other virtuous heads Of respect
able families who were on the eommIts
tee, felt in the midst of so much una
dorned beauty? There was a carnival
ball at the French theater few weeks
ago, whereat all the young bloods en-
joyed themselves hugely, and were ini>
tiated in the mysteries Of the Can can.
OF course there are some fashionable
balls that are free from the peeuliaris
ties of Can-canism, but most Of those
which have taken place have not been
free from the presence of ladies who
would ask no better fun than to dance
the Can>can if they knew how. The
theatrical balls are most popular among |
the young men whose fathers have plenty
of money, and whose tastes run on tights
and braVely abbreviated skirts.
IpRVrEzp..s.z-....ER
FIVE young men in Berlin lately made
an agreement, for a wager, to see who OF
them could keep awake for whole
week They all held out for about five
days and half, by drinking largely of
strong coffee, and keeping up constant
round of active exercises and exciting |
amusements. At the end of that time
two of them yielded to drowsiness, a
third soon fell asleep while riding, tum>
bled from his saddle and broke his arm;
a fourth was attacked by severe sickness,