The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-05-11

Chambers Journal

LA SRRRNI00I0A.
Chambers Journal
Whilst oil other capitals have
gradually increased. and are increas-
ing every day in every direction.
Venice, surrounded BY it, inIaod 50.
attained. several centuries ago. it,
present size and shape. The Piazza
San Marco. has been since then its
Forum; successive generations have
daily repaired to it in quest Of news.
of sunshine or Of friends, and will
continue to walk under its arcsdes, to
cross it and recrose it 10 every direc-
ton, as long o. the Duomo and the
Procuratie wall it round. ~ long a.
the golden angel on st. Marks tower
shines far above the silent city. It,
glory and its power have disappeared
the queen of the seas is now only .
small provincial town. But, however
fallen from . diplomatic or CON-
mercisl point Of view, Venice has
still and will always have . peculiar
thrilling interest. Every stone has
its own legacy Of romance; every
dark gate is haunted by its familiar
ghost; every Granny, whispers its old
weird story.
The official annals of the Mott
Serene Venetian Republic contain In
Vulnerable instances of secret arrest.
secret trials, followed almost always
by still more secret executions; but
besides these, many . terrible drama
has taken place within the stone walls
Of the state prisons. Conveniently
situated under the Ducal Palace, and
with their floors slightly under high
water mark, these ''wells-as they
we're called on occount of dampuess-
very seldom gave up . victim except
Is a corpse. Silent and dark a. toe
grave, they were . st instrument fol
stern and mysterious tribunal. The
severity of the Council of Ten. the
,wiftuess with which it reached both
high and low. the secrecy Of it
| noctural sittings. and Of its sentences,
created a universal feeling OF awe
and has not yet completely disap
peared.
Among the poorer classes there are
many Who still believe in the existencs
| Of the secret council. and who except
it to reaopear some day; they abstain
therefore from any direct allusion 4
it, mentioning it. only when absolutely
necessary. but the vague term Of Ia
Serenissima. We may smile At Thu
childish fear; but it proves very
clearly the terror it must have in
.pired. The following legend that
vas whispered to me about q week
ago BY an old gondolier. will show BY
what means this result Was obtained
Though conuot vouch for the &C
curacy of every detail, there is M
doubt in my mind rs to its genera
truth, because the grandfather of my
informant lived at the time it occur
red, and would not have dared to re
peat any tale against the Seren;ssim.
unless he was sure of it. With thil
| proviso, I will now relate the legend
a. l heard it whilst | was quietly
lettering in Venstisn gondols.
It was toward the end of 1850
when one night an English king
messenger reached Mestre, wanting t.
! cross over to Venice. Sir John
Hower-such vas his name-wai
young. brave and very highly con
nected. and - such, perhaps be had
been chosen by the ministry to convey
some triaing message to King Georgt
Ills representative in the town
After . delay that would seem
enormous to our modern exprees-traiu
travellers, Q gondols was manned, hi
luggage loaded in it. and 1t last il
began to glide toward the city. He
reached Venice just before dawn /; and
after hurried breakfast, Sir John
delivered his packet and began ex'
ploring the lanes and alleys Of THU
iucomprehensible town. Being toler'
abIy proficient in the language. be
soon found his way to the Piazza Sau
Marco. and was duly astonished BY
its peculiar aspect. Then. - now,
the Piazza was the heart ct city: law
and edicts we're promulgated in it
sentences were pronounced from thu
balcony of the Ducal Palace: while
beggars. singers and others Of similar
caste, gave It . strange animation.
| Thoroughly enjoying the freedom
of walking after bis long journey BY
coach and gondola, Sir John indulget
his rambling proPeneitiee to the full
extent. Whilst be was doing % Z
crowd collected 10 front Of the Duca
Palace. Naturally curious, and hav
ing nothing else to do, be FASTENED 4
the spot and elbowsd his way to tn,
center. BY the red pillar Of tn
balcony 40 usher Was reading out TIL
sentence of some unknown felon, viii
all the pompous circumlocut,oos q
much IN favor in those days. Th.
wretched prisoner, just brought out d
come dark cell. seemed scarcely e
realize the scene. - his eyes, unuset
now to the light Of the sun. gaset
vacantly on the excited mob that sur
rounded the low sca6old on which hs
Was standing. The sentence having
been read. the prisoner was taken
away to the jail where be Vas to un
dergo the term Of Imprisonment Il
which be had just been condemned
and the crowd. the night being over
gradually dispsreed.
This incident vas Ia itself sery
.rifling. and Sir John would prohabl!
have forgotten it within . week had
il not been for its strange con
sequences. Whist pushing and elbow