The Republican journal., 1884-01-03

! from every direction to receive their ac-
customed food These doves are the sub
iect of many legends one is, that having
| been let loose from church at relig-
ious festival, and having fled for shelter
and found a home for themselves under
THE ROOF OF ST. Marks,
the senate decreed that the state should
provide for them in the future. Another
and more probable legend is, that when
| Admiral Dandola was besieging Gambia,
| he received important news by means Of
pigeons dispatched from Venice, and
when victory crowned his labors, these
same birds bore back the news to Venice,
and they and their descendants have
since been cherished by a grateful peo-
pie. Whatever may have been the cause
that originated this beautiful custom, it
is safe to say that the doves of Venice
receive better treatment, and attract a
greater degree of interest than in any
other city in the world. During the half
hour occupied in feeding them the great
square of st. Mark is literally alive with
these pigeons, and crowd every available
space while picking up the grain spread
before them by men employed for that
turbed from their repast they will often rise
and settle on the head and shoulders oft the
people who are standing around watch
ing their movements, On the whole it is
most interesting sight, and after wit
Messing it,
ONE IS INCLINED 10 REGRET
that ali birds do not have their lots cast
in such pleasant spots as the doves in
the ea-encrcled city of Venice. 1t is
not, believe, generally understood that
Venice has her streets the same as other
cities, yet such, nevertheless, is the fact.
With the aid of guide or even a map,
if care is exercised, one can easily 90
from one end of the city to the other
with as little trouble as In most other
places of the same size. These streets
are very narrow-a about the width Of an
ordinary village sidewalk, and are placed
on the back side Of the buildings, facing
the smaller canals. AS there are no
horses or carriages Of any description in
Venice, these little streets answer every
purpose of travel as we'll as more pre-
tentous thoroughiares. They are very
neat and tidy. and are always crowded
with a busy throng Fastening to and fro,
and bent either on business or pleasure.
st. Marks square seems to be the object
i've point towards Nhich every one moves,
ana all the streets, canals and avenues
leading IN this direction are so crowded
that it is only with great difficulty you
can thread your way along. The people
ALL SEEM COURTEOUS
and disposed to treat YOU with respect;
but perhaps this is the natural result Of
the climate, for there is not enough ener-
~ among them to give vicious tendency.
They all seem to live a sensuous, i'm
pulsive life, caring only for the present
and taking no thought Of the morrow.
They are very fond of music, and every
evening the piazza and the grand canal
are filled with the strains Of regular
bands, as we'll as the gentler notes of
hundreds OF strolling mnstrels. Every
one seems intent on seeking pleasure,
and if we should judge by their smiling
faces and outward appearance, we should
conclude that trouble is an unknown
feeling among them. They seem to
realize that there is but one Venice on
earth, and that they have but one life to
live, and from that life they intend to
extract all the comfort possible. There
are fewer beggars among them than in
any other city in Italy have yet visited
and this seems the more remarkable
from the fact that they have so few
sources OF regular income No one seems
to work, and yet no one appears to suffer;
and next to
THE INTEREST A STRANGER HAS
in seeing the city itself is to see the un-
qualified pleasure with which the people
seem to enjoy life and their intercourse
with each other. one ofthe most mark
ed characteristics of the Nenetians. and
one winch IS first to attract the attention
of foreigner, is the entire freedom of
manners which exist between the sexes
| have pondered over this subject long
and well, and am still unable to account
for the mystery. Possibly the contin-
u0us crowded condition of the streets has
much to do with producing this familiar
ity and apparent absence Of decorum.
Select the finest looking and best dressed
lady that you may see on the streets,
walk up to her and put your arms around
her neck and she will take no otfense at
the uninvited liberty. Should you carry
the familiarity still further and implant
kiss on her sweet lips, she will be per
tectly delighted with the osculatory per-
tOrmance. She may be married wO-
man, moving in the highest walks Of
society, but the fact makes not the
slightest difference in her appreciation
YOUR DELICATE ATTENTIONS.
II You wish to accompany the lady home,
her permission will be graciously given.
You will be invited into Il marble palace,
perhaps, wine set before you, and treated
with every clVility. On these interesting
occasions the husband of your fair en-
chanter Will studlOusly avoid entering
tie f@@m unless invited to do so by the
partner OF his joys, who may wish to
give You al Introduction. Not only is it
the universal custom among the ladies
OF Venice to receive these attentions
from any well-dressed man who suits
their fancy, but they will even press
themselves upon the attention Of strang-
elS. While this may seem very mladv-
like to many OF my readers, they must
not jump at the conclusion that these
women belong to the demi-monde, or
lower classes OF society. On the contrary,
they are, for the most part, of the high
est respectabilty from an Italian stand
point, and their freedom of manner
comes, no doubt, from a usage that in
Venice has had the sanction of centur-
les. This popularity Of the Venetian
ladies
HAS IT'S LUDICROUS FEATURES,
especially to strangers not accustomed
to such freedom of living. While walk
ing in st. Marks square one day, | sud
denly felt some soft substance twine
Itself around my neck. a moment
later and found myself in full possession
of two Italian beauties. Being Of a very
tmid and bashtul disposition at once
attempted to reason with them against
such summary proceeding. | told
them | was an orphan, and in a strange
land that had never been suspected of
having a weakness for the fair sex; in
fact, that no breath of suspicion in that
direction had ever attached itself to my
fair fame. Probably my Italian was not
sufficiently pure for them to get my exact
meaning, for they Immediately seized me
by the ears and began spinning me
around like top, when suddenly came
to the conclusion that compromise of
some kind was necessary. then assur-
1 I