The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1879-11-29
AN ADRIATIC QUEEN.
Charles Warren Stoddsrd Visits Q Fair
Venetian cinations Of Countess.
A Meeting of Gondolas at Sunset-A De-
Iightful DEMONSTRATED In Spite
of Herself, Etc.
[Chicago Tribune.


said: at is astonishing that you have not
met her beforer' He said it with an air of
reproof that thrilled me with joy. If there
is one thing that 1 enjoy more than another,
it is bitter reproof.-I would go out of my
way to secure one, just for a relish-so l
smiled amiably and lay back among the
cushions, while we drifted farther and farther
away from the enchantress who had hidden
us to dinner on the day following. My chum
and had dined early, and we were taking
the air on the lagoon, as was our custom
Venice is never loveler than ut sunset in mild
weather. We were floating idly enough,
for Giovanni was in love with the cobbler's
daughter, bead stringer who lived in our
cale, and he dreamed over the oar and
looked like gondolicr in picture-highly
ornamental, but oflttle use. A gondola APP.
preached us noiselessly; it might have been
one picked out of 10000, but we would
never have known the difference, for they
are all alike. Yet we instinctively gravitated
toward the black, funereal barge, and could
not pass it without coming within reach of
its low gunwale The rain-proof felse had
with Algerine stripes and heavy fringes
that fluttered in the soft breeze. Under
the canopy sat, or rather reclined lady in
her prime, whose contour and pose were sug-
gestive of the luxurious East. She was
beautiful, seEsuous, seductive; her face was
scarcely concealed under white veil thckly
starred with gold; her eyes were pansy pur-
pie; her lips vermilion; her hair fell in
masses about her forehead, and was gathered
in a loose knot at the top of her head, where
it was secured with
A GOLDEN ARROW
tipped with jewels. The hair was of that
rose blood tinge which takes fire in the sun
shine and appears as if it were gilt-edged.
There were hoops of gold in her ears. She
was of that type that may even carry the
nose-ring with impunity. AS for the rest,
a graceful disposition of the ample limbs was
evident, in spite of the drapery, which was,
perhaps like the jewels of the lady, over
rich She recognized my chum, who was
for some time a resident of Venice before
my arrival She opened her eyes like
spaniel aroused from s.eep, very wide,
with kind of mild curiosity
that threatens to fall asleep on
the instant. Her eyes were full of tender
light, that just suited the time and place.
We might have called her Venice, but we
didn't. Chum asked leave to present me,
and was forthwith made known to Countess
Blank Blank, queen OF the Adrlatic. In 10
minutes we were like old friends. have met
others who came close to me almost as abrupt
lv, but in 20 minutes more we were enemies
for life Look out tor false colors when you are
cruising in strange seasl In 10 minutes she
had sent the blood whizzing all over us and
I, To i'm wit no on no
morrow. Of course we went! 1t didn't mat
ter to US that the gossips in the American
colony were dumb in the presence of this
lady, blind to whatever physical advantages
she was possessed of, and were secretly seek
ing to undermine her reputation. A man is
supposed to be able to defend HIMSELF l sup
pose this is why he is allowed the privilege
of consorting with those whose names are
nameless even in the best circles. We dined
The darkest hour is always just before the
dawn of dinner, but this hour was to us the
most charming. Her palazzo was one of
THE OLDEST IN VENICE.
Our gondolier slid under low bridge which
was the land entrance to the court, and
threaded the moat-for so the canal seemed
as it flowed by the wall on three sides of the
| edifice-and away into slip in the edge of
| garden, which was wild wilderness of
roses and very Babel of chirping birds.
! Not even the low tides of the Sea City could
prevail against the delicious fragrance of
that rose garden. From the garden to the
court, from the court up to the broad stair
way, once trodden by the proud feet of a
doge, from chamber to hall from gallery to
boudoir, and there, at last, was the lady in
dinner costume such as might have been
| worn by Aspasia. The boudoir was a cabinet
of rare Venetian glass. We adjourned to the
MUSHROOM, where we could turn round with
out running any risk whatever. The music
room was spacious and furnished
sparsely, as is too often the case in Italy
| though this defect is pardonable in
a MUSHROOM. A grand piano stood in
the center of the floor; harp was in deep
window overhanging the garden; divan
stretched from pedestal to pedestal under the
fixed gaze of two marble nymphs; busts and
medallions were upon the walls. The floor,
like the floors of most Venetian houses, was
of concrete, a polished surface resembling
notified marble But for profuson of Per-
sian rugs these floors would be intolerable in
the frigid winters of Northern Italy. With
spirit which l had not looked for in our
hostess; she charmed us until dinner was an
nounced. Did we like music? She played
both the piano and the harp sklllfully. She
| sang bouffe with all the abandon of the Opera
Comique Sentiment? Her own songs lay
close at hand-fragments of Swinburne SET
| to melodies as
FULL OF COLOR
as are his rhymes Poetry? Weturned the
leaves of a small volume containing the effu
sions of this delightful lady. Thepoems were
happily Swinburnean, bound in blue anC
gold. Art? She led my chum into ecstacie'
Of art. A portfolio Of her sketches were pro
duced-bold studies from nature, betraying
startling knowledge Of anatomy. A count
ess who is not above being squeamish is un
worthy the title; and how well she spoke o
the inestimable advantages of the life-clas
at the Belle Arti, where with infinite pains anC
indonitable courage, she had gained admit
lance. Her sculptures adorned thepalace. He
studio was an evidence of her industry. A
mountain of clay in desert of plaster o
Paris, around and over which was strewr
the wreck of the human frame. Her studio
were original For an Ophelia she had sough
the asylum, where there are scores OF them
and, singing to one of those mad virgins, sh
held her spellbound, while with def finger
the sculptures fashioned craven image GU
5 of clay. For dying child, tiny skeleton
] sunken in hollow bed, she hung owe
1 the original in one of the hospital wards
Chatting upon every topic that presented it
self, she turned from one language to an
other in search of the exact shade of tn
meaning she wished to convey; but ner pre-
= ference was Italian rs whose is not who ha
g once mastered that romantic tongue? w
o drew up to the cosy table. Dinner for fou
A sedate gentleman on the down slope