The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1880-02-28
4 rUMPEIiAN BIRD SHOP.

\ CORES pondcnt Of the London Times.
in describing the contents OF a chamber
just opened III cXcayaung the ruins OF
ancient Pompeii. writes:
No sooner was the excavation OF this
chamber commenced, than number Of
bronze and tara Gotta vessels, bronze
ti5ulW, bracelets and rings, iron KEYS,
Kitchen utensils, and other articles OF
household use, were found almost in q
heap together near the door, and among
them /. considerable number of small
ealthaaWare pots, which somewhat in
Crcduonsly heard described rs drinking
cups for brds; but there soon followed
abundant proof that this had been the
shop ot a seed merchant and seller of
singing birds, and very little imagination
Wa required to sec the place as 1t was
the day before the fatal eruption of IS.
At first the room seemed to have been
4 mere receptacle ioY miseellane-
ors collection OF bronze ana earthen-
ware object There was no special char
aCtc" abont 1t. The walls bore no traces
ii painting. but, as the clearing was con-
tInued, t. the lett OF the door on entering
4 heap Ot millct seed was found. 50 car
BOMBED that on taking up Il handful it
flowed between ones fingers, Tor every
gram was separate and distinct. 1t was
taken away II Gaskettuis. Close to tins
quantity Of hemp seed, and of what APP
puared to he small beans ia the same
well preserved condition. were tound,
and among them considerable fragments
of the sacks in which they had been
kept, thc tihre and texture clearly dis
ting1psha5le. Behind these heaps and
against tie Wall more seed was duo ont.
naSed UP with pieces af earhonizea
wood, iron hinges AMI nails, and some
1rHn hoops, evidently the remains ot
small barrels and bins which had betn
ranged on this side. while along the on-
poslte wa. a double row of teira-cotta
el.st for holding Grain was gradually Re-
ye4led. Suddenly there arose Il cry.
"un ossa, "un scheletro,a and the
excitement became intense; but the bones
were smalI--at first they seemed mere
fragments. ana then the Director excaln2-
cd, amid quickly following laughter, "A
chicken. Here the filing III had be
come somewhat soIiGitied, ani rs il broke
apart complete skeleton was revealed
1t was that Of a little siuglng bird, en-
tirely imbeddea in the mass, and near 1t
were fragments OF other tiny bones.
There could be no longer any doubt that
tie use of the little telra-cotta pots had
been correctly described It became
clear why SO many Of them were found
there, and that the number OF plain
bronze rings of about an inch and i half
IN diameter. and pieces Of fine chain
W0fn discovered. had been used for hang
ing bird-cages. But what connection had
All those bronze vessels and ornaments
near the door with i seed and bira-sel-
er shop9 This also soon became cyi-
dent.
rs tie cNcayMors continued further
into tie room, great masses OF carbon
lLed beams OF wood were found. each
somewhat inclined downward, anil among
tnen q quantity Of fragments Ok lntauae
and tuece waii-tacia@. aolored porlIry.
with Goraer of greer ard white. These !
aeIe at once seen IO be the remains ot
the floor "a tie room above with some Of
the rIasteIlng Of It's walls, and from the !
direction in which the beams We're living.
II WAS evident that the floor had given
way III the middle and toward the door
-ot the shop below, precipilating the
greater part ot the contents OF the upper
room II that direction. the remainder
falling towards tie middle. and it was
here the elegant lGng stommed Candida
Drum Was found among the masses and
fragments Of carbonized wood. Did the
worthy bird seller live above his shop.
Did this candelabrum and the bronze va
SIS AID other utensils form part ofhis do
mestic foitune2 Who can tell? They were
elegant N form, but for The most part
eu0rnamentcd, and not out Of character
with the requirements Of a person OF tha
condition. There ere some tingerrings
OF bronze, but none Of richer material
there was strlgil with plain handle
there were womcn's bracelets and iibup
OF delicate workmanship, but only Of
bronze, some glass beads and delicate
blue cup broken in pieces. The smaller
terra-cotta vessels were all Of the plalncst
Woi kmanship. Among them were three
small amphor with flat bottoms, for stand
ing pn the table, and the bronZes We're
ot. the variety Of size and form adapted
70 household purposes. Some we're like
Jugs with one handle, Others were IN the
form Of fiat oval tazze with two handles,
and one Of these had two others OF
smaller size lying within it. There