The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-01
True as Preaching.
A Pompeian Lady's Bed-ROom.

Entering now in imagination our
lady's own rooms, we perceive at once
that one of her principal interests and
occupations was the toilet. Though
dress was simple in fashion (consiSting
among the higher ranks of a fine linen
under-dress, the delicate fabric being
imported from Egypt, above which
was long tunic OF fine white wool,
reaching below the knee, and confined
at the waist by girdle), the adjuncts
were numerous and often costly.
Splendid clasps of gold for the outdoor
tunic, long wide mantel, often richly
dyed, one end of which was thrown
gracefully over the shoulder; silken
wells of flimsy texture embroidered
with gold and profusion Of jewelry,
rendered the toilet of our Pompeian an
intricate and serious business. On the
table lay for choice the earrings and
rings, the bracelets, armlets, and ank-
let's, Of gold and silver, and precious
stones, in designs of the variety of
which the accompanying illustration
will but give faint idea. Fine canoes
were usually employed for the rings;
the earrings took the form Of hoops of
pearls and other stones, or little figures
in gold, Cupids being a tavorite de-
sign; and rows Of coral and nlalachite,
beetles, and pendants in arabesque
patterns and ornaments in the Etruscan
style, formed the necklaces. The brace
lets were often in the form of serpents
twining many times round the arm,
or were thick circlets, either plain or
embossed with precious stones orpearls.
Thee, too, lay boxes for rouge and
other cosmetics, with nuniberlcss ivory
combs, perforated in graceful patterns,
and small tools, as pinchers, nail-pol-
ishers, and the like; numerous vases
and jars for perfume, hairpins twisted
and ornamented in various ways, safety
pins of all sizes, and in all kinds of
metal, from iron to gold; gold ribbon
for girdles or filters, and nets of the
finest gold thread for head-dresses;
mystic armlets of every sort giving the
finishing touch to the varied collec-
ton.
Besides the bedsteads and chairs of
bronze, the coverlets of which were
then soft carpets or furs, the room con-
tanned finely-chased bronze Golfers
and chests of cedar-wood, which held
the robes and valuables of our lady;
while ebony boxes, richly carved, we're
full of jewelry. In that beauty-loving
age, the woman spent a great deal of
time in personal adornment; the dark
hair was often bleached or dyed gol-
den color, the eyebrows painted, the
nails polished by the attendant slaves.
who, if our lady happened to be of a
quick temper, probably suffered for any
inadventure under the lash Of the
overseer, or received prick from the
long hairpin Of he: mistress.
Most likely the household affairs Of
Pompeian lady were confined to the
superintendence of her women in the
spinning-room, or of the attendants OF
the children of the house. Some lady
landowners may have had to transact
business with their stewards, but be-
yond this, they had plenty of time for
visiting the baths and theatres, or wor-
shipping in the temples. The old state
religion has, at that time, lost its hold
on the public mind, but the worship of
the Egyptian gods had much attraction
for the women, and the time spent at
the Temple of Isis was so exaggerated
by them that resort to the latter was
once forbidden by edict. The Roman
baths, with all their details, have been
so often described that we will not
touch on them at length. Suffice it to
say that our Pompeian lady had ample
opportunity of enjoying their delights,
and gossiping the hours away at the
splendid establishments in Pompeii,
which often served as place of ap-
pointment to meet friends or lovers,
where intrigues could be carried on or
the topics of the day be freely discussed.
Borne thither in her litter, or proceed
ing on foot, accompanied by her slaves,
our Pompeian spent hours in the wo-
mems part of the establishments whence
she could either depart by side-door
as privately as she came, or mix in the
crowd in the courts.
Life in Georgia.