The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-01

melodramatic climax, furnished him
by Nature, the author had been spin
ming the lives of his characters in
the little city which nestled under the
shadow of the volcano.
The converging threads of the story
are many, giving in the final weav-
ing complete picture of the life of
Pompeii- its shops, tiny palaces,
baths, forum, theatre, circus, and all
that daily took place in the energetic
life of this toy copy Of Rome at the
beginning of the Christian era. The
story centers around Glaucus the Ath.
enian, brilliant, gay, witty descend
ant Of nObler race frivolling himself
away amid the coarser pleasures Of
! the Romans, until finally all that was
fine in him was brought forth by his
| love for lone of Naples, who like him
self was a child OF Greece. And
alongside this tale of love runs the
| pathetic story of Nydia, the blind
slave girl who centers all her hopes of
| happiness in winning the affection of
Glaucus. To this end she gains pos
! session of q love potion which the
opulent Julia has had prepared in the
! belief that it will bring to her the
much-desired Glaucus. In reality the
potion is a poison which will drive
the unfortunate drinker mad. 1t Is
designed by the sinister Egyptian Ar
-, baces to clear his path to lone from
his rival Glaucus. In his raving, Glau-
Gus comes upon Arbaces just as the
latter has killed Ione's brother Apae-
cides, young priest Of Isis, who
much to the annoyance of Arbaces,
has embraced the new Christian
faith. Arbaces throws the guilt upon
poor Glaucus with apparent success.
But the priest Calenus was a hidden
the great episode of the book. AS
witness, with the final result shown in
the crowd il the circus turned their
eyes toward Vesuvius, they beheld "a
fire that shifted and wavered in its
rues with every moment. now fiercely
luminous. now of dull and dying
red, that again blazed terrifically
forth with intolerable glare. Then
there arose on high the universal
shrieks of women: the men stared at
each other, but were dumb. At that
moment they felt the earth shake be-
meath their feet; the walls of the
theatre trembled, and beyond in the
distance they heard the crash of fall
ing roofs; an instant more and the
mountain-cloud seemed to roll to-
wards them, dark and rapid, like a
torrent; at the same time it cast
: forth from its bosom a shower OF
ashes mixed with vast fragments OF
| burning stone. Over the crushing
; vines, over the desolate streets, over
, the amphitheatr itself far and wide
with many a mighty splash in the ag
tated sea. fell that awful shower Nc
longer thought the crowd of justice
: or of Arbaces; safety for themselves
was their sole thought. Each turned
: to fly-each dashing pressing, crush
: ing, against the other"
5 1t was save himself who could il
: that night of horrors. Of the many
7 episodes seen in the flashes of high
was that of blind Nydia guiding Glau
Gus to lone, and then leading both t
safety. she the only one at home il
the darkness in which she had al
, ways lived. And then, when the,
4 had gained a ship and put to sea AM
all but Nydia had fallen into exhaust
2 ed slumber, May the gods bless you
. Athenan." she murmured. may yo'
be happy with your beloved one; ma.
= you sometimes remember Nydia."
e A sailor. half doing on the deck
S heard slight splash on the waters
e Drowsily he looked up, and believed
5 as the vessel merrily bounded on, h
t fancied. he saw something whit
n above the waves
e Copyright. 1919, by Post Publishin
Co. CThe Boston Post.
!, Published by special arrargemen
;, with the Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
All rights reserved.
i "Sir Nigel" by Sir Arthur Coma
= Doyle, al condensed by Alice G. Gre
zier, will be printed tomorrow.