Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-07-24

poses. They were driven out of the
country by Charles Martel in the Sth
century. In the present time it is
used for picture shows and bull
fights, The grim, gaunt ghost of
julius Caesar must have thought
last Xmas, instead mailed gladiators,
stabbing hungry lions, or worse, stab
bing each other in the ancient pre-
cincts, the Y. M. G A erected huge
Xmas tree in 1913, electrically light
ed, filled with presents for the child
rem and handed out by real Ameri-
can Santa Claus Soldier boys in
khaki made the old walls ring with
the "Star Spangled Banner" and the
first Christian hymns ever sung in
this relic Of by-gone ages. Surely, it
is typical of new and better order.
| The Maison earle is said to be the
most perfect Roman Temple in exist
ence and was built in lao during the
reign of Marcus Aurelius. On two
sides it has rows of stone columns,
modelled after the Greek style of
architecture. 1t is in a wonderful
state of preservation considering all
the various uses to which it has been
put. Originally it was heather
temple, then later a Christian church,
then a convent, tomb house for
burial, ware house for grain, then
court house, and finally it is now
converted into an art museum.
| Inc Roman baths aie interesting.
u, and contained sun rooms, gym
llaslums, Libraries and theaters. In
| the destruction OF things that fol
lowed the withdrawal OF the Romans
from this country, the baths We're
covered up under the debris OF
wrecked buildings, and for more than
a thousand years were lost and for
gotten, but were finally dug out and
restored in the reign of Louis AlV.
On high hill top, almost a noun
tain, overlooking the city Of Mines,
is most singular tower known as
Tourmagne. 1t is agOn-shaped,
very thick walls, tapering upward to
near 100 feet in height. 1t dates
back so far that no one knows just
when it was built. Some think it was
built by the Phoenicians before the
days of Rome. 1t, like the Maison
earle has been used for many diff
ferent things as the generations have
come and gone. Such aS temple,
mausoleum, eight house, citadel of
defense, etc. From its top is
magnificent view of the city and
surrounding country, to the towers
of Aigues Mort and the Mediterra-
mean miles away, where hundreds OF
men, women and children were con-
fined during the days of the religious
prosecutions.
fernaps, Lne most interesting o.
dill the roman structures lelt III inns
part or france is the grca. aqueuuct
across the river Cara ABOUT 70 niieo
out Irum MINES. IL Was DulIC DIS
part OIL tneIr water works system u
convey water from springs out III the
mountains down to the Guy OIL MINES.
The Romans knew many advanced
things for their day, but they had
not discovered how to make water TO
run up hill, and so they had to keep
It always near level. When they
came to steep valleys they could get
their water across it only by building
nigh bridges to support their stone
water trough. The Pont Du Gard Is
such a bridge built across steep
narrow river valley from the top of
the bluff on one side to the ridge on
the other, and as hey had only stone
to work with, it became problem
for the engineers to build a structure
that would support its own weight,
in this case, to a height of 100 feet.
1t was done by a system OF arches
three tiers high, one row above amour
er. 1t is in reality three bridges
built one on top of the other, and
reaching 882 from hill to hill. Inc
bottom bridge is made up of SIX
huge arches which span the valley;
the next one is composed of eleven
arches somewhat smaller, while the
top bridge is made up of thirty-tive
arches. On top is the stone water
trough or canal four feet wide and
J, seven feet deep in perfect condition
today. Over the top of the water
trough is a covering of stone slabs
seven feet long, and 3 feet wide and
foot thick. The giant structure
) was erected by Agrippa, the son-ln-
law of Augustus, 10 B. c. and was
i. ~ ,,o.rc in construction 1t was in