Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-06-30
,Ia&accLIS3tD.
FROM THE cATsKILL RECORDER.
AsPIRITED AND GRAPHIC sKETCl

A SPiRITED AND GRAPHIC SKETCH.
II was in June of 1907, that visited
Venice in the employ of mercantile
house in New York.-A residence of
some weeks had made me sufficiently
acquainted with the city dni lis uilvirons
to mud my way without ii guide, aud hav-
ing transacted my business, spent the
few days which preceded my departure in
viewing and admiring one of the Oldest
cities Of Europe. There was something
i'll the style OF the buildings, and in the
costume and manners of the inhabitants,
III What is usually termed {" the air Of the
place" SO entirely, different from any
thing | bad ever seen, that found at
every turn some long cherished curiosi-
ty gratihed, and some new one awaken
ed. had been taught from my infancy
. associate with the very name of Ven
ice az the telrors of the Inquisition aad
pow when | found myself within the
idade OF the gloomy walls, and saw the
honks with their dark cowls and flow
| hg robes, gliding with stealthy step.
Aro' Its heavy gothic porches, could
Ipt suppress d feeling of awe, associated
With and springng from the earliest i'm
Iressions my childhood had received.
Experienced the same kind Of indelina-
lie, causeless dread, which he feels who
Il midnight walks in the church-yard,
when the tomb stones appeared in the
Itnisty moonlight like spirits starting from
Ithe graves, and even the wind seems to
whisper the names Of the slumbeIing
dead.
The time for my departure had arriv-
ed, and with feelings such as these I
had wandered out late one evening 10
take farewell view Of Venice, when
my attention was arrested by the heavy
tread OF company Of men who were
coming up the street in which was
walking. Withdrawing into dark pas
sage between two buildings, | had all
opportunity of observing, that the COM
pany consisted Of several hundred, and
kept that side of the street which was
shaded by the houses from the light of
the moon. There was something alto
gether mysterious in their appearance,
and | had walked near quarter Of a
mile endeavouring 10 recount for cir
cumstance so singular, when my ears
were assailed by a sound like. that of
heavy blows upon an iron gateway.
paused, and was soon convinced from
the increased violence of the blows and
the direction in which the sound came,
that it was occasioned by the mob had
lately seen, and that the city arsenal
was the object of their assault. The
blows were repeated, I'll he. gates gave
way with tremendous crash, and the
mob sent forth shout that seemed 10
rend the heavens. An interval of ST.
lence succeeded, when a solitary horse :
man rode iuriously up 10 The corner of
the street Mhere stood, aud blew an
alarm upon his bugIe which was borne
wildly along on the night wind, and then
echoed back in deeper and meliowcr
tones from the distant hills that rose be-
yond the city. The horseman paused
not for the lingering notes to die upon
the ear, but plunged his spurs into the
SIDES OF his courser, whose feet at every
bound dashed fire from lie flinty pave
ments. At the corner of each success
slve square as he rode tieFcely on, the
same notes Of alarm burst from his bu-
gle, and the same soft and mellow ech-
oeS floated back as ifin mockery OF the
wild hoarseness Of their originals Tc
me, whose feelings were already highly
wrought upon by the variety OF incl
dents had so unexpectedly encounter
ed, there was something in the music
completely bewildering, something that
made every hear. string thrill with cx-
tacy. But my revere was short; for
the blast Of the bugle had started The
sleeping citizens trom their couches,
and with arms IN their hands and with
hurried steps and anxious look they
traversed the streets, each eagerly in
curing of his neighbour the cause of so
usualan alarm. All was tumult and
confusion; the drums beat TO arms and
they were hastily marshalied in order
OF battle. The phalaax of citizeus,
which probably consisted Of some thou
sands, was drawn up in front Of the
Cathe dral of ST. Omar
Not one of all this vast assemblage
knew what was the danger witch threat
ened, or where it was 10 be met and
successfully repealed. The noisesof the
mob had ceased, and they stood in silent
and anxious expectation, their banners
floating over their heads when shout
burst from the distant multitude that
made ever heart throb and every ear
Jingle. They turned in the direction
OF the sound and perceived that part OF
the CITY was on fire, and that the sky
was already red with the conilagration
1t was n0w evident that there was an
I