The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-08-23

Curious as are some of the scenes I'M
earthed at Pompeii, still more SO are
some recent finds at Bosco Reale. near
Naples. Recently there was laid bare
the home of u well-to-do ancient who
Was engaged in the wine and oil bust
ness. His house was strictly self-con-
tanned, having the dwelling-rooms and
the winemaking rooms OH two adjacent
sides of small court. The house was
not remarkable, except for the singular
modernity of its water supply. Ii de-
pended on the rainfall, which was care
fully stored In lead clstern. Thence a
portion passed 10 the ordinary domestic
taps. A portion passed to large boil
er, from which by an elaborate system
OF cocks the masters private bath and
basin could be supplied at pleasure
with hot, cold or tepld water. In the
ing state Of Vesuylus alarmed the
household. The vintage was approach
Ing, and the room which contained the
wine presses had been cleaned and
made ready for the new grapes. In
particular reservoir 10 which the new
wine flowed from the presses was clean
and empty. The room was well pro-
tected with n thick wall. Here. there
fore, when flight was still thought 10
be unnecessary. or perhaps when it had
already become impossible. a couch and
table and smaller articles were
brought from the living rooms OF the
house. Some man, perhaps the master,
hastily gathered in a cloth his precious
collection of silver plate and his hoard
of a thousand gold pleces-varying in
date from the well worn coins of the
early emperors TO the brand new mint
age OF Vespasian. The lady of the
house, marked by her jeweled earrings;
two other men and a favorite dog also
came to the chosen refuge. But the
foul gases were quick In their action.
The master sought safety in the under
ground reservoir, but shared the fate
Of his companions. His store of silver
plate lay with him till the other day. 1t
now adorns the Louvre, TO which It was
presented by the llberality of a mem
Der of the house of Rothschild. One
fragment alone, which In his haste he
had dropped near his strong cupboard.
and which was therefore found separ-
ately, Is now Mt the British Museum.
While this was passing indoors there
was also a moment of brief agony out
side. The dog by the porter's recess
was strainlng his chain when he was
overcome One of the three horses had
broken loose from the stable. The fowls
the yard and the pigs In another.
Slill another interesting find was In
the grounds of a villa called Vona at
Boseo Reale, belonging to the De Frisco
family. A huge perlstyle and four
large chambers have been discovered,
ON the walls Of which are some twenty
frescoes of large dimensions, rich col
oring. and Of design hitherto I'M
cqualed by any brought to light
Most of the figures are full sized and
more carefully executed than any hith-
erto known. One Is probably portrait
Of Epicurus, another represents two
young female figures reclining on large
cushions at a banquet. A third fresco
represents a woman, richly clad, play
Ing a Tyre, while a fourth is an exquls-
ltely designed representation of a glad
iator seated by the side OF a female fig
ure. Rich mural decorations, fresh In
color and perfect in drawing, cover the
parts of the walls not occupied by the
main frescoes.
Unfortunately for students of art, It
Is feared that exposure to the air and
the light will cause these magnificent
paintings TO fade as quickly as those
at Pompcll and in the Naples museum.
Every effort is being made TO preserve
them az long as possible.