Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-08-29

Rains Of Ancient ANtiuna
BY MRS. g. Ii. b. LANG.

Rains Of Ancient Antiuma
BY MRS. g. II. B. LANG.
Our breakfast ut length ready and
disposed of, We set forth on our walk
to tho soashorc, and to tho ruins Of |
Nero's villa. Over = p"tl' through tho
green pasture fields, thickly strown
with flowers of every hue, and upon
whose pretty heals, in m.ny places, tho
fishormen'H nets were spro,.d to dry,
we soon found ourselves close upon the
sea, the waves washing away our foot
prints ~ we walked. And now wo
came upon charming scene, aftor
rounding rocky point, whore tho
sea sweeps on to crescent beach,
backed by the crumbling arches and
corridors Of tho Emperor Nero; nnl
afar out into its deep waters, which
have thus encroaolletl upon the land,
still the walls extend, lifting above the
waves their gray heads, which the
storms of centuries have not had pow
or to destroy. Beyond this how beau
titu! the tranquil sea, as, in fitting
shades of green and purple, it gent.y
rocked to the soft play of the winds.
Upon the bar of the horizon two white
winged vessels we're speeding on their
course, and little fishing smacks, pleas
uro boats, and long masted feiuccas
were plying about the harbor.
But what shall shy of the treasures
which were under our feot! Treasures
cast up by the waves from the walls Of
that hidden palace under the sea F!
Fragments of rich marbles, of porphy-
ry, of lapis-lazuli, of verde-antico, and
of a1abaster; until, in their protuse-
ness, the beach seemed as rich mosa-
ic path, where the ghost of Nero might
still wander ON over the wrecks of his
own earthly grandeur! These frag-
mcnts are but small, it is true, some no
larger than \ pea, others again meas
uring from one to two inches; but I'LL
exquisitely beautiful, as constantly wet
by the action Of the waves, they sparkle
amid the sands.
Few excavations have been under
taken at this point, which is somewhat
remarkable, as it was here the glorious
''Apoll0 Belvedere" were found during
the reign of Julius III. and later, the
i" Borghese Gladiator" as also several
other celebrated works of art. Judg-
ing from these rich and varied deposits,
which every wave losses upon the shore,
what halls of splendor must the sea
conceal! Doubtless many a lovely
statue, all white like some fair corse,
lies in those depths profound; ind stir
rcd by the ceaseless lapse of the moan
ing waters, assumes a. it were life ,slld
motion.
Our party entered heart and soul in
to the pleasures of the hour albeit the
poet, in moralizing vein, was heard to
mnrmur, AZ he filed his pockets with
the precious waits, "Mnn walketh in q
vain shadow; he lleapeth up riches, and
k,.ospetA not s0ho stoN gather them :"
Either seated upon detached frag-
ment~ of the crumbling arches, our
feet buried in the ricl, debris, or down
upon the very brink of the sea watch
lug the waves come rolling in, and then
springing quickly to catch up some
lovely specimen Of verde.antico or 9TH
er minute fragment, ere the next wave
could snatch buck !; or again, kneeling
down amid the pebbles and the sand,
We would scoop them up in our hands,
and turning them over and over, pick
out mnny beautiful bits, worn into
queer little shapes by the ceaseless ac-
ton of tho waves. Tho patriarch, as
sisted by Blondine, sought diligently,
for the lost diamond of Nero, which,
that Emperor is said to have dropped
within the spacious courts of his Anti
UNI Villa-a gem of fabulous value,
often sought for, but never found. :
3Neither did the patriarch find it.
There is one portion of the ruins
impracticable for the ladies'. BY q
sudden curving of the walls, the high
open arches run down into the sea; and
then resuming their circular form, OK.
tend far along the shore. The poe,
and the doctor ventured to explore, and
finally succeeded in crawling under one
Of the arches, through which the &c,
flows lightly. Arrived at the extreme
point Of the ruins, they waved thci1
umbrellas toward MS from the distance
resembling the wings of some huge
bird about to take flight; and whel
they came back, they told such tale,
as nearly tempted rs to dare the same
thing. They found the ruins upon tn.
other side of our barrier truly wonder
ful-corridors and communicating
chambers apparently of great extent
some nearly choked up by masses o
} tufa and brick, others moro open, Civ
ing to the scene, consequently, NOR
gloomy and sepulohral appearance.
So rapidly flew the hours, that i
WAS nearly noon ere we retraced ou
steps to the hotel, bearing with us thu
relics of Nero, destined to find places
in crosses, rings, brooches, and paper
weights, rs souvenirs of the day.
Our Aontlsly
Particulars Of the Revolution In Peru
Peruvian dates to tile 28th of Jul,
!, give details of the late revolution. O,
the 22l the revolution broke out il
Lima, headed by Thomas Gutierrez
! Minister of War. President Baltn WIN
seized and thrown into prison ant
Gutierrez declared himself dictator
} He was supported only by the army
: A reign of terror followed the impris
onment of Balta. Pardo, the Presi
} dent elect, made his escape to tho fleet
Suddenly Oallao, up to the morning o.
the 9th, WAS scene of anarchy. Fir
ing went on Unfortunately in the
streets, and it is impossible to estimate
tile number killed. Some bodies still
lie ON the streets. Sylvester Gutierrez
brother Of tho Dictator, was shot al
the Lima railway station one evening
In order to revenge his death, Marelia'