Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-01-24
A Peep at Pompeii.

| CdpUlNuUGS, uldy dIulOSt Sdy, Dl0llS Gllt
| soul; and when once beheld. one feels like
| it is constant delight to think and talk of
| its charms. 1t costs two francs to get a
| guide to pilot us in its ancient streets. I'M
| agine whole city, with a capacity for
| about forty thousand inhabitants, standing
in naked walls story high, and you get
fine picture of our first view of Pompeii.
The guide first leads to the right immedi-
ately after entering the gate, to what is
called the museum. Here are the fossil
remains of human beings buried by the
ashes of the terrible eruption OF Vesuyius
in A. D., 70. We see the agonies OF death
on the features of the face, and the contor
tions of the muscles as they writhed in
pain. When they were discovered, some
bodies were in position that told long sto-
ries; one man grasped purse as he lay in
the centre of the street; steward was
still in his hand; a faithful Roman senti-
mel was by his post OF duty, his weapon
near by, which post he had not left though
the city was near forsaken at the dire dis
aster More than sixty bodies have been
exhumed, but they are not all here in the
and with them they have left the body of a
dog, poor animal; it also shows the points
of death in striking way
We are next led along principal street
toward the central market place. AS we
walk along we may observe the rutS OF
CQaIlOGS, 1OTulCu TWO GIlOuSdIiu years ago.
and, on either side of the street in convent
ent quarters, are fountains with spout or
part where the water flowed out, worn
smooth by the application of thousands OF
Roman lips. Lead water pipes lead to these
fountains, and they resemble much the
pipes in use in our times. we observe the
Streets are SO narrow that two vehicles of
the width indicated by the ruts in the paw
ing (they are four feet apart), could not pass
each other, showing us they must have had
certain time for coming in and going out.
The pavement is of hard volcanic stone,
and the stones are neatly fitted together,
though not cut in regular forms OF shapes.
Many open-faced shops are along the prin-
cipal streets, and wine-shops are very fire.
quent. The wine-seller kept his wines in
large earthen vessels, sunk in the stone
counter, so that when the covers were pla-
ced on, they lay fiat with the top OF the bar
Most of these counters or bars, are OF fine
MARBLE and marble is common to the city.
Signs are painted over many shops, and we
can see that the cOlOrS were once glowing,
though now much faded. We may also
learn by walking through the principal
streets, that advertising is not altogether an
invention of the present age. Placards and
posters enliven the streets, and many por
lions of walls were we'll worked over with
the painters brush. In the public quarters
were panels evidently set apart for public
use, and they served much as our neWspa-
pers do now. When first found they gave
announcements of an election on hand
when the city was destroyed and several
parties had their several candidates names
placed up to good advantage with the
names Of those who recommended OF nomi-
mated them. Some ordinances OF the city
are cut in stone and posted conspicuously:
and the Emperor Titns had some orders
posted likewise.
At the public market place our guide
showed us many public buildings, among
them neat theatre which would seat over
1000. 1t was built, or rather cut in the
side of the hill, like most of the ancient
theatres, and tier after tier OF stone seats
ran up the slanting side of the hill. The
stageis narrow, but probably we'll adapted
to the mere reciting OF play, as seems to
have been their mode. Some little machine
ry was used in connection with the stage.
The pleasures of kind which we would
rather not notice were common. Not few
streets were the abodes of the women who
lent themselves to hellish purposes. The
frescoing of the rooms they occupied and
the stone furniture Of their vile uses are
shocking to all sightseers who gain admit
lance. Many of the statues and pictures
found are so obscene that they are hid from
public gaze. The city was resort Of rich
men of Rome, and nature is so lavish OF her
beauties that it must have been favorite
resort. Cicero is known to have had villa
here, but we do not like to connect the
learned Romans name with the licentiOus-
ness of the city. The villas Of these noted
rich men of Rome are elegant to behold;
the rooms are generally small, but every
wall is frescoed, and the mosaics on the
floors are an interesting study. On the
threshold Of many of these buildings, en-
graved in large characters in mosaic, is
the word salve (welcome), indicating, it
may be supposed. the readiness of the host
to welcome his guests.
The POmpeiianS were great lovers OF art,
and statues adorn the interior Of dwellings
and abound in the public places; even the
ordinary utensils Of the kitchen were fash
Toned in remarkable manner, and were
far more artistic than those of the present
day; they are specimens of art that evoke
the admiration of every beholder.
Many bakeries abound, and some of the
ovens were full of bread when found The
loaves may be seen at the museum of Ma
pies. They are round and weigh about
two pounds; some are stamped to indicate
they are of wheat flour. Different grains
were also found, and may be seen at the
same place. In connection with bakery
are some ungainly stone mills. They are
formed of two large blocks of stone of cone
shape the smaller ends being placed to-
gether so they resemble somewhat huge
Rourglasses. The upper stone alone tnrned
and the grain was crushed between them.
the mills, at other times slaves, for some of
the slaves had their eyes put out, and then
they were set to work at grinding, by
pushing on a long sweeper pole.-Cor.
Salt Lake Herald.