Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-02-01
VESUvluS,
BY BIN NIe.

The study OF the haDltS ana temperament
Of the volcano. at q distance Of about ten
thousand miles, is one that has always sf-
forded me much pleasure. In watching and
noting the peculiar phenomena of the erup
tons / have almost lost sight Of its attend
ant dangers.
A volcano is always feverish and restless
till after the eruption, then it feels better.
The first symptoms Of an eruption are cold
feet, bad dreams, bad breath aud dark
circles around the crater. This will be fol-
lowed BY an uncomfortable feeling in the
bowels ofthe earth, and a iuttering pulse.
The volcano is then about to erupt,rRnd
those who live near there had better sell
out q sacrifice.
One thousand eight hundred and eighty
four years ago the Roman geoyrapher and
weather crank, Strabo, 9 oke Of Yesuyius
as a BURT mountain, but it had not ut that
time turIed itSelf wrong side out Quite q
forest gJew where Its crater now stands.
For fftr years Vesuvius had bilious spells,
but kept on drawing its salary without loss
o ftime, but in 79, A. d., it turned itself
loose, and tore up the ground a good
deal. Real estate was to an as
tonishing height, but became depressed
again at once. The south half OF the
mountain was jerked loose, az Piny has it,
aud knocked galley west. This was fol-
lowed by q shower of hot, wet ashes, which
completely obliterated Pompeii and Her
culaneum. These towns have been ex-
humed lately, but, owing to the criminal
delay OF the authorities in doing so, no lives
were saved.
These cities are not covered with lava
Scientists say that the ruins were found I'M
der q deep layer Of volcanic tufs. | do not
know what tufa is, but presume the term is
perfectly proper and safe to use in good
society. / have heard of the tuta cigar,
which is sold at the rate of tuta five
cents, but l am comparatively Ignorant
Of the general appearance Of volcanic
tufS. This a joke that | thought
Of myself. Times are so close this winter
that | am obliged TO riginate a good many
OF my own Jokes, and TO write my owl auto.
graphs. Ny amanuensis, who has stood by
me SO long and aided me so well, has been
discharged. Autograph hunters will notice
that my autographs are not so good as
when | had an amsnuensiS.
For nearly q thousand years Vesuyius
then remained in Q comatose state, with
only an occasional eruption. Then for 500
years it did net erupt. In 1888, on the
shores Of the Cult of Baise in the Bay Of
Naples, q new and attractive orator was
opened. 1t was a good, ~easy-running crater
and the ava was hot when it came out.
Hot lava is not good for food. 1t hardens
in the stomach and t&ints the breath with
the odor of sulphur.
In 1851 Vesuvius itself again became in
tensely irritable and showed signs OF q NOR
bid desire to erupt. During the 1900
years Of quiet the crater had been covered
over with forests infested by the wild boaI
of Italy and the tame boar Of England.
The slopes of the mountain were cultivated
up to the foot of the cone and Sunday
school plcnIcs swarmed over the greensward
at it base.
Suddenly, in the latter part Of December.
Vesuvius rose on its hind feet and painted
Rome red. All Southern Europe and q part
of York State was covered with ashes and
debris from the internal economy Of the vol
cano. Many people we're killed who had
never previously lost their lives. The way
Vesuvius slung hot mud at the Neapolitan
hordes that fall was a solemn warning to the
puny pugmire pushers of putrid politics in
the land Of the free and the house Of the
brave. The beautiful cities Of Resin and
Postici were entirely destroyed and those Of
Tore del Greco and Tore del 'Amumgiata
would have perished if they had not spread
he names Of the towns over themselves aud
escaped. A good long name in Italy is
rather to be chosen than great riches.
About every ten years since the above date,
Visuvius has been liable to jar the country
and shake down a few towns, covering the
people with stuff that is entirely useless.
The eruption of Vesuvius is a fine sight at
night. No doubt but there will always be
more or less apprehension on the part of
spectators until some American "~rustler'
puts a damper in the crater Of Vesuyius so
he can regulate the eruption. At present
these spasms are too irregular and to Vehe-
ment.-Ingleside.