The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-19

lance his son was winnowing the grain by
throwing it up in the aid with a big
wooden shovel for the wind to blow the
chaff away. Other remnants of ancient
methods prevail throughout the entire
countryside, even here in the Sarno val
ley. Women still teach their daughters
to card and spin with distaff and whirl-
ing spindle the threads of cotton. fax,
or wool, precisely as their forbears did
so many generations ago. And then they
are woven at home on a wooden loom OF
antique pattern but surprising effective
ness into fabrics that appeal for fineness
and regularity of texture even to my I'M
tutored masculine eye, while they have
filed my envelope with covetous admira-
ton.
This Sarno valley is an unusually favor
ed garden spot, because of the canaliza-
ton of the river effected some fifty years
ago throughout its lower course, which
has made it possible to distribute an abun-
dance of water for purposes of irrigation
from canals at three different levels Thus
the whole region is richly watered. and
as in the sandy plains of southwestern
America, so here, nothing but water is
necessary to make these deep strata OF
Nesuvian ashes wonderfully fertile. In
deed, freshly thrown-up heap of debris
from excavations will next season pro-
duce as fine crop of potatoes as if 1t
had been addicted 10 an agricultural life.
The country people talk much of exca-
vations in search of valuable antiquities.
but do little in that direction The risks
are too great They must work their land
intensivelS IN order to live, and a good
a precarious chance for treasure-trove.
especially. also as the holdings are so
small that any part devoted to excava-
ton would surely be a very considerable
proportion of the entire farm. But every
peasant appears to cherish a private hope
that the Madonna may some day be as
good to him as to the Signor who have
now and then made more out OF chance
finds than out of a century Of straight
farming. Great interest was excited. some
few years ago. among peasants az among
archaeologists. by the lucky discovery
made in a cistern OF villa rusiica in the
territory of Boseo Reale. only a mile or
so from Pompeii There was fouad the
skeleton Of man who had taken REFUGE
in that place of fancied security from
the fatal shower of ashes He had with
him lot OF gold jewelry. over thousand
gold coins and a magnificent table ser
vice Of wrought silver. Of more than a
hundred pieces Best OF all TO the untu-
tored mind OF the peasant. was the sue
cess that the discoverer Ma IN brihiug
the government inspector. and cOncealing
the knowledge OF his ind ti'i he couid
spirit it out Of the country. The psternal
government OF italy has a way OF grant
ing no permission 10 excsvate for antiqui-
ties even upon ones own land. without
demanding a specified share Of the finds;
and. as 20 the rest. II retains the right
TO decline to purchase them itself. while
forbidding the owner 70 sell 70 any other
customer. The result IS. thai the strtn-
gent law against the expectation Of an
Equities Is constantly evaded by means
OF bTibery.
The disccTerer OF the treasure q Boseo
Reale enriched himself By cispo=ing ihEs
% his plumber. which Tow reposes IN ire
Museum OF the Louvre Every landowner
in this vicinity would Ike 10 srnu'zse his
example Indeed. the izst discovery %
similar sort = even yet tn subject %
litigation between the government snd the
stubborn owner a vztsrxsee tzve-z VS.
partly excavated some months sg3. close
xiztA 20 casteissnare b. the little church
CT 3 Antonio. ana noe far south % tire
church In this i'm . considerable Ean-