Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1886-09-24

things" and 81 gain the approval, oI
the votaries of pleasure? Or did her
personal austerities try to atone fol
those other lives, so soft and luxurious
and thus win from them in death some
tribute Of pity and remorse, of which
this stately tomb was the outward ex.
preston?
just opposite in a large building
supposed to have been the principa
inn of Pompeii, the stables, with re.
mains of the stalls, are pointed out,
though, strange to say, the skeletons
OF only two horses have yet been
found. 1t is thought that the atmos
pheric distur Dances were felt by ami.
NAL instinct sooner than by human
senses, and that this instinct led the
horses to escape from the city before
the full force of the catastrophe made
itselffelt. The villa of Diomed stands
near. His skeleton, the golden brooch
still fastening the charred toga, was
found on the threshold, leathern
purse of gold coins tightly clutched in
one hand.
The ineffaceable records of Pompeii
are enough to provide an inexhaust-
ible fand of story and song; every
tomb is rich in suggestions, every
house is compendium of the history
of that past age, and the interest of
the place increases with each fresh ex.
c4vation. A third part of the city
sill remains to be discovered, includ-
ing the Street of the Goldsmiths, where
rich treasures Of ancient art are sup.
posed to be hidden. The perfect pre-
servation in which most of the articles
are found is due not only to the i'm
mense weight OF ashes rendering the
city air tight, but also to the chemical
properties of the sulphurous and min
eral charged cloud which rained down
in tons upon the houses and streets.
Near the entrance gate is small
Museum, containing the skeletons
found in the clty-s mother and
daughter clasped in each others arms;
\ s"ntinel found at his post; a man
evidently knocked down by the cloud
Of ashes; aud several others. Some Of
them have been injured in the process
Of excavation, in spite Of the unparal-
leled care with which the digging and
sitting are always done. When a
skeleton is found, hot plaster of paris
is Immediately poured on to it, so
that, while preserving the skeleton
intact, it gives ne also, by filing mp
the impression or mould Of .he hndy
Ieelt had lain there, time position inj
shich they were found; the rings
till on the fingers.
The oniy regret we feel about this
Of Pompeii is that it was
to leave there the count
ess articles Of furniture, dress and
luxury which were found and there
fore, to preserve them from pillage
and destruction, a. we'll as from expo
sure to the air, they were taken to the
Naples Museum, which forms the
needful sequel to visit to Pompeii.
There We see room after room full of
furniture from Pompeian houses
beds, baths, chairs, and tables all Of
carved bronze; bronze coaches, with
the charred leather cushions on which
the indolent Pompeians once lounged
at their costly feasrs; every imaginable
kitchen utensil. knives, forks. the
hsnilss formed Of a tiny human figure
in bronze; exquisitely finished bottles
of curious irridescent glass; figures of
the Lares and Penates; vases. beakers,
Jugs, cups and dishes of every SIZE and
shape; the rare artistic skill display
ing the superiority Of work done by
hand to the products of modern ma
chinery. A large collection of surgl-
cal instruments greatly interested q
celebrated physician who was one OF
our party, and who expressed un.
bounded surprise at the very slight
difference between the relics OF the in
fancy of medical science and the in
struments in use at the present day
Some large cases Of dentists tools
caught our eye also; nor did we neet
to be told what they were, being only
100 we'll acquainted with similar in
struments of tortu e. A great mum
Der Of paint boxes are displayed, which
still tain the same bright soft col
ors which we see on the walls OF Pom
peii, and case after case of jewels
some found in the houses, Others evi
dent'y dropped in hurried flight from
the burning city, or fallen from tn
necks and arms Of the skeletons
Rings, bracelets, chains. tiaras, neck
laces without end of finely chased
gold, Set with gems, some Of the jew
lis uninjured, and sparkling as bright
Iy after the lapse of ages, as they die
on the snowy neck of the Pompeial
beauty two thousand years ago; other
dropped from the setting, where tn
heat has melted the gold out of shape
Exquisite cameo rings and clasps, rep
resenting classical or mythologica
subjects Often winged Mercury, o
Psyche with the butterfly poised a
bove her heAd, serves to remind u
how art lives, though the artist dies.
|. On lady's bronze toilet table stant
a glass jar half full of rouge, some pc
made pots, and a litter of carve'
combs, bronze hairpins, curling iron
aud tongs, surrounding the pofishe
metal mirror which once reflected tn
face whose beauty the fair owner trie
to heighten. Those combs and hail
pins once fastened periumed tresses
white fingers once dallied with tn
unguents and essences which stand o
the table, or dipprd the puff into th
rouge which glows still with its pris
tine color, though the cheek which
tinted is dissolved in death. A sill
hair-net looking fresh and new hang
on q bronze hook; and q charre