The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-09-26
Ghinos sbroad.
EVERYDAY LIFE AT VENICE.

Behind monumental Venice, whose
beauty can but be compared to the scenic
effects of fairy opero, and whose first
sight fascinAtes the gaze Of the wonder
struck traveller, and holds him spell-bound
in admiration, there exists another more
familiar perhaps, and none the less pic
turesque, though but little known to the
outside world and this is the city in its
everyday life.
Seated in the balcony, and breathing the
soft air which watts so gently over the
water Of the wide blue canal, it will be our
pleasant task to portray in little birds
eye view this life so dear to the Venetian;
so indolent, so fascinating in all its pecu-
liarities aud surroundings, that even to the
more energetic foreigner there seems but
little, if indeed anything, wanting to rem
der il perfect heaven upon earth.
1t is early morning, and the time-gun
of the frigatc which guards the entrance
to the fort has just sent its white smoke
over tho marble city. The Angelus is
ringing from the thousand surrounding
belfries, and the upper and middle classes
are still wrapped in their mosquito nets,
sleeping away far into the fresh balmy
hours of this heavenly day; but the poor,
half.clad creatures who have no other bed
than the cold hard steps of the quays and
palaces are already risen from their un-
comfortable repose, and are busy at work
drying their ragged clothes, soaked through
with the heavyweight dew, in the bright
rays Of the warm morning sun. The gon-
dolies are already in their boats preparing
for their long days labor some are wash
ing the sides of their gondolas, or shaking
the cushions and beating the gaudy-colored
Persian carpets, while others are polishing
the bright metal prows, or sitting lazily
under their canopies, singing some favorits
air and waiting the summons Of their en-
ployers. The heavy barges, loaded with
provisions, are beginning to arrive from
Mestre, Fusine, the Guidecca, (a sort Of
maritime suburb, bordered on one side by
buildings, aud on the other by beautiful
luxuriant gardens,) from Giorgia, from
Torcello, and other places on terra frn,a
or the adjacent isles. These barges are
burdened with vegetables, grapes melons,
peaches, etc., while others are loaded with
funny fish, red mullets, oysters, crabs, eels,
and other "sea-fruits, according to the
picturesque expression of the natives.
Others, heavily freighted with wood or
Goals, stop at the water-gates of the houses
where they have to unload their merchan-
disc, and then resume their toilsome jour-
ney. The wine arrives, not in casks, as
in our country, nor in buckskins, as In
Spain, but in large open tubs, and is darker
than that of the mulberry fruit; the term
"black, which Homer never fails to use
in reference to wine, is well applied to
these products Of Thioul and Istria. Water
is also brought in the same manner to fll
the cisterns, otherwise, in spite Of its
aquatic situation, Venice might literally
die of thirst like Tantalus, for Il does not
possess one single spring. Formerly they
were obliged to 60 as far as Fusine to fetch
the water from the Brenta Canal but now
Artesian wells have been sunk in different
places round the city, and the water is
carried in by the barges, which in this
manner supply the whole of the cisterns,
and there is scarcely one square Of campo
in the city which does not possess one.
The opening to these fountains, which are
round like the mouth Of well, have sup.
Piled the most fertile themes to the imagi.
nation Of the Venetian architect and sculp.
tor; one forms Corinthian pilaster, hollow
in the centre, another the gaping jaws Of
some hideous monster and sometime these
sculptures, which are either In bronze,
marble, or stone, are relieved with bac-
chanalian figures, or garlanded with how-
crs and fruit--all of them, unfortunately,
too often worn by the friction Of the COP
per cords and buckets with which the
water is raised. The cisterns, which are
covered at the bottom with sand to keep
the water fresh, give peculiar character
to the campcs; they are only open at GER
tain hours during the day, at which time
the women arrive to draw the water.
Now the church doors open, and from
one issus red procession, bearing along
with il a bier, covered with red, which Is
then placed in red gondola; for mourn
ing Is worn here in that color. 1t isa
dead body they are embarking for the
cemetery, which stands on an island on the
route to Murano. The priests, bearers,
candelabras, and church ornaments occupy
the barge which precedes. AT Venice,
when any one dies, It is the custom to tx
a placard on the front Of the dead persons
house, swell as in the neighboring streets,
as sort Of public notice, stating bis name,
age, place Of birth, the illness Of which be
died, Affirming also that be received the