The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-14

parcntly to get his bearings At
length, when sunset was approaching,
and Uuc time for departure at hand,
he exclaimed pcevishly:
81 wish Rctta were here. she NJ,
WAYS helps ! III have TO leave II until
tomorrow~-slg9cp may bring mo the
exact touch ] want.
So we went back to our hotcl at
Tore del Grcco-right in the shadow
of Vesuvius aud within ten or twelve
miles Of the buried cit"
Whether or not il was the ''at-
moSphcrc of his old haunts-the
lurid flashes from the volcano cast
glcams of fitful light on the walls of
my room all night-that helped Bar
ION s sub.couscious train of thought,
the morning found him alert clear
eyed and purposcIuI.
"'Whcn | was here before, - he re-
marked in that matter of fact tone
which took your breath away If YOU
didu Z know the man and lns past,
was on duty in PompcIi tho night of
the great eruption. My detail was TO
guard the house of Nanadlus, the pro
consul-a villa replctc with priceless
statues. paintings, and what we nova
days call objects of art
.'Just why soldier of the Prcto,
rian Guard WAS needed ! can't tell
| what mixed and would bear watching.
Then. too. the manners Of the time
| were licentious IN the extreme. and
when the guests were filed with rich
| food and wine most anything was like
| lv 10 happen. However, there | was
| stationed in the atrum the large III
ncr court from which all the living
and sleeping rooms rndlatcd.
Well. the rcyclry was at It's height
40 tr,ni,lp l,su1n-li oh fulnuS
| thupdcriugs. shocks of earthquake, and
/ tornadocs of wind, on which was borne
! showers of ashes and molten lava which
! dclugcd everything. The atrlum, as
usual, was open TO the sky. a fountain
! playing in the center. | can hear tms
very minute the spuitcr of the rcd-bot
! lava and ashes as they fell into that
fountain, Kissing and causing clouds OF
! steam.
"In an instant panic rcigncd from
ono end Of the city 10 The other. The
mcphitic vaporS put 0ut all the lights
and a hcllish darkness surrounded cv-
crvthing. which was, however, pcrpct'
unlIy lanccd by the bclchiug flames
from old Vcsuyius. The guests poured
past me hcltcr.skctcr into the street,
where most OF them doubtless met their
death by falling rocks
''The pro.couSul had two very beau
tiful daughters, Doris and Nadine. They
took refuge in one of the cubicula-
tiny rooms opening off the atrlum
From thence / could hear their shricks
for rescue. and seeing that TO save any
valuables was out of the question,
rushed TO their assistance. | recall
cuvcloping each OF them from head TO
foot in some heavy wooden garments
lenving Just tiny aperture for nose
and eyes. Then | led them TO the
gate. and set their faces toward the
harbor, bidding them keep TO the mid
die of the street aud follow the other
fugitives.
Then I returned 10 sec if perchancc
others had been left, pushing my way
short sword IN hand, into the most
private apartments. But not soul
remained ! was left alone. Now. 1t
was the rule of the Roman service
that sentinel once placed on guard
might not depart until relieved. so
although death stared me in the face
chose 10 remain at my post
'''rhe atTium was by now half filled
with ashes aud lava, and still the
hot ram descended. being wbirled II
drifts by the tornado of wind. so
betook myself for shelter 10 the small
est cubiculum I could fnd-little big
ger than my sentry-boX, and ther