The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-07-18


gaudily painted mooring posts. but IN
der Beopo's guidance We could get no
farther.
One evening our gondola came along
side with another man in it. Beppo
was i'll and had sent a substitute in his
stead.
1t was a beautiful evening-one of
those evenings typically known as Ven
etian-still, dark, calm, a deep blue sky
above absolutely bright with stars, q
moon shining so clearly that one SEEM
ed able to see far behind il. the still
blackness Of the water alone broken by
the deep reflection of the lights on
shore.
Ordinarily the water would have been
alive with gliding gondola and the air
light with laughter aRd distant music,
but not even the beauty of the night
could tempt those abroad who were
kept in by the presence Of the hated in
vader.
"Down the Grand Canal" we said as
usual. End the man bent to his oar.
past the Doge's palace. with its sentinel
Columns of st. Theodore and ST. Marx;
past the hotels, silent and deserted. al
though it was midsummer; Ipast the
palaces, for the most part utilized as
barracks, and displaying more than
their usual signs of animation. until we
came to what we termed "our palace"
The upper windows were lighted up,
but below was ali darkness save where
the moon shone on the bayonet of the
Austrian sentinel.
We drifted on, stopping here and
there to feast our eyes on the strange,
weird, moonlit scene, and did not turn
he head Of our gondola until nearly
midnight.
AS We approached our palace on the
return journey we were aware of an I'M
usual scene. A crowd Of gondolas were
about the steps, and up the little rio
whi ran by the side Of the building,
filled with men in white uniforms bear
ing lanterns; the entrance was filed
with a noisy, gesticulating crowd;
lights fitted TO and fro in the u per
windows evidently something extra
ordinary had happened.
We directed our gondolier to steer in
and ask the matter. he did so, and
haIling a comrade who was sitting in
his boat smoking a cigar, received fer
an answer:
1.-The pig of colonel has been killed,
thanks 10 the saints"
And so it proved to be, for on the
later, we found the cafes and srca es
filed with white coats. who were eager
ly and angrily discussing the news.
Another extraordinary thing was
that we had Beppo no more as Condo
lier during our visit.
Fifteen years elapsed. / had STUN
bled on my old trayelino companion,
and we resolved to visit our love of
other days. The long span of years
seemed like dream as we found our
selves again in the presence OF the old,
ever new palaces and churches under
the glorious sky we remembered so
well, and once again in gondola. But
Venice had put on another face during
this time. The white coats had disap-
peared; there was life and gayety; but
traces of the occupation were many and
patent in the shape ofswindows stripped
and their embellishments, of palaces let
out 10 glass and curiosity dealers.
Venice was more herself than she had
been under the Austrian dominion,
but she was still Venice dying.
We did not expect to meet with our
old friend, Beppo, after a. lapse of so
many years, but we asked after him all
the same. No one seemed to know
about him.
We made a trip in the old fashion,
down the Grand Canal, and paused OPP
posite our palace. 1t, too, had changed
with the times. There were CAV awnings
over the balconies, delicate curtains in
the windows, the stone wall looked
much brighter and cleaner, the moor
ing posts had been repainted, and at
the steps floated a gondola manned by
men in picturesque livery.
We had been told that a man in Italy
bv no means looks upon his house in
the light of a castle. On the contrary,
he takes as a compliment what we
should regard as unwarrantable lntru
sion, and more especially in the case OF
q foreigner. So we resolved that after
being so long shut out we would try and
see the little palace which had so
charmed US. Accordingly we steered TO
the steps; the men in the gondola rose
and saluted as we pulled up alongside,
and in answer to the inquiry il We
might view the interior of the palace, a
gorgeous official at the entrance an
swered that the Count Morani, the pro-
prietor, was out, but that he himself
would show US over with the greatest
pleasure.
We had scarcely penetrated the hrst
floor when the major dOmo said:
"Ah, here is my lordl"
As he spoke q fine-looking man. with
iron-grey hair and piercing black eyes,
clad in an easy suit of black velvet, en-
tered.
"Beppol" We said simultaneously un-
der our breath.
Nothing could exceed the politeness
and urbanity with which the Count
Morani treated US. Lighting a cigar,
and offering Us each one, he conducted
Us through apartment after apartment,
each furnished AID fitted with the most
exquisitely luxurious taste, along cor
ridors open to fairy-like gardens, out
into pleasant balconies overlooking the
sunlit waters, and finally into his own
snuggery, wherein he bace as rest, and
ordered ices 70 be served up.
We could not help noticing with What
extreme simplicity this little room was
lifted up. but this was not so striking as
was a picture which hung. over Inc
erotesouely carved mantelpiece- IL
represented the Beppo We had knoNn
so many years before, standing IN ms
gondola.
"AhaT" he said that represents me
as was fifteen years ago, when the &c
cursed Austrians were here. va