Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-12-21

And now the blessed ClrlAtllds-tNt lih
come. 4 hush settles upon the city with the
twilight. The toiling fathers and mothers
stroll with the children in their arms, along
the passages between the gay booths, and
laugh and shout and chatter with the bronzed
peasants, whose faces stand out in relief be-
hind the faring brass lamps. The bridges lie
white and calm in the dusk, with heavy shad-
ows gathered III tine water under their arches.
Along the canals the reflections of the house
fronts lie black against the dusk of the mir
rored sky. Here and there the street light
falls on an angel gazing down with out
stretched hands and widespread wings. A
holy peace is on the beautiful stone faces, and
the mouths are parted with mute hosannas.
Along the lagoon groups are strollng to-
wards the piazza for there is service i'll St.
Marks. There are sailor lads dressed afresh
for the JtStd night peasant soldiers who are
thinking of the little homes among the South
ern olive hills young girls with faces shining
with holy thoughts In the upper sky fingers
the pale twilight green that the old Nenetians
dwelt upon so lovingly. The tower of San
Glorgio rises, n stately shaft, against the dark
ening sky. with the golden angel standing iii
relief against the clear space the early moon
has left in its wake At the angels feet gows
the great bright steadfust evening star. The
lagoon is red with the reflected after-glow.
Great black shadows lie athwart it from the
hulks of the anchored vessels. The network
of masts and cordage that stands black against
the ruddy sky is reproduced in the pale wa
ter
The domes of the city rise black against the
late twilight sky. and along the waters edge
gleam rows of golden lights. Old converts
that long echoed with the Christmas merrl-
meut of monks frown upon the joyful people,
white and ghostly III their age.
In the wine shops the gondoliers are sing
ing noisy Christmas ballads. In the larger
cdbt officers in spurs and floating cloaks are
grouped about the little tables, playing chess
and drinking coffee. Old men are knitting
their brows over the newspapers, forgetful Of
Christmas-eye. Young men are whispering
together and laughing over their stories un-
mindful of the old blind man who is singing
some quaint Christmas carol at the door to
the sound of his worn guitar. Sometimes
young girls-fresh, pretty things stand with
their mothers in the reeking cigar smoke, and
wall Christmas carols to II plaintive violin ac-
companiment and makes them stop and lis
ten until tears come into their eyes at the
| thought of Christmas hopes dead long ago.
At the Molo the g0Rd0le crouch dark against
| the rird, with stakes rising among them,
| crowned now and then with little Gothic
| tabernacle that has lamp tlickering before II
coarse print of the Virgin. The gondolicrs
|
the landing. On the pedestals of the columns,
with the whte-eyed lion glaring upon them,
and ST. Theodore gazing scornfully upon their
| plebian shapes, cover groups of women and
/ children and old men. Some instinct of ado
| ration has driven them out under the open
| sky to wait for the mystical coming.
| Through the dusk gleam the white reclin-
| ing figures on the arches of the Zecca. The
statutes stand dark against the sky under the
great black shaft of the Campanile The
moonlight glitters on the arched windows OF
the ducal palace and under the dusk of the
balcony curves, forcing the white shafts to
strong relief.
Across the piazza, forming n background
for the figures of the passers-by, streams the
light from the brilliant windows under the
| Procuratic and the long bright street beyond
the clock tower. The giants that strike the
bell stand out among the chimneys, and be
low them, against the black front above the
arch. glow the golden numbers of thc hour.
On the side of the church. where the mosa
ic Virgin sits high in her niche, with gold and
cleaning marbles and quaint carving ant
smiling monsters about her, burn two flicker
ing points of flame They have shone ther,
for oenturies-the republics peace offering Il
a soul whose body was put to death betweeI
the fatal columns. At the door of the basili
ca. weary mothers and children crouch amonl
the porphyry columns and the grnning mon
sters.
In the vestibule lie old doges in cap ant
gown with their hands folded ON their breasts
and strange stone figures above their heads
From the domes leer down white-faced fig
ures, gaunt and spare, that the fancy of th
old Greek workers in mosaic wrought will
prayers, ages ago, into the worship-offering o
the cathedral Behind them CLEANS a colder
surface that rouses itself from the shadows
when the doors of the church are opened.
The people stream across the vestbule. 4
rushing sound of voices and sweet-toned in
struments issues from the church. The chan
eel is a blaze of light from the glowing alta
tapers, reflected thousandfold from the won
drous tabernacle of gold and silver that wa
wrought long ago in the youth of the repub
lie by the cunning wOrkmen of Byzantium
Slender columns sculptured in Eastern devic
rise dark against the space of fame. On tn
chancel railing stand the apostles with tn
Virgin in their midst, black in the sheets o
golden light. Tall tapers, like white lii.
stalks rise between them. In the nave
crystal cross blossoming with lights hang
from the gilded dome among the long-draper
led prophets.
At every cornice on the edge Of every col
umn, stands great golden angel keeping
guard over a tall white taper that rises befor
!. him. The clear-cut curve of the arch and tn
graceful winged shape are defined against tn
dusk of the great side naves Under the shad
owy arches of the side naves hang heav