, 1877-03-18
A VEN NETIAN FUNERAL,

| ADDtet0aS journal FOR .HdFcA.
We turned corner, and came suddenly upou
fondamtstto above canal Women aud chill
dren, bareheaded, with their knitting OF strings
OF beads in their hands, as though they had just
left their seats III the 1oorways, stood about the
narrow entrance Of u house that faced the stair
case Of bridge. Their shril1 voices were hush
CT, and solemn awe lay upon the faces of the
/ children Within the corridor Of the house
stood small boys in white, lace-edged garments,
with unkempt heads, grasping long white tapers
by painted wooden handles that had skulls cary
cd on them. The silence was broken but by the
wash OF the canal against the wall, and the low
murmur of chant that 1oated down the dingy
| stairway.
The sound Of the voices grew palmer, Is
though a door had been opened. There was
head OF tue stairway. The acolytes moved slow
" down the steps, bearing the lighted tapcrs
aloft, atld their comrades IN the vestibu1e made
way for them into the street. There was q
heavy tread On s'e landing, and -four figures
in long red gowns, with coarse, unshavcu faces
obove them, and shabby boots and torn trousers
showing under the folds, made their way down
the narrow stair, bearing the burden covered
with lace-edged white cloth. 1.-THE becehiMn'
whispered the woman outside, and they drew
closer together, casting looks Of terror and dis
like ut the red-robed figures with the swurthy,
honest faces. The old plague-horr fingers In
the Venetian hearts, and the old name Ut the
pest-tinc servants OF the city clings to these
humble sacristans and graye4liggers.
In the vestibule they paused and laid their
burden down on the trcstles, and drew their
faded red handkerchief from somewhere behind
their dingy shirt-bosotns, and wiped their hard.
scanned faces aud gray, shaggy heads. There
were wreaths OF the white, languid lilies on the
poor cotton covering Of the coffin, and crown
Of artificial roses with .sdHa mia sposa"-'.To
my betrothed"-in silken letters on the white
ribbon that tied it, and pyramid Of carly dahl
las, yellow anu crimson, ut either end. The
priest descended the staircase, making it creak
with the burden OF his portliness, and brighten
ing the uingy vestibule with his golden vest
ment and bis round fresh face with the square
black cup above It. He chanted cheerily, as he
advanced, and the acolytes caught up the solemn
refrain IN their shrill borish voices. The bee-
ehiti took up their pitiful burden, aud, followed
the street.
There was silence Of moment in the corrf-
dor, and then down the stairs came group OF
coarse-laced women, with eyes. redlened By
which tue red sbaw1s and kerchiefs and gold car
in@s had been banished-thc nearest approach
they could make to mourning; for money was
scarce and food dear, and the living had more
With the saints. Behind the women walked
young man with his eyes bent on the ground,-
slender, and tall, and fair-haired, with the sup
pie grace OF the gondolier in his carriage. Be-
lover, Giovanni
j., The procession moved on across the bridge
the painted wooden standards borne aloft b.
The white-robed boys, the yellow garmeut o
tae priest flashing in the sunlight, the red robea
of the hecehii bright against tie pale gray ot
Tue house-tronts anu the scrc leafagc On the
balconies. Beyond was sweep Of canal that
curved into darkness about an overfangina
2ortleo, and was lost in the tawny side Of 6
:hurcll. The bridge had an old cscutcheon for
Is Key stone, and patch Of green vine startlng
rom tue crcvice and throwing, 4 caressing arm
bout the old monster of the crest art dropping
lsanst the darkness Ut the inner urrh- The
1nl'yht streanled through the water below,
treaIiI,g it with gold, and over the great boat
taxes, striped scrpcnt-fashion, blue and white,
e1th golden croWus on them, mud scarlet crest
'eneatII.
VT followed the train through narrow pas
age to where the sunlight cleaned on tllc
lin!y steps Of i caua1-lautiing. 4 great black
uIk lay against the wall painted with emblcn.s
deatl! i'll gnastiy white, and roxed by OARS
ten III dresses OF shabby black. The beechini
laced Their poor loatl upon the bl,ck surface
aretul!y, that tie pitifui memorials might not
e shukeu, and then turned away with u salute
, the priest, stripping oil their red garments
!, they Went Tie priest and two OF the aco-
'tcs entered shabby goutioia- The women
aeKcd themselves In another, and the Young
an took otl his patched JACKET and grasped the
ar oar whtle great sob burst from hts throat
was plain to See tlat the boat was his own,
III That many time the spos., who lay 50
ute and cold under the lllics had sat in il,
soocu IN triumph on q regatta-day, grand In
y suid necklace and the wealth VI her young
:auty.