Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-10-02
THE QUEEN OF THE SEA-"


THE city of Venice. often called
"the Queen of the Sea-" is one of the
most beautiful cities in Italy, and is
bull on number of small islands in
tie Adriatic Sea.
In the fourteenth and fifteenth CEN
turtles Venice was at the height of it's
power and splendor. Its Chief Magis-
trate was called ,Doge, and, though
the Government was Republican, there
was very much more splendor and pomp
than in our day.
The palace of the Doge still stands as
one of the monuments of that time,
very interesting to travellers. and the
famous Bridge of Sighs." spanning
the canal, joins the palace with the
prisons. Haa Htit
Some of you may have read Byron's
lines: H 3
81 stood i'm Venice. on the Bridge of Signs,
A palace and prison on each hand.
Persons accused of crimes against the
State were tried in the palace before
the Doge, and after they were sem
fenced. the criminals were taken across
the Bridge of Signs to the dungeons.
where they remained until their execu-
ton. So this bridge was indeed well
named.
The Church of San Marco. or St.
Mark. was built at a very early date, and
was improved and enlarged at inter-
walls during several centuries. Its gi-
gantic clock has been the wonder of
many ages. and its beautiful steeple or
"campanile," as the Italians call it, can
be seen for miles against the clear sky,
with an angels figure poised on its
summit. The church and the buildings
connected with it occupy whole
square.
On the roofs of these lives colony
of doves or pigeons, who build their
nests and rear their young undisturbed.
Pigeons have for centuries been pro-
tected by the keepers of the church.
1t was an ancient custom, dating rs
far back as A. ID. S77, for the sacris-
tans or sections, after the service on
Palm Sunday. to let loose number of
pigeons, fettered with strips of paper.
The people were allowed to catch as
many of these birds as they could. and
fatten them to eat on Easter Sunday.
As many pigeons as escaped and took
refuge on the roof of the church were
protected, as belonging to the sacred
edifice, and were fed at the expense of
the Republic. During all the wars and
troubles. and until the downfall Of this
Government in May. A. ID. 1877, these
little birds were cared for, and lived
their happy lives, unconscious OF con-
fusion around them. They were very
tame, and would feed from the hands
of those accustomed to throw them
their daily portion of grain. After the
Republic was done away with, and the
palace of the .Doges was unOccupied.
apious lady left bequest to continue
the supply to the pigeons. This lady
was of the CornarO family. once high
in esteem in Venice. As there were a
number of sacristans of San Marco.
the feeding of the pigeons was intrust-
ed to some members of their families,
their wives or daughters. ~
One of the most interesting features
Of Venetian life were the festivals
which occurred every year, and served
to keep in remembrance certain events
in the history of the city. Among these
was one kept annually for centuries
called LA Festa della Marie" and this
is the incident it commentaries: In
very old times, it was the custom in
Venice to have all the marriages among
the mobiles and chief citizens celebrated
on the same day, and il the same
church in the eastern part of the city,
on little island called Olivolo, where
the Bishop lived. On the day Of the