The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-06-02


sils, the earthen dishes, the drinking
vessels, the loaves of bread, and the
other remnants of charred food and
clothing that were discovered among the
ruins. These objects give one almost
more vivid impression OF the terrific
calamity that overlook Pompeii than o
visit to the city itself. Here are tho
bottles of oil, the pans filled with meat,
the bread taken from the oven. the re-
mains of fish, dates, nuts, eggs and all
the other articles of food that supplied
the table of Roman family. One OF
the most significant objects is we'll
preserved purse containing three copper
coins, and suggesting that the fortunes
of some one among the inhabitants OF
Pompeii were mt a low ebb.
The parts of Pompeii which have al
ready been excavated are probably the
most important, although there Is OF
course no means of knowing what may
lie under the green acres at present I'M
disturbed. We have, however, the Fo-
rum with the contiguous temples and
public buildings, two theaters with large
colonnades. the amphitheater, and con-
siderable number of private dwellings
of more or less ornate character. The
streets bordered by pavement are
straight and narrow, the widest not be-
ing more than twenty-four feet in
breadth, but they are admirably paved
with large polygonal blocks of lava. AT
intervals, especially at the corners, are
placed high stepping-stones leading
from one side of the pavement to the
other, intended for the use of foot-pas-
sengers in rainy weather. The wagons
have made deep ruts in the causeways,
and tho horses hoofs have made impress
sions on the stepping stones over which
they were obliged to pass. In the streets
are frequently seen notices painted In
redletters, referring generally to the cleo
tion of the municipal authorities, and
recommending some particular ildivid
ual as @dile or duumvir, for the pur-
pose of averting the evil eye, and one or
two large snakes, the emblems of the
Lares, the gods of the hearth and of
crossways, are very common. Succeed
walls are often covered with roughly
scratched drawings resembling those
wherewith the street Arabs of our own
day delight to decorate blank surfaces.
The dwelling-houses of Pompeii differ
greatly in size, and were obviously fitted
up in accordance with the nature of the
situation or the means and taste of their
owners. A few are built of block stone,
but the majority of small stones or brick
consolidated with cement. The patched
and hasty manner of their construction
is doubtless accounted for by the haste
with which they were erected and re-
stored after the earthquake. Most OF
the apartments are very small, but the
family worked and spent most of their
time in the airy courts. Marble is rarely
to be met with In the public or domestic
architecture of Pompeii, the columns
being invariably constructed of tuff-
stone or brick cemented with mortar.
The brick walls and columns were then
covered with stucco, which took the
scope for decorative painting.
Those of the public buildings of Pom
peii that have been excavated are
grouped near together. The central
point is the Forum. Here, 100 feet
above the level of the sea, stand the
ruins of this building, never finished,
but raised to half its imposing height
only to be destroyed. Six streets con-
verge here, but the Forum was protect
ed against the trespass of riders or Of
wagons by stone pillars around the mar
gins, and could even be entirely shut
of by gates. In the interior may still be
seen the solid bases prepared for the
statues of Emperors and other illustrious
men. At the eastern end of the Forum
stands the so-called "Temple of Angus
tus," building the object of which is
involved in mystery that no scholar or
antiquarian has ever been able to solve
In front of it are pedestals for statues,
and shops mostly occupied by money
changers. The interior consists of q
rectangular court still unfinished when
the catastrophe took place. To the
chambers simply painted red. On the
east side, opposite the entrance, rises
the principal shrine, to the left of which
is another with an altar. This was, per-
haps, employed in the celebration of
sacrificial banquets. The gallery on the
left side is believed to have been an or
chestra. To the right, larger apart
ment, containing stands of masonry,
with slight inclination, and furnished
with cutters below to carry off blood or
watt r, is believed to have been kitchen.
The Therme," or public baths, sit
uated near the Forum, occupy space
inclosed by four streets. The different
apartments for hot and cold baths are
easily traced. In one a niche at the end
contains marble basin for washing the
hands and face with cold water. An In
scription near by records that it was
erected at cost of $3.50 sesterces, OF
about 5000. Beside these baths there
is another and larger establishment
called the Stabian Therm@.
One of the notwithstanding of the
temples of Pompeii is that dedicated to
Isis. This. as the copy of the inscrip-
ton over theentrance informs us, was re-
stored after the earthquake of GO by N.
Popidius Celsinus, boy of years, al
his own expense, who in recognition OF
this service was received into the rank
of decuriones. This small boy must
have been a most-precocious young an.
tiquarian, and with tastes differing
widely from those usually characteristic
of his species. There is natural in.
clination to fancy that there must have
been some fanatical devotee of adul,
years in the case, who despoiled the
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