Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-20
NO. 1876.
Miseellaneons.
DEPARTURE OF CATARINA CORylRO
FROM VENICE.

The Doge ordered her portrait to be
painted and sent to the King of Cyprus.
Catarina was proclaimed by decree of the
senate daughter of the Venetian Repub-
lie" Her marriage portion was fixed at
one hundred thousand ducats, and the pro-
lection OF the state was assured to the is
land OF Cyprus. Catarina was married by
proxy, and the Doge himself gave her
away. Then he led her by the hand down
the tapestried stairs to where gorgeous
fairy bark was waiting to receive her
the Bncentdur itself--a mass of gold, daz-
zling in the sunlight, with white statues of
saints standing against the brightness,
and lions heads and escutcheons and
Doges' caps and emblems of the Republic
covering it, aud silken silver-fringed
streamers OF pale blue and scarlet trailing
behind it in the luminous green water,
and trains OF velvet sweeping along the
sides, purple and crimson. From between
the decks extended long scarlet blades
that cut the water noiselessly at the COM
mand of 1.-the figures in dresses of blue
and silver. On the upper deck was a
throne for the old Doge, with velvet hang
ings sweeping behind it, and at his right
hand on her gided chair, sat young Cata-
rina in her white bridal dress sown with
great pearls. How proud the city was OF
her. The wide-mouthed monsters smiled
down upon her in blessing as she moved
along the canal among the stuffs OF Grim.
son and gold that tiuttered from the arched
windows against their background of ten
der gray.
multitude OF enchantt d barks escorted
her down the canal and across the lagoon
long, slender, graceful craft, like deli
cate hued birds gliding down the slow
rivers of some tropical cline, or the barge
OF the Cydnus, or the souls of antique GAL
leys, with their stately curved prows, steel
and silver and gold, flashing erect and
proud as the beaks OF the ships of heroic
liable. Some were all gliding, with sump-
tnous velvet trains sweeping from prov TO
stern, with proud patrician danes seated
in them, and manned by gondoliers in
dresses OF satin, brilliant in the clear day,
and with plumes in their hats that waved
with every lall of the oar as the scuptur-
esque figures swaved back and forth in
unison Others were of transparent glass,
shaped in lilies and daisies and hearts
ease. with children dressed like FAIRIES
asleep among the petals, and rowers
grouped together like the stamens of the
blossom. Great crystal birds tioated at
ease on the surface OF the voter, and dol
phins, changing from pink to purple in
the sunlight, or grifiins with open beaks
and cruel claws, glided on with the re-
treating tide to the mouth of the canal.
From every bark ascended songs in praise
OF the new-made queen.
The brilliant pageant skirted the Lido,
and emerged through the channel between
the iortresses upon the tossing sea. There
the gaileys were waiting to bear the queen
away. The Doge gave her his blessing.
her parents took leave of her, and she
went on board, followed by the train of
friends and servants who were to form her
household in her barbaric home on the
Greek island. How desolate the poor
child must have been as she watched the
lace-work spires and cleaning domes of
81. Marks vanish one by one. the stunted
Lombard turrets settle down into the ad-
jacent roofs, the golden angel OF the Cam
panile fold his wings beneath the rising
sea, the red steeple of San Giorgio melt
with the night-iall into the red clouds
above.-CHARLOTTE ADMAs, in Harper's
Magazine for September.