The Red Cloud chief., 1878-01-17
VENICE.

JbS SDCh &c ~ AAS Aioiu VIC Ul0l n1O
ment | left the the railway station an,
stepped into a gondola.
There is one only Venice in all tn,
world. Think of a great, populou'
city. where the rumble of wheels i
never heard, and not a single hOrs,
within its limits.
Your sole carriage is . gondola
These gondolas are all painted black
This is in accordance with q law pass
ed by the Venetian Republic, when
long ago, the rich merchant princes Of
Venice were beginning to adorn theil
gOndolas with such lavish license q
luxury as offended the Republics Sin
plicity of their rulers.
Since that time only black gondolal
aR to be seen; but some of these ars
very luxurious. They are long and
slender, with high steel beaks. and very
many of them are exquisitely carved
In the center is a little covered house oi
one tiny room, with glass windows and
door, cushioned inside, often most lux.
uriously. 1t is something like . CARR
age-tOp set upon a bout. .
The gondoliers are not the captivat.
ing, brigand looking fellows you see in
pictures. Those who are in the service
of the rich wear elegant boating cos.
tunes; those of the large hotels, too,
wear handsome sailOr-suits of blue and
white; but the ordinary gondolier. who
hangs about the quays, is a very shabby
looking fellow.
Of anything SO utterly restful and 90
delightful as this water conveyance OF
Venice, l had never dreamed. And II
is, moreover, the cheapest luxury in the
world. You get a gOndola with one
rover for twenty cents the first hour,
and ten cents for every subsequent hour
or you can have him all day, from
morning until midnight, for one dol
lar. 49,.
In addition to. this low tariff, he e.
poets of you a small trifle for q pour
6oire, or drink money. Sometimes he
asks you for this boldly, sometimes he
points with a pathetic finger to his open
mouth.
A lOunger or two standing on the pier
have helped to draw in your boat, and
they also appeal to you. If you give to
tnem n cent apiece Uney say --grazzix''
(thank you). with an air of sad resig-
nation, anda look of sweetpatience SET
ties on their. bronze faces as they turn
away. but if coppers are plenty, and
you endOw each one to the extent of two
cents, then. indeed, do they smile on
you, and doff their shabby hats, and
beam and glow with pleasure.
In no place have l ever seen such .
charming variety of color a in Venice.
The waves that lap your gondols Are
green, except when the sunset crimsons
or the moonlight silvers them. Some
of the houses are white. with the pure
wilderness of unstained marble; some
vivid yellow. and some pink. and some
which were white Once-have turned
absolutely black with time and tide
grand old palaces, these last. dreaming
there, above the waters at their base, of
a past which all the arts have combined
to make immortal.
Browning spoke of Venice - . city
where the sea the street is;" and it is
the best description l know. Imagine.
instead of Washington street, Or Tre-
mont, or Broadway, or Fifth Avenue, .
deep canal. Imagine houses, in front Of
which is not even . sidewalk, but to the
dOOrsteps of which yOu step from your
gondola.- the first floors being often too
damp for occupancy.
1t was a Yankee pilgrim who said he
should not like to live in Venice, be-
cause it was too wet there; but to me
these highways and byways have IN in
expressible charm. / should never tire
of drifting down the grand canal, with
its stately palaces on either side, OF of
winding around among the quaint old
by way of the smaller canals,
catching sight at every corner of some
unexpected novelty.
Why there are no accidents. / cannot
imagine. for at every turn some Condo
q shoots out, unexpectedly, and they
are so long that it requires the utmost |
iexterity to handle them.
Don't think you can never walk in
You can row up the grand
piazza of St. Mark, and find entertain
nent there for hours. Shops are there,
ull of wonders,-of the superb Veni-
ian glass. the art of which WA long |
ost but whichaSalviaA, . maa to-l
lay. has re-dtseovered; g the exquis-
te Venetian god works.: of mosaics;
# wonderful old lace; of fascinating
photographs; of all manner of antiq-
titles.
! Then you can WANDER inso tie ola
hurch Of st. MARI, Tie nsoet poetic a.
the churches / have ever seen, ord
ne n dearest to poets and painters.
still on the Ha4sa, Of ST. Mark,
can 60 into the Palace Of the Doges,
nd feast your eyes on marvels of Art,
adornments of the most superb
|.
The great Piazza of St. Mark is the
cart OF the city. the centre Of ~ its
ayeey and bFig&tnsss TAofe tho;
and plays for half the summer nights. :
nd hundreds of gondolas are drawn },
P near at hand, that their occupants =
lay listen to the music. l.
There are the best cafes in the city; .
I'd In front of them, of an evening,
re set out scores of tables, for no one
'inHs OF eating ices under q root.
All venice Is out of doors as soon - G
ie sun has Set. Can you fancy how 8
g Alry-landit is,-the music PLAYING. q
le graceful gondolas rocking in the q
ater. the myriads of gaslights illu- Y
.11tlng the piazza; neat-handed sefv- b
lts bringing you tempting squares Of y
'io5ea ices; cheerful salutations from n
TO gondola; and. around I'll tie q,
lItn ana music, the soft mystery of il
summer night, with its air of balm ID
sRe calm, far-of splendor OF Ill jts q
u