The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-07-02

ted and new ones are constantly forming.
At one time the great Mediterranean GOV.
cred miles Of her shores; then mighty
upheaval which drove back the waters
and left mountains; then settling took
place Shichlelt beauifulplains and tossed
buildings out lofS the perpendicular ,and
made leaning tower at "Pisa," and an
other at "Ferara," and two others at "Bo.
logna." And God seems to have formed
the people like their country-quick, pro.
duciive and smiling. They are very gal.
liant, exceedingly industrious, but lacking
in thrift. They have literally no enter.
prise at all, and the man who was leading
them out Of the wilderness, their guiding
star "Cavour" has died and lett them.
VENICE, HOTEL VICTORIA, June 8.
Since writing my other sheet, we have
skipped up to Venice, as you will see by
the heading. / have to keep my letters
going as go along, and this may be dated
several places before it Is finished.
But oh! Venice Is the, place for me. l
have not sword now Tor. any other. ]
had intended writing you much about
Florence, but will pass her fields, her gal.
leries Of beauty, without sentence.
Venice Is just what ! eXnpcted-a city
with streetsfOf water. No use for legs,
for animals, or for carriages nothing but
boats, There are public gondolas, regu.
lar omnibuses, family affairs, and small
tubs, into which errand boys, clerks and
merchants step and row themselves away,
as regularly as we walk to our meals. All
the houses have front doors with steps
going right down into the water. Callers
ring the bell, and step right from, the skifI
into the hall. Persons going out shop.
ping row along the windows, look in and
pass on to the next asst on ground. My
constant wonder IS that hundreds are moi
drowned every day. 1 confess I would
have walked out Of many a shop door
into the water, had, not my gondola
been lying right in front Of me as
reminder. We went to church in
boat, to our consul's, our bankers, and
hotel likewise. The arrival was an ex
rceedingly funny. experience. Stepping
out Of the cars, we we're in large and
splendid depot Taking our satchels in
hand, we followed the crowd as usual, :
but not long-the front opened on the
water, and there we stood pushing each
other nearly off the steps, motioning to-
boatman but not able to advance one steI
until he came to us.
Once in his boat, the feeling Is mex
pressibly funny, You don't know the way
you can talk, his "hard boiled tongue,
you can do nothing but cry out ,1Hote
Victoria" and sit still.
For the time being you are completely
in his power, and well 1t Is, they are 81
quick to catch your meaning; hardy SUI
burnt tars, they neverseem to want to do
the traveller harm, and naturally seem Il
know his desires better than he doe.
himself, We kept a. boat constantly a
our command; from six in the morning
until ten at night we were going, first Wis
iting palaces, churches, stores, then t
dinner, at night to the operas and variou
places of amusement. There is no par
Of Venice to which you cannot 60 b,
land, that is to say, no house that, canno
be reached byfoot But the lanes through
which one must thread his way, from sucl
a labyrinth, that for stranger to attemp
to go about would be like tying himsel
in a knot.
The canals correspond to streets Ii
other cities, and walking about Venice
would be like stealing among our alleys
/ hardly know how to describe to you
gondola, it is not like anything seen o.
our waters, but resembles a hearse. NOR
than anything / can think of.
Centuries ago Venice was one Of TIL
greatest republics on theiace of the Garth
Extravaganza however killed her, tn
boatmen Of course parto0k OF this fevel
got up their gondolas with ouch magnif
Icence, with prows OF gold and curtains Z
lsilver-that the government had to inter
fere and ordered that all should be paint
\ ed black, Since then no other color ha
! been allowed and those thousands Of sabl
canoes glide over the waters, without
spot TO glimmer In the sun, and so dar
as al night 10 be scarcely visible.
But we saw Venice under most favor
able circumstances. II was the annivel
sary0l the Union Of Rome with Italy
and Victor Emmanuel's triumph over ID
Pope. Being the first celebration II wa
no common affair, | assure you. Alta
Y early hour you were awakened by hun
= drGds Of bands OF music playing, flae
] lying, and all day long this holiday loI
y ing people went skimming about. TIL
I scene became most animated about min
n IN the evening, and by twelve at nipt
u was beyond any power Of pen to describl
y singing and music floated over the wave
d Gondolas lighted from stem 10 ster
y glided by each other. Houses, seye
% stories high, lowered, above Inc eran
Ie canal, Illuminated from top 10 botton
e sending rockets and candles from the
\ roofs and reflected a million times in N
v water beneath. 1t was simply enchan
I. ing to sitthere and be rowed among IN
I. hundred and fourteen islands, and tittee
!. thousand dwellings and palaces and q
d nothing but raised lights and floahr
II barges, and witness the most perfect goI
o. nature without q drunken sound or ma
g ring noise Everything was so mark
y by quiet that Of home Il would hard
ID have been counted . celebration, b
n these people, the prince as we'll as Il
d humble classes arc content. to enjoy Il
h fresh air, TO congregate at the cafes al
4. to make their homes resplendent with Il
~ least possible confusion: / don't kno
= whether like their way or ours the be.
s but one thing Of which i am certain
70 shall never forget the fete day / have be-
N attemDtinh To descrihA - -