The Newtown bee., 1900-08-24

ond even dangerous but now one is
whirled into spacious depot splendid il
it's appointments and commodious in ev
| too much up to-date, to suit t he average
| traveller. His anticipatiops are of moul
derir z ruins and crumbling walls; but
| he finds himself set down in the midst OF
magnificent hotels, broad boulevards,
grand churches and elegant stores
There IL no city in all the world where
the old and the new fiug Themselves
against each other In such strange con.
fusion as In Rome but after the traveller
has become used to this, he fluids it the
charm of the place and is glad that it lie
80.
The grandest ruin in Rome lie, OF
course, the Coliseum. Great masses OF
stone have been taken from it to build
palaces and churches, but still it remains
a gigantic ruin to-day. An enterprising
American on visiting Rome, said it was
pity to leave 80 much good material
lying around loose. he said that there
was enough stone in these rubbish heaps
to build factories to give work to every
idler in Rome, and, as for the Arch of
Titus, it was no earthly good where 1t
was, but it would make an excellent
doorway for the factory! 1t is good
thing that all men do not share the utilita.
ran sentiment of this enterprising Amer
lean, for then there would be no "old
Rome" for the tourist to see. The Ital-
ian Government has strictly prohibited
the removing of any of the stones from
any of the ruins, so that what is now
left will stand for many years to come
In the Coliseum the Christian martyrs
were thrown to the wild beasts. "Who
are they ?" asked an emperor on one &C.
casion, pointing to heap of these white
robed victims as they we're being torn
limb from limb by the Infatuated beasts.
'sThese are Christians" came the reply.
"Oh, we'll, they look like white mice. It
is very interesting throw in some. more"
was the response of the human monster.
In the Forum is ruin OF the Temple OF
Vesta. The Forum was the heart
whence flowed out the life blood of the
nation. This little spot has packed into
it more history than any other spot in
the world. A few years ago it was filled
in with dirt and grown over with weeds
and grass now its interesting ruins are
uncovered to the view. The Vestal Vir-
gins were held in the highest honor.
They took the vow of perpetual virgini-
ty. The breaking of this vow was pun
ished by being buried alive, while the
guilty accomplish to the act was scourg-
ed to death in a public place. These
virgins took the VOW between and 10
years of sge and took it for 80 years.
After that time they had the privilege Of
returning to private life; but, SO great
was the honor of their position, few ever
availed themselves of this privilege.
Their chief duty way to keep the fire for
ever burning on the hearth OF the god
dess Vsata. II they met a criminal on
his way to his execution, he was imme- |
diately pardoned.
It is strange irony of fate that st
Peters church, the finest erection in the
world, stands on the very spot where |
that monster of vice and enormities, Ne
70, used to light his gardens with the |
set on fire. It would be hard to conceive
any thing more detestable in human form
than Nero. His s'Golden House" out
rivalled the widest dreams of luxury of
all other libertiEes. The dining table
was Of gold, the walls we're set with the
most costly gems, the salt water for his
baths was brought in pipes from the
Mediterranean. Nero was feated at his
golden banqueting-table when he learned
II the detection Of his last legion. He up
let the table, thus breaking two goblets
# priceless value, and rushed out into
MS gardens to his death.
All the churches in Rome are interest
ng; some are noted for some particular
;hiDgs and others for others. The
Church of the Capuchin monks is place
which all tourists 60 to see. Here is
,ome odd show of decorative art which
you will see nowhere else. Earth was
brought from the Holy Land in which to
bury the monks when they died; butt
here was not enough to 60 around, so
peculiar device was bit upon. When the
'upply of earth was not equal to the de-
nand Of corpses, tie brother who had
list been buried was exhumed and bis
skeleton placed in niche. As the
inches became full, the skeleton of the
irst pls ced there was dissected and the
bones hung sr' ind the VALE in festocns
and arches. Now, as you enter these