THE SKELETON PRISONER OF poMpE1r.

| BY PAYNE KENYON K1LBouRN.
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 A recent tourist to Pompeii says" Among the edifces, visited the temples of Hercules and Ju- piter the hall of justice, and the prison, which has an inner dungeon like that into which Paul and Slas were thrust and in Uhich skeleton Icds found aDith las feet fast in Lhe stocks" Who vert thou? grim and ancient skeleton Why lock'd in such questionable place! ~ Vert thou criminal! and was there none 4 To soothe thy griefs, or share in thy disgrace? Did the stern hand of Justice place thee there, For crimes against thy country and her laws? Was thine the assassins arm? or, did'st thou dare Boldly to speak in Truths and Freedoms cause Perhaps thy tongue defed the despot's rod, .t Or spake too freely of his favoritc crimes; Perhaps thou pleadest for the s'one true Con-" Against the idle worship of thy times. The mob was roused-whose mad shouts rang afar, And thou, perchance, the victim of its fury; Yet all went up with thee to that dread bar Spectators, Judges, Witnesses and Jury An! who and whence vert thou and whither fled Thy vital spark, when the pale phantom came i? A bootless task to question thus the dead No answer cometh on the tongue of Fame! Thou keepest we'll thy secrets. ancient one! Perchance tis prudent thou should'st keep them

 thus! ....... .. .... .s......... ,...s Yet, ,whosoe'er thou wert-whate'er thou'st done We know thou hadst a being once, like us..

 

 Pride, hate, thirst for glory, all were thine; Love came and wooed thee at the twilight hour, And thou didst dream of bright eyes round her shrine, g... rr- .N asaa And forms unearthly in thy vine-clad bower! We know thou hadst thy triumphs and thy warnings. We know thy brow oft bore the smile and tear We know thou hadst thy laughter and complain

 ings, t.. - .. a.. s.t. -..,.. j.. Y. -- But still we wondering ask," Waat brought thee

 here 2"

 Death concelled not Mv bonds guant skeleton! Thou art prisoner now as thou vert when The fre-storm whelmed the city of the sun, And wrapped thee in the pail with freer men. Proud realms have falln, and mouldered where they Millions have sought the dust through blood and tears, ,." . Yet thou hast sat thus in thy lonely cell, Upright and stern. through twice nine hundred

 years r.' How rife with mystery have been thy ways! !- Time with its untold wrecks behind thee casting Thou hast descended to these latter days, Oh, death-like emblem of the everlasting Thou'st reigned supreme within that prison dire, Silent and awful in thy majesty ! Famine and earthquakes, pestilence and fire, Have swept the earth-yet brought no change to

 thee! .r-.... The soul which wanders now through worlds un.

 known,

 Above-beyond the scope of mortal ken, Shall yet once more reclaim thee as it's own, Nor stocks, nor dungeon walls, may hold thee

 then! 8 .t. .s ...4 There is voice shall reach thy dull, cold ear; Light shall again illume each eyeless portal; Companion of thy spirits high career, . Thou shalt go forth to share the life immortal August, ISl5. [JN Y. Sat. Emporium