The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-06-02
THE RUINS OF POMPEII
lhkey Gives a Graphic Description Of
the Ancient Roman City and the
Relices

ndI DC COluAuHo ana WOl NJ VI al
we're broken. Much of It had been
rebuilt when in 79 A. D. the fsted
city fell brueath the greatest
calamity Of is kiud the world has
known.
On that day of destruction Yes
uvius suddelV burst up in the
most terrific eruption IN all its long
hi-toIy. Black smoke filed. earth
and sea and sky until Rome more
than a hundred miles away was
dark, ashes reached to Egypt 1000
miles. Pompeii at rs base grew
densely Hack and none could see
his way The sulphurous fumes
were suffocating. Meanwhile the
whole earth shook, heaved and
trembled. Cornices, columns and
buildings reeled and fell crashing
ia the awful darkness. Then came
volcanic ashes and cinders, and
with it fell rain in torrents. Finally
the torrent ceased and when the
smoke had cleared away all the
country was buried many feet in
cinders. Red hot lava ran for miles
This city of perhaps 20, 900 people,
with all its wealth, its splendid
temples; and homes and works of
art, was buried in cinders from
sight of the world for eighteen
centuries.
Most of the excavations have
been IN the last forty years.
Let us enter the venerable pagan
city. We are in a street twelve
feet wide. 1t is all stone paved.
Three feet next the walls on either
side is a foot higher thaa the mid
die six tee.. At every cross street
are stepping stones level with the
side walk. The Pompeiian ladies
could cross the street dry shod.
See the grooves two or three in
ches deep on either side the six
foot street.
They are the marks of Pompeian
sleds drawn by slaves. The sleds
were arched between runners to
clear the stepping stones. How
did they, pass when they will'
They didn't meet. They went
east on one street and west on the
next like a double track rail-
way.
What splendid cement the Ro-
mans used. See how perfect those
walls of stone. Some stones are
so small the wall is nearly half
cement. Here is the home of a
noble Roman. He is away but we
may step in and see how he lived.
We are in an arcaded court. 1t is
porch all round, and the floor is
polished stone or marble. Fluted
Doric marble columns support the
porch. The wall behind is cement
over stone, and as smooth as the
day it was flushed two thousand
years ago. See the paintings of
the cupids and the Venuses and
allegorical figures representing
Greek myths. Here it is, the same
within. The wall is a very art
gallery of twenty centuries ago.
The pictures may have been brigh-
ter once than now, but whose mod
ern walls have as good9 But look
in the center of the court is basin.
There a fountain played. Lead
pipes are under this old city. If
repaired it would be up to date to-
day. See that marble boy two
feet high upon pedestal. What
has he in his hand3 A tiny lead
pipe. Once it had a nozzle. See
it pointed over there to that marble
bowl. Once a tiny stream of water
arched over there. That tiny
marble fireman filed the marble
basin for the Roman lady. See the
marble center table over there.
Roman danes sat there to sip their
afternoon wine instead of tea. Here
is the vestibule. The floor is
masonic neatly worked in figures.
There is the figure of a dog up on