New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-18
LA SERENIssIMA.

every direction, venice, suIKouhoou w AZ"
inland sea, attained several centuries ago Its
nresent size and shape. The Piazza San Marco
has been since then its Forum; successive gen
erotions have daily repaired to 1T In quest OF
news, Of sunshine or of friends; and will con-
Time to walk under its arcades, to cross 1t ana
yecross it in every direction, as long as the
DnomO and the Procuratie wall it round, as long
ou tho golden angel on st. Marks Tower shines
Sar above the silent city. Its glory and its
newer have disappeared the Queen of the
Seas ia now only small provincial town. But
however fallen from diplomatic or CONNER
cial mint of view, Venice has still aud will al
ways have peculiar thrilling interest. Every
Stone has its own legacy OF romance every
dark gate is haunted by Its LaIllIilar gnosS
every recess, every granny Whispers lts Oiu
The official annals of the Most Serene Vene..
tian Republic contain innumerable instances or
secret arrests, secret trlas, 1olioWeu Almost al
WAYS by still more secret executions but pc
sides these many q terrible drama has taken
Mace within the stone walls OF the state prisons
Conveniently situated under the DuGal Falace,
and with their floors slightly under niGh WAFER
mark. these "wells'-as they were, called on ac-
count of their dampneSS-yeTy seldom gave mp
q victim except as a corpse. Silent and dark as
the grave, they were fit instrument for stern
and mysterious tribunal The severity OF the
Council OIL len, lut bNllNbSoO WIN
reached both high and low, the secrecy OF ITS
nocturnal sittings and of its sentences, tcreated
a universal feeling OF awe, that has not YET
completely disappeared.
Amongst the poorer classes there are many
who still believe in the existence OF the Secret
Council, and who expect it to reappear some
day: they abstain therefore from any direct
aIlnsion to it, mentioning 1t, only when absO-
iutely necessary, by the vague term OF La Sere-
pissima We may smile at TINS cliSn 1 baT6
inspired The following legend, tlat was
whispered to me short time ago by an old
gondOler will show by what means this result
was obtained. Though l cannot vouch f0r the
accnraey of every detail, there is no doubt III
my mind as to Its general truth, because inc
Grandfather of my informant lived at the time
Il occurred, and would not have dared to repeat
any tale against the Scrtnlssima unless ne WIS
snre of II, With this prOvIsO, will now relate
the legend as heard IL whilst was quietly loll-
ing IN a Venetian gondola. -7eo --Lo-, o,o
Il was toward the end of 1850, when one
night an English kings messenger reached
Mestre wanting TO cross over to Venice Slr
john Hawser--such was his name-was young,
brave and very highly connected, ana as such,
perhaps, he had been chosen by the Ministry to
convey some tTiflng message to King George
Ills representative in that town. Alter de-
lay that would seem enormous to our modern
express-train travellers, gondola was manned,
his luggage loaded in 1t, and at last " began 10
glide toward the city. He reached Venice just
before dawn and after h9rfie9 tol5eL anu
still more hurried breakfast Sir John delivered
his packet, and began exploring the lanes ana
alleys of this incomprehensible town. Being
toIeiably proficient in the language, lie soon
found his way to the Piazza San Marco, and
was duIy astonished by it's peculiar aspect
Then, as now, the Piazza was the heart, of the
city /; laws and edicts were promulgated IN IL
sentences were pronounced from the Dacony OF
the Ducal Palace whilst beggars, singers and
Others of similar caste gave 1T o strange AMI
Thoroughly enjoying the freedom of walking
after his long Journey by coach and gondCla, Sn
John indulged his rambling pTopensitleS TO the
full extent. Whilst ne was dong 80 u crowd
collected In front of the Ducal Palace, Nat1r-
ally curious, and having nothing else to DO ne
hastened to the spot, and elbowed his way to
the centre BY the red pillar OF the Balcony al
usher was reading Oft the 3l SomS
tiOns 80 much in favor IN those days: lhe
wretched prisoner, just brought out or some
dark cell, seemed scarcely to realize the scene
as his eyes, unused now 70 me lignt OF .ne sun
1 ed the low scafRold on which he was standing
, The sentence having been read, the prisoner
was taken away to the Jail where he was TO un-
dergo the, term of imprisonment to which nc nc
sight being over, gradually dispersed.
This incident was in itself very uifing, anG
Sir John would probably have forgotten il
within week had it not been for Its strange
his way in the crowd it seems that some Clever
pick.pocket hal robbed him of his lace hand
kercLief. 1t is certainly very unpleasant 10 %
robbed even Of a valueiess article put III tnl
ease the thief had obtained valuable p1lzee
and hesides there was for Sir John Hawser TIL
additional sting OF having been robbed by al
italian. He would have been less angry II !
had happened in London, the plckIpOcket
there were 80 clever that there was no shame II
being their victim but to have oecn PLunae1be'
by ciumay Venetian was too much Tor M
eauanimity, and he burst out III torrent o
Speaking mostly in Italian, but mixing fey
English anathemas in his speech, lie relatc
his loss to few by-standeFs, anu was auvlse
by them To complain to the police, or rather e,, I
those Oficinls who under the Serenissma 1uinlle
the present duties Of the police. Though Tlthou
great faith in this plan, he followed u, ana gay
notice to the authorities. he was assured o
very steely official that he need nave no ie em
restored 20 him. Forced to be content WI
this vague. consolation, he went homo to ID
For three or four days afterward he cor
inuea visiting The principal monanlents s,st ~
Information about bis lqce handkerchief.
have enid that Sir John was young and brave
o. q consequence, lie WAS impetuous and merry
whilst being born and bred IN O e-thnkini
nsespeasng country. r ne ~ VIZ ia mind Witho
reflection and without fear. y 10 not suTpIlshl
therefore that one night, under the nrcanes
the Procuratie, while relating his loss 20 re-
Brenda he should have said what he tnouRnt
the Wanted secret police OF Venice. 1ne
weRe. he said, o lot Of stupid fools very pogIl
poas and yesy stately, trying to hide their Y
poi&nce ahd incapa0ity under very al n-sou "
ING phrases but the mieanest London desectAy
was worth the whole lot of them: As 70 e
Secret COunGil, he did not believe u e4as'eu