Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-08-29

that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroy
ed as punishment for their crimes, are
of opinion that Pompeii was also de-
stroyed because of its wickedness. The
discoveries in that city are, many OF
them. of character not to be described
in public prints, especially by the en-
gravers art, at the present day. Some
of the eardrops worn by the women were
curious to behold. Lamps were fashion
ed in forms quite as obscene as they are
fantastic; and the same may be said Of
the chandeliers, and of many of the
utensils used in ordinary life. Curious
ly engraved seals are found that would
hardly be suitable to impress to-day on
the back of letter, and there were
paintings on many of the walls that
should be covered from fastidious eyes.
Certain houses, which, in American
cities, are visited by stealth. and whose
locality is, to certain extent, shrowded
in obsurity, were boldly designated by
various symbols cut upon the stones of
the sidewalks and upon the lintels of the
doors. Many of these objects have been
preserved, and are now in the museum
at Naples they have been placed in
apartments by themselves, where any
curious visitor may examine them and
those who are curious in such mattersI
respectfully refer to the museum. The
impressions ON the sidewalks and over
the doors remain as they were, and may
be examined by any tourist who is inter-
ested in their study.
WHAT PRECEDED NEWSPAPERS.
AS one walks through Pompeii be sees
much to tell him that advertising is not
altogether an invention of the present
age, but cards and posters enlivened the
streets; the walls were covered with
them and in many places there were
whitewashed patches of wall, serving for
the announcements which the writer
wishes to make public. These pannels
we're dedicated entirely to public bust.
ness, and anybody had the right to paint
upon them, in delicate and slender let
ters, the advertisements which we now
find in the columns of the newspapers.
Many of these announcements were a
political character, such as proclama
tions of candidates for public office
Pompeii was evidently swallowed up just
before and election. In reading the
posters you will find that sometimes il
was noble, sometimes a group of citi
zens, and sometimes a corporation O.
tradesmen, who recommended some one
to the office of @dile or d,tnmuir. Thus
Paratus nominates Pansa Phillippus
nominates Catus; Felix, and Valentin
us, and his associates prefer Sabinus
Sometimes the etector was in hurry
and asked to have his candidates choser
quickly. Sometimes dozen guilds
such as the fuiterers, the porters, th,
mule drivers, the salt makers, carpen
ters, and others, united to urge the elect
ion Of somebody.
Rather curiously we found on some 0
these placards that the "sleepers dc
clared their preference for somebody
and it puzzled us to know who were thes
friends of sleep. Perhaps they ma
have been gentlemen who did not lik
noise, orperhaps they were an associatio
of tumultuous fellows who thus disguis
ed themselves under an ironicnI It'll,
They may have been type of the clas
who are described in the present Sian
of New York as roosters.
There were advertisements of loi
property, hotels announsing rooms t
let, stolen horses, performances at th
theatres, and various other things sue
as we see in the advertising papers, an
posters ON the walls at the present day
There were some of these posters d
voted to what we call Personals" {
course they were obscurely worded so 8
to be understood only by those fc
whom they were intended. One of m
: companions asserted that one advertis
ment read, Julia, same place, 6 p. NJ
Tuesday )" and another said, Scipi
; come back-all will be forgiven" :"