Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-08

| skeletons OF TWO culprits VINO were tnhs
In duress when the eruption took place
and nobody had time or forethought 10 lei
loose the prisoners. Near the stocks j
scrIbbled on the wall a gladiator's vow
10 Venus IL he shall be victor In a pend
Ing combat.
The law courts were in the Basilica. aa'
joining the great Forum. and the curious
visitor may see to this day that the
loungers about the courts had reason as
we have now. 20 complain OF the laws
delay. Among the scribblngs, or graifln
on the walls were remarks on the exas'
perating slowness OF courts, justice, and
Judges then there were verses from OVID
and Virgil. but none from the Greek poets.
on the left, as one enters Pompeii by the
sea gate. IL an entreaty written roughly
on the WALL for the passer-by TO vote Tor
Pansa for Aedie. and there are many
| similar inscriptions all over the city. Inc
trades appear 10 have taken up candi-
dates for Office, as some Of them express
the desire OF the baker, or the candle
stick makers that 80 ind so SHAH b.
| elected Aedile.
How strange that triflng act shall
| stand as a memorial through the centu'
| ries! The Office of Aedile was elective,
and corresponded very nearly 10 that OF
| Mayor in our day. a friend OF Pansa. In
| the electloneeriDg around Pompeii, wrote
! In red chalk, or perhaps paint, these
| words "Paratus asks that Pansa be MADE
! Aedile" When you go 10 Pompeii ask
for the house OF Pansa. and you viii md
| that the scrubbed note of Paratus gave
| that name TO the house Of another man
| than Pansa. l am happy TO say, how
ever. that the records show that Pansa
| was elected; majority not stated. Let US
hope that he was good Mayor. and the
creature OF no ring
WATER SUPPLY.
The Pompeians had a first-rate wafer
supply. Lead pipes lie very near the sur
face all over the city. although some ot
4 the Neapolitan barbarians ripped up
| these curious conduits for the sake or
their metal Fountains and wells are
| found in houses. streets, and squares
| The handsomest Of the basins have been
| removed to the Naples Museum, but
| great numbers Of public drinking fount-
| aims are still standing. The water rose
| inside Of a scupturcd pillar and fell into
| n basin from an orifce usually designed
l as the mouth OF a human figure or some
| legendary monster. a person desiring 10
drink would naturally approach the fount-
ain on the right OF this figure, and, plac-
| log his right hand on the edge OF the pa
| sin, apply his mouth to the lips OF the
| face from which the water spouted. Ana
|
| the basin worn smooth and the lip OF the
| image quite worn away by the hands and
| lips of generations of those who here
| slaked their thirst !. $40 years ago.
| What provision for street cleaning they
! had we cannot see: certainly there was
almost none for sewerage; and when the
heavy winter rains OF Southern Italy were
| falling the narrow streets of Pompeii
would have been impossible for the Hoods
that must have swept over their pave
ments but for the blocks Of stone-step-
ping stones-that were placed at many OF
the street corners As these are sixteen
or eighteen inches high, they must have
been a nuisance TO characters and other
drivers Of vehicles. 1t is impressive TO
note at these places the deep burrows
worn In the stony pavement by the wheels
that passed through the narrow ways OF
the stepping stones wheels that rumbled
noisily as those OF Naples or New York
to-day drivers that cursed and swore and
lost their temper, as drivers WILL left
their mark on the Lava blocks that lined
the streets and have been dust and ashes
these many centuries past.
On the whole. perhaps, it was time that
something happened to the Romans of
Pompeil. They were a bad lot undoubted-
ly. Their city was the abode OF luxury
and art, but luxury had become corrupt
ing and even their art was debased. Some
of the beautiful Corinthian capitals Of
the columns in the temple and other pub
lie buildings had been covered with
stucco and painted by these degenerate
people Time, which sets all things even,
has crumbled away the deDasing plaster
and has exposed the lovely marble cary
ings.
The art of mural painting, which had
reached high point when this city was
overwhelmed with ashes. although ii was
generally employed in depicting innocent
or heroic scenes and noble figures, was
also used to illustrate obscenity and lust.
There are rooms and houses in Pompii
where women are warned not to enter.
In the house last eXcavated. and not yet
fully explored, we were shown a wall
covered with q fast-locked wooden screen;
the painting beneath was said TO be too
indecent for public exposure. And this,
too. in the living room Of an elegant
mansion, which had been decorated with
marbles. bronzes, paintings, and every
possible form of the most refined art!
FOR EMILE lola.
BY the way, this house, which is on
the edge of the new excavation, In the
northern part Of the city, is the first one
In which has been made the experiment
Of keeping in IL the objects found therein.
The Naples Museum is overcrowded with
treasures from Pompeii and Herculaneum,
and the Italian Government proposes
hereafter TO leave I'm position the objects
of art and household occupation as they
are found. In the atrium of this house
stand several elegant marble tables and
statues and many fine bronze ornaments
are sea TERED about. This was the resid-
ence of some wealthy patron Of the arts.
1t is proposed 10 name it for Emile lola
not because of the realistic picture
which was discovered land is now COW
ered) on the wall Of the house, but be-
cause the eminent realistic novelist was
present when the place was excavated
last winter
About one half Of Pompeii has been
exhumed. and the walls OF the city now
distinctly marked on the surface Ct tie
earth include fields and vineyards which
are carefully cultivated by their tenn
porary occupants. The work of cXcdVa-
ton poe eds very slowly, and, 20 the no.
ton OF an American observer, vtiy
clumsily. A dozen boys and as many
men pick at the face OF perpendicular
bank another dozen playful lads carry
away the earth and crumbled lava in
small baskets and empty these into min
ute dumDlrg-cars. which are run OF
and unloaded outside the walls. An
American contractor would eXcaVdte the
part Of Pompeii now left buried in a
month. The portion Of the city laid tare
Is that which was inhabited by the r.ch
and great We know enough OF the state
of Roman society. in a. ID. 10 10 know
that the quarters of the poor were very
miserable and poor indeed. Evidences
OF tlA commonness OF slavery in the time
OF Pompeirs destruction are abundant on
all sides The gladiaters were a class
OF slaves trained for lighting, and some
OF the wall scrihbllngs refer to their con-
dltion as one Of slavery. Here is the
translation OF an advertisement painted
on a wall rear the amphtheatre:
Twenty pairs of gadiators. paid by
Decimus Lucretius Saltlus Naleus,
prince in the time of Nero. the son OF
Caesar Augustus. and ten pairs OF gla-
dlators. paid by Deomus Lucretius. the
son OF Decimus Naleus. will fight al
Pompeii on the 18th. 18th. and nth OF
April"
There VIII be proper hunting scene
9'id the awnings will be spread. Witt
4 by Cley- Emilus Clev. writer OF in
scrlptions wrote this by moonlight"
The gladiators barracks were ample
for the housing OF 1900 or 5000 men. and
II is a matter Of record that at least
200 were engaged at one time In the
iife-or-death combats which stretched
over a long festival The actors in these
mutderous sorts were ''barbarians'