The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-05-18
VENICE.

wish first of all to make corrections of
two typographical errors which occurred
in my letters published on the 4th and 18th
of May, instant. In the letter published
on the 4th of May, the paper made me say
that one of the young ladies' names was
"Checcina Mangano," and the meaning
thereof in English is d" Cecelia Cross-bon,"
while her name is &c Checchsnu Mangano,"
and means in English "Cecelia CroSs-boao. -
Aud in the letter published the 18th in
slant, the paper makes me call the " Bridge
of Signs - Ponte Del Soshieri," which,
to my certain knowledge, cannot be trans
lated into understandable English, instead
of the true Italian name P0nte Del Sos
piri;:" and the hotel at which l stopped
was 50 The Royal Daniel,' and not "The
Royal Daniel"
| deem these corrections necessary, for
some Of my readers might be under the
impression that | did not understand the
Italian language. Well, may as well con-
fess first as last that do not understand a
word of the Italian language. | have fire.
quently been asked the question, how |
managed to get along travelling in foreign
countries without understanding the Ian
guages. This is a large world, in which
there are over four thousand distinct and
separate languages spoken; yet, no matter
where you may 60, you will always find
some one who can understand you: and in
aud throughout Europe the English Ian
guage is spoken at most, if not all, of the
pose when travelling that no one under
stands their language but themselves, and
this error has led them into many ludicrous
mistakes; they forget that other Americans
and Englishmen are travelling. | remem-
Der that, on journey from Paris to Stras-
burg, there was only one passenger in the
apartment of the car beside myself. He
was large feshy German; and after we
coldly nodded to each other, he settled him
self back in one corner, pulled out Ger
man paper, commenced to read, and kept
on reading for three hours, while l amused
myself looking at the objects of interest
along the route | wished that "sphinx"
would say something to me, even if he
spoke it in German, but there he sat and
looked sulky and grim; l even wished a
slight accident would happen to break up
the monotony of the journey. At last we
stopped at station and small boy came
along. having some light wine in small bot
ties for sale. Not thinking but that he
could understand me, l called out: boy
what is that you have in your bottles ?"
when instantly the "sphinx" looked up
and smiled pleasantly, and said: Why,
thought you were Frenchman;' and,
hearing my own tongue spoken in foreign
land, we engaged in conservation, and from
that point to the end of our journey, it
would be difficult for me to say whose
tongue ran the faster. Now this Ameri
can German-for such he proved to be-
having come from Pennsylvania, and was
on his way home to Canstadt, near SUIT
gard, to visit his parents, thought | was
one Oh lnOSe ueteStuOGo TleuChHlcu, VIII
whom his native land had been at war, and
he was determined to give me cold Shout
der and to have no communication with
me- This was his confession.
Now let us take up the thread of our
story about Venice In entering the Doge's
palace you ascend a stairway about fifteen
feet in height; enter a room wherein the
Council of Ten formerly held their meet
ings; around the wall still remain the por-
traits of seventy-two Doges, painted Icy
Titan, Tintoretto, and other noted paint
ers. This line of portraits surround the
top part of the WALL and is only broken in
one place, where the picture of Marinius
Faletrus is covered with black curtain,
and underneath is a placard, upon which is
inscribed the words He locus est Mdrini
Falerti, decdpitai pro crimtnibus, which
translated into English is, ''This is the
place of Marnius Falertrius, who was de-
capitated for his crimes" Rather short
history of his taking off, but ones mind
can spin out the story as far as it chooses
One thing is certain, Marinius was a
Doge, and in power at the time he was be-
headed. The Venetians did not believe in
any foolishness. They believed Marinius
was a guilty whelp; so one cool morning,
they took him out upon the porch of the
Doge's palace, and hacked his head off,
and so that was the end of Marinius Faler-
trius, and then they bought ten cents
worth of black bombazine and covered over
his portrait from the gaze of men. was
interested in knowing what crime he had
committed to incur so great punishment,