Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1891-10-31

Sol Coleman in Memphis Appsal-Avalanche.
l had gone to visit the celebrated
burning mountain of italy-Fesuvius,
Of which everybody has heard. The
weather was exceedingly hot, and l
:e!t quite overcome on reaching the
edge of the crater, which Is about
1. OC0 feet above the level of the blue
Suddenly man near
mel had taken him for visitor also
began shouting in an excited manner
and waving his arms above his head.
He was dressed in 4 sort of blanket,
like that the Arabs wear,
and his feet were encased in sandals.
had not noticed this before. He was
speaking in Latin, and, although ]
never knew much OF that language.
understood perfectly we'll what he said.
He was wringing his hands now, and
CRYING that tho learned soothsayers,
after killing and disemboweling certain
animals and inspecting their cntradls,
and after carefully watching the fight
of birds, had declared that in this year
-hc said 20, not o1-under the most
powerful Emperor Titus, who had
taken and destroyed the city Of Jerusa-
lem, the Italian cities OF Pompeii and
Herculaneum should be destroyed like
wise by an earthquake and eruption OF
the Mount VeSuvius. Even as he spoke
the sun was darkcned with o cloud OF
smoke, the earth began to tremble. and
felt myself unable to stand. l was
dizzy, and my brain burned as though
it were filed with live Goals. ] could
sec river flowing toward me, not OF
water, but OF u liquid that resembled
melted paratline, and l tried to run
away but could not. Then. away down
in the city there, whittier ! was sud
denly transported, ! know not how, l
saw a soldier mounting guard. He, too,
cried out in Latin and said that we
should be destroyed, but he must obey
orders and remain where he was. i ad-
mired his courage, and l hoped we
might DO turned to stone, both Of us. so
that 1000 years hence they might find
us and put us in museum. just then
the burning lava completely over
me, burning my flesh horribly;
there was a tremendous explosion, such
as might be caused by the decorating
of houseful of dynamite. and with a
shrek I awoke. l was in Rome, the
Eternal City. aforetime mistress of the
world.
was in the circus OF Nero (no con-
nection with Rarnum,) and Nero drove
in IN beautiful gilded coach and four,
like the one they have in the hippo
drome in Paris. The coachnan and the
two footmen wore three-cornered hats
and pigtails, knee-breechcs, white silk
s stockings and buckled shoes. The foot
man let down the steps. Nero desce nded
and took his seat in his imperial robes
in the imperial tribune. And from
thousands of Latin threats came the
cry. Ava imperator.' Soon another
cry ed-''Christianos ad leones!"
which signifies: Give some Christians
to the lions..'' and saw several of these
their tails and licking their lips. In 2
few moments three or four Christians
they seemed to be Americans-were in
trod uced, and the lions advanced to-
ward them. All of a sudden, however.
the beasts seemed struck with terror
They put their tails between their re-
spective hind legs and howled piteously.
and you could see big tears rolling from
their eyes. The spectators applauded
vigorously, and one Of the ladies-she
must have been the Empress, l think
called an attendant and had the most
distinguished of the Americans brought
to the tribune. and I saw her place a
laurel branch about his brow. ! ap-
plauded in Latin too. then. and felt
very happy to see so much grit re-
warded, and American grit, you know.
felt so much moved that l was obliged
TO wipe my eyes with my handkerchief.
When ! removed it the circus seemed to
have changed into very fine church,
the Church of st. Peter. Later on, as
came out of the Church of st. John
Lateran. which is the mother and head
of eli the churches of the city and Of
the whole world"-,aking precedence
even OF St. Peter's-I saw flight Of
stone stairs called tho Scala Santa
They are said to have been brought from
the house of Pontius PLATE, and it is re-
lated that Christ walked upon them.
At present anyone who wishes to as
cend must do so upon his hands and
knees. Quite n number of people were
going up in this way. ] wandered into
the Vatican, too, and saw the Apollo
Belvidere, the LAGOON. Raphaets
TRANSPORTATION and Madonna del Fo1ig-
no, and in the Sistino Chapel, Mich ael
Angeles fresco of The Last Judg-
ment." The Vatican is said to contain
about II ,oCO rooms. Pictures, more or
less confused, come to me of the Capitol,
the CoIosseum-with room for 100, 600
spectators-the Pantheon, where the
great painters lie at rest, the Catacombs
and the Forum Romanum, the scene OF
SO many memorable events in the
childh God of the world. I have q vague
recollection of great disturbance in
the Senate House lat Rome) many years
ago, when crowd of conspirators fell
upon very worthy gentleman name
Caius Julius Cesar and stabbed him to