The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-05-24

his skill and enthusiasm of what his own
son had been at the same age, some
thirty years before.
Some days passed on and the portrait
still remained in Titian's studio. Giulio
often looked st it but never spoke of it,
and Titan did not err when he thought
that there was a meaning in this silence.
But the grand festival day of Venice
was at hand. This was Ascension Day,
of which the doge performed the annual
ceremony of signiiying the maritime
power Of the signory by casting golden
ring into the waters of the Adriatic.
The custom WAS, at this proud celebra-
tiOn, for Venice to send out her popula>
tion of all degrees, and it was certain
that at such time the fairest daughters
of Venice never were absent.
The short voyage of the doge from the
quay of the ducal palace to the boundary
of Lido and Maltmocca was always per-
formed on this occasion in stately yes
sci called the Bucentaur, a galley said
to be of equal antiquity with these mari
time nuptials- Tlsisv magnificent vessel
always bore freight of some import
ance; for, besides the doge, the council,
the chief officers of state and the admiral
of the port (who acted as pilot, and was
bound by oath TO bring the vessel back
to her hSrborsge in the arsenal), it bore
the ambassadors from the various csun-
tries in alliance with the republic
Sometimes, besides the RoJHiisSiHi and
the state officials it bore citizens of worth,
and at times the doge was glad to see by
his side the great painter, Triziano
Vecelli, whose pencil could confer such
Immortality as earth is proud OF, and
whose works reflected more fame upon
Venice than Venice in all her glory
could bestow upon him.
Giulio, with others of his age, followed
in the procession, for it was scene OF
matchless beauty and magni6cence, well
worthy the attention of painter mind
and eye The Bucentaur wss swept on
in stately manner by the rOwers, and
| Giulio's light gondola came near it,
Z
beneath its gorgeous canopy of crimson
damask, richly embroidered with gold.
! To Giulio's amaze, Titan had by his side
a young lady, and when she turned her
face for moment Giulio ssw to his sur
prise and delight that she was the fair
original of the portrait.
The ceremonials went on, and Andrea
Critic, the doge, welded the sea Can un-
/ stable and tickle mistress, with the accus
/ toned words, % We we'd thee with this,
in token of our true and perpetual
sovereignty" The moment these words
were uttered, and the ring cast into the
sea, il was strewn with flowers and fra
grant herbs, in the ianciful idea that
thus the bride was crowned.
The pageant ended, GiuIio speeded TO
Titian's house. He found the great artist
( before the easel busted, as usual, IN some
work for immortality. They spoke on
various subjects, but Titan made no
mention of the young signora, of whom
Giulio had Just one glance AT last
/ Giulio said he had seen Titan on the
! deck of the Bucentaur but this, though
/ it challenged Titian's allusion to the lady,
drew ne remark from him about her, 40
that, at last Giulio ventured to say that
he thought the sienora much resembled
the portrait which he had admired from
the moment It first met his view.
" Admire it, Signor Giulio Mantoni2
Fall ssleep before it in excess of admirs-
tion Well, well. thou needest not blush
lis my daughter Beatrice, WHOM, thou
shalt meet anon. But signor, if thou
shOuldst admire her, or if thou shouldst
not, it would be we'll for thee to take thy
siesta ere thou meetest her. Women, as
thou knowest, like not cavaliers who are
drowsy. Now, have not told her that.
She saw thee, and asked who thou vert,
aud told her Giulio bu: not that thou
didst gaze thyself to sleep before her
/ portrait. Now, let us within Thou
wilt like my gentle Beatrice She re
minds me OF what her fair and loving
mother wac
And Giulio dld very much like Beat
rice Vecelli, who, in turn, admired the
manly beauty and chivalrous bearing Of
the Spaniard. Admired alas, that is
q word all too weak Woman scarcely
knows medium, IN her intercourse
with our sex, between the coolest indif-
ference and the warmest love. Long
before she knew it Beatrice was deeply
and devotedly attached 10 Ciiulio. Her
father saw this and did net check It be
already loved Giulio Mantoni as q son,
and cheerily anticipated that, in the
natural course of time snd circumstance,
he would become so-with the consent
of Beatrice
Very much did Giulio admire the
loveliness, the grace, the innocence OF
Beatrice veceli, but be did not love her
with more than a brothers love. To do
him justice he was ala unconscious of the
| feelings which his attentive kindness bad
awakened in her gentle heart. He read
to her and talked with her as Il she were
his own dear sister and she made the
too common mistake OF thinking that
these general courtesies, made most kind
through the suavity of his manner, had
a particular application. 50, the signora
was in love
Two months had passed by since the
return of Beatrice to her iather'a house
and during this time the young maiden,
flushed with her growing passion (inno-
cent as it was deep, and buoyed up by
the hopes which her youth and sex might
| well be excused for forming, and drank,
in draughts of delight (tor hope is the
Hebe of mortality and poura from a gold
en- vase , which made her rhappy-hearted
beyond what she had ever been before.
Then it was that her father completed
that picture which has been known as a
chef.d'ouvre in portraiture, which the
pencil of the painter and the BURN OF
the eugraver have multiplied through
the world. And during al this time
which passed OF happily for Giuho also,
he was not in love with Beatrice.
They sat together now, in the month
of July, with delicious breeze sweeping
- sa-t.-.. <,.l s.v,,,s.,-- -.