The Dillon tribune., 1885-03-07

0IuNN VI lOIV Nu4
,nent of the volcano, at a distance Of about
ten thousand miles, is one that has always
afforded me much pleasure. In watching
and noting the peculiar phenomena OF The
erupticns l,av.: almost lost sight Of its
attendant dangers.
A volcano is always fevcrish and restless
till after the eruption, then it feels better.
The first symptoms Of an eruption gre cold
feet, bad dreams, bad breath. and dark cir.
cles around the crater. This will be fol.
bowed by an uncomfortable feeling in the
bowels Of the earth, and huttering pulse.
The volcano is then about to erupt, and
those who live near it wants to sell out at a
sacrifice.
Ono thousand eight hundred and eighty.
four years ago, the Roman geographer and
weather crank, Strabo, spoke Of Vesuvi.,s
as a burnt mountain, but it had not at that
time half turned itself inside out. Quite a
forest grew where its crater now stands.
For fifty years Vesuvius had bilious spells,
but kept on drawing its salary without loss
Of time, but in 70 a. d., It turned itself
loose and tore up the ground good deal.
Real estate was up to an astonishing height
but became depressed at orce. The south
half Of the mountain was jerked loose, as
Pliny has it. and knocked galley west.
This was followed BY shower Of hot, wet
ashes which completely obliteratcd Pom.
peii and llcrculaneu,n. These towns have
been exhun,ed, lately, but owing to the
criminal delay Of the authorities in doing
so, no lives were saved.
The cities are now covered with lava
Scientists say that the ruins were found
under a deep layer Of volcanic tufa. I do
not know what tufa is, but presume the
term is perfectly proper and safe to use in
good society. | have heard OF the tut;, ci.
sars, which are sold ut the rate of tufa five
cents, but am comparatively ignorant Of
the general appearance of volcanic tufa.
This is Il Joke that thought of myself.
Times are SO close this winter, that am
obliged to originate Il good many Of INV
own Jokes, and to write my autographs.
My amanuensis, who has stood bv the SO
long and aided me so we'll has been dis.
charged. Autograph hunters will notice
that my autographs are not SO good as
when had IN a,nanuensis.
For nearly 4 thousand years Ncsuvius
then remained in Il cata,nose state, with
only an occasional eruption. Then for ZOO
years it did not crupt In 1895, on the
shore of the Gulf of Bair, in the BAY of
Naples, 4 new and attractive crater was
opened 1t WAS Il good, easy running era.
ter, and the lava was hot when it come out
Hot lava is not good for food. 1t hardcns
in the stomach and taints The breath with
the odor OF sulphur.
In 1881 \c>uviu> itself became intense.
" irritable and showed signs Of a morbid
desire to cr"pt. During the l,sco wears Of
quiet the crater had been covered owe,
with the wild boar Of Italy and the tame
bore OF England. Suddenly, in the latte,
part OF December, Vcsuvius rose on it.
hind feet, and painted Rome rcd. Al
Southern Eorope and a part Of New Yorl
State was covered with ashes from tn,
eternal economy OF the volcano.
Abou. every ten years since the abov,
date, Ecsuvius has been liable to lar tn,
country and shake down a few towns, COY
cring the people with stuff that is entirel,
useless. The eruption Of Vesuvius is -;
fine sigh. at night. No doubt bu, Their,
will always be more or less apprehension
on the part OF the spectator until som,
American "ru>ter" puts damper ON tn,
crater OF \esuviu> SO that he can re,,ulat,
the eruption. Nprcscnt these spas:ns ar,
too irregular and too vehement.