The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-08-01
Re=efnbodied
A Story Of an Americans
Experience In a City
of the Past
By f. A. mitchell

from Europe has gone into a santa
rum. They say that while abroad he
received shock. Before it was con-
sidered necessary to retire him he
told me great deal about the cause
of his trouble From talks | had with
him l have put together the following
narrative:
When in Naples Wetmore went
often to visit Pompeii. that ancient
Roman city the very site of which
was lost for nearly 1900 years. An
eruption of Mount Vesuvius, five
miles distant. during the first century
of the Christian era covered it with
ashes, but during modern times two
thirds Of its area has been uncov-
cred.
And now one may walk about in
Its streets, in which ruts worn in the
stones are plainly visible. or go into
the houses. in tolerable condition. ex-
cept their roofs. which have disap
peared. Furniture. implements. statu-
airy and mural paintings have been re-
moved to the museum at Naples. where
they are inspected by hundreds daily.
Wetmore never tired of roa ming
ent articles that had been in use when
they were abandoned by the inhab-
itants fleeing for their lives from the
dread volcano. He was naturally
dreamer and loved to sit on the frag-
ment Of a wall or a pillar in the ex
humed city and picture the scenes that
were going on within the range of his
vision before the flight began. Fellow
travellers passed on to visit other
scenes. their places were taken by 9th
err tourists. yet Wetmore remained
One afternoon Wetmore strolled into
one of the best preserved houses in
Pompeii-the house Of Cassius. Pass
ing over a mosaic pavement in which
were inlaid letters composing the word
welcome" he paused to look at
bronze statue of a dancing fawn in
called the impluvium. In the houses
Of Pompeii. with an opening above and
beneath it. the impluvium was sunk
in the ground to catch the rain. The
figure danced as lightly as it did when
it was made by the heather artist
From the impluvium WetmOre passed
into the garden in the rear
1t was late when Wetmore entered
the house of Cassius. Suddenly aWak-
ening from one of his day dreams. he
remembered that it was about the
hour that the gates were closed and
started for the exit. But before he
could reach it he heard the gate closed
and locked. He ran to it. hammered
on 1t and called. Too late. He was
locked in.
Wetmore never could give me a sat
isfactory account of a transition that
followed He said that when he found
that he must pass the night in the
house of Cassius alone he deplored the
discomfort he would be subjected to.
but felt no other reluctance. There
are no seats in these houses. and Wet
more after lettering till he tired sat
down on a slab. He does not say that
he fell asleep and dreamed or that he
awakened from sleep. He says that in
a twinkling while he was feeling tri-
fe drowsy Cassius' house passed from
a ruin to a Roman domicile in perfect
condition for use.
So great was the change. so splendid.
so richly adorned the edifice. that at
first he could not realize that he was
In what had been the ruin. He was
In hall painted in bright colors. and
at each end were two Corinthian pilas-
tiers. Under the opening Of the roof
above was the impluvium. The light
was Door since there were only Oil
lamps burning
From the rear came a girl in Roman
costume. She was tripping along
lightly, humming. when she caught
sight of Wetmore. When she recov-
cred somewhat from her astonishment
she asked him the very natural Ques-
ton:
who are you?''
Wetmore says she spoke in Latin. He
WAS GOuCdlGO Ill d NI0Fuldu uulN CI Oily
and learned to speak Latin tolerably
well. but he says that her pronuncia-
ton was so different from any he had
ever heard that he found it difficult to
understand her AS he progressed he
became more used to it.
"Who are you?" the girl repeated.
''and what do you here in that strange
dress? Are you one of those strange
gods they worship in Greece or Egypt?"
II am no god" replied Wetmore. II
was locked in here
Locked in"'
Eyes. but now-now"- He cast his
eyes about him. dazed.
Are you mortal" asked the girl. "or
half mortal. half god? Perhaps you
are fauE>"
II am a mortal FROM
1t occurred to Wetmore that If this
was Pompeii as it had been before the
volcano burned it and the girl was a
Roman Of many centuries ago she
would not understand If he told her he