Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-02-11

bea, titul skies were dull, gloomy, dreaiy
and wept constant tears her f,ncy paltc
were but crumbling aud dcctying mernorl-
ais Of Il p osperi,y long since departed her
gondolas, canoes painted deep black, weis
most funereal in aspect and ner gay roi,-
dolier' the most commonplace Of hackfna'.
crying ''gondol," Instead Of ''carrae sii.
But she is entirely uiiG'e-a yerltail city
of the sea, whose streets are canals an
whose vehicles are boats. In the SENSE I
utilitaria,sm all his is comiortless AMI
slow and impractical, bat it has its charm
for the temporary sojourner, and | enjoyed
the novelty OF the qnitt and rapid transit
through the dark narrow canals, shut OK
from the sunlight by the high walls Of thu
buildings whose duorstrps were iicied by tle
green sea water. Much Of the architecture
of Venice has "a large infusion of the Byzan-
tine, viii gives the ritv sort of oriental
aspect, adding much to It's charm. he old
Cathedral of San Marco is copied after one
Of the earliest christian churches Of Com
stautinopc, and was decorated with mosaics
by G.Sx fuss brought from that city. Il
is one mass of mosaic from PeiiStyle to bas,',
and floor and walls and ceiling OF the inside
similarly embelished, While rare marbis
AID precious stones are scattered about the
aliars and chape!s in wonderful prou.lou
The repu.ed body OF St. Mark is enci sad
in a sarcophagns of pGrnhyrv under the high
altar where il has lain Tor 600 years, nc
corling to the received version ot things.
The relics Of the church are Of great ant q,
ui;y and its embroidered vestmeu;s ND
treasure OF great value. Certainly it IS
Interesting pile. The Palace of the Do-os
adjoining was pronounced by Dickens grant
er and more beautiful in is oh age than as
the building. OF the earth in The high prime
and fuiiness OF their yoa;h. This is little
poe;ical and extraragast bat certainly there
are t-w structures more pecu'Iary 5eaati!ni.
with It's double facade ot scuiplurea pillars
and pointed arches, OF the two lower stories
upon which the pam SIDES u hie hppsi
mass Of the building rests iornrng an uup"s
and lower arcade. 30. lISht aha uisf
seem these pillars that II WpH d .cem fss.s
possible that they could support the mass o.
the inlaid marble above, but the storms ot
four centuries have made no sensible IN
preston upon the beautiful structure, And ii
seems as enduring today with lis beautiful
smooth floors of marble concrete, US il il
were bat the creation Of Yesterday. Is
walls enriched with the master pieces Of
Paul NeroneSe, llntolctto and other may
tcrs Of tile Nenilian school who lived ut thu
time Of its erection and decorations, while lis
sculpiured decorations are by some OF the
ablest sculpters OF ihe period. Nothing
can exceed in beauty It's Giants Staircase.
and few the passage Of tie S.ala d Orc.
which led up into the Coancii Chamber. aud
up which none but the mobiles OF this So
called Republic Of eleven centuries passed.
We saw the room of tic rotcd Council Of
Ten, and that OF the moro mystt rigu> Goui.-
Gil Of Three, ard the boS Of Tie scu'pIcrcd
lion, into whose mouth ia tic darkness ..
night biltrs Of dcnunciation were slipped.
which caused tie arrest and arrai igrtocnt OF
tie denounced betore the Council. Vie SAW
the secret passages connected with tfcsa
chambers and followed them down to tie
dismal dungeons without a ray o. ligh'. nc
which both innocent and quit; victims OF
the State were thrust. We went ou. u on
The Bridge Of Sigh, the passage over ihe
canal between the prison and the palace,
over which many q man marched to etetM-
y. We entered the ceil ;lnd saw ibe block
where Duge. Marno taAcrA arGi rss scnii
were first imprisoned aHd tHen heheade1-
Perhaps no SPOT IN the wMe w0lh has so
much Il mystery aud so mIIch OF irter'ss
centering III II as this old poses Ia.acr,
and Certainly there was fascination ahoH.
its every room and passage ard dismal celi-
Venice Is wonderfully ri,h III churtt's.
and these are marvel, III their wealth OF
sculptured tonbs and alials, and tie hFae>
tlui paintings OF lill"n, aid be..i!l iiis mas
Ter, Faui seronese, ilnto et'' II uiofsioh'
and others less Nno"n. He, 700 NAe o'n PA
aces, homes OF tie orce rcn, pfona a"'
powerful Nenitlah mobiles are r'ch III oeeYia-
ton and relics, ana much lime eoHia he
prohtabiy and agfeeabiy Spent among 'h""f-
We went from Venice 10 MlAh, getils
through fadua, Verona, Nlcehza, bieseM
and Mantne, aud other large cl'leS O. HAY
The Cathedral OF Milan Is uhdoIo'ed!y ohe
OF The wonders OF Europe, and not~lths,ang-
ins al! had seeh OF churches. (and Dc
lleve have seen heariy al @. any note III
Europe, u astohshe1 me by us mat'etoos
richness OF Scuip'urei decoration. rs
smaller spires ahd plhhacleS are A"'aoefe'
hy hundreds, ana b"'itesseS are 81 rieh
IN ornamental carNiNE rs 10 rrSetAo'e " t'o".
sr Sarden. mere are some th'uSA.as %
statues upon the outside, nfaF'y al ny ar
lists OF enInence, ana some 9'V on the ih-
side. he who structure is OF waite mar
bic, the ROOF DeinS oi great over appi"s
plates OF the same material. olehu'n or
namentai staiTcases ot marble ana passages
led al! over lis roof, ana We were 'os'at,a a'e 4
enough "Aen on II 10 nave 'he iii'sis t!eaI
away from the mountain tops anu revesl tie
whole extended range Oh Alp'he psaks hntt
ed IN Hood OF golden hight, that tinees
their icy SUBMITS most gorseous!y. mo
whole range from tie Dauphne to tue Der
nese Alps. and including both, were reveal
Ell with wonderful clearatsS although they
were from % to $50 miles away. have
been along the who!c extent o. the range On
The north slde. and nearly the same On the
south side, and been through II by TIVE or
three routes, but never saw 50 much OF II
at once or under sue II h'arveiioHsiF oeae-
'uhi's hiu eecutieu' 50 our S","e s''i, "''
ihe is's's soon again as'c''ueu oNef 'ne'''
ana we eouia nc. n0' le'I Sfa'''"' r'f me
h"P!v eo'ip'''H'io" "a e'''"N'S'''' eeS S"''
e''no'e" ~ 10 see % 'oN'i' =" S'N"'. o.
y q