The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-04-28

II is not possible for every one to visit
Venice and see the gondola In its native
waters, nor is II desirable. AT the Cir-
.innati Centennial Exposition, one of the
attractions of Machinery Hall, through
which runs q stream of water. can be
found this craft Just as 1t left it's home in
Venice. The following description Of
the boat is In Mark Twain's best vein;
"The Venetian gondoa Is as free and
graceful in its movement rs a serpent. 1t
Is twenty or thirty feet long and is mar
row and deep, like canoe: its sharp bow
and stern sweeps upward from the water
like the horns of crescent, with the
abruptness of the curve slightly modified.
The bow is ornamented with steel
comb with u battlcax attachment, which
threatens to cut passing boats IN two oc-
casonally, but never does. The gondoln
is painted black because in the zenith of
Venetian magnificence the gondolas be-
came too gorgeous altogether, and the
senate decreed that all such display must
cease, and solemn, unembelished black
be substituted. If the truth were known,
1t would doubtless appear a,at rich plebi-
ans grew too prominent in their affecta-
tion of patrician show on the grand
canal and required wholesome snub-
bing. Reverence for the hallowed past
and it's traditions keeps the dismal fashion
in force now, but the compulsion exists
no longer. So let it remain. 1t is the
color of mourning. Venice mourns. The
stern of the boat is decked over and the
nnnIn1iar or lc tbnrn Hn n ain u1c
oar-a long blade, of course, for he
stands nearly erect A wooden peg, a
foot and half high, with two slight
crooks or curves in one side of it and one
In the other, projects above the starboard
gunwale. Against that peg the gondolier
takes purchase with his oar changing
it at intervals to the other side of the peg
or dropping it into another of the crooks,
as the steering of the craft may demand.
and how in the world he can back and
fill, shoal straight ahead, or tiirt suddenly
around corner and make the oar stay
in those insignificant notches is problem
to me and never diminishing matter of
interest. He cuts corner so closely now
and then, or misses another gondola by
such an imperccptible hairbreadth that
feel myself 'scrOoching, as the children
say, just as one does when buggy wheel
grazes his elbow. But he makes all his
calculations with the incest precision, and
goes darting in and out among confu-
sion OF busy craft with the easy conf
dence of an educated hackman. He
never makes a mistake.
Sometimes we go flying down the
great canals at such gait that we can
get only the merest glinlpses into front
doors, and again, ip obscure alleys in the
suburbs, we put on a solemnity suited TO
the silence, the mildcw, the stagnant
wu.-.", .-"" the clinging weeds, the deserted
houses and the rnnerai ufelessness Of the
place and move to the spirit Of grave
meditation.
1.-THE gondolier is a picturesque rascal
for all he wears no satin harness, no
plumed bonnet, no silken tights. His
attitude is stately; he is 1.-the and supple;
all his movements are full of grace.
When his long canoe and his fine figure,
towering from his high perch on the
stern, are cut against the evening sky,
they make a picture that is very novel
and striking to foreign eye.
"But it seems Gucer-ever so queer
to see boat doing duty as private car
riage. We see business men come to the
front door, step into gondola instead of
a street car, and go off down town to the
counting room. We see the ladies go out
shopping in the most natural way, and
fit from street to street and from store
to store just in the good old fashion, and
they always have their purchases sent
home in the good old wav.'
CINCINNATI CENTENNIAL NOTES.
Floor space, ten cents per square foot
Our educators are hustling for great
exhibit. 'se ;.
Entry fees S.. If you enter for pre-.
miums, too, $5 more.
1t has been proposed to have National
Guard day at the Centennial.
Ben. Butterworth will be the orator at
the opening of the Centennial, July 4.
The Centennial ia the greatest and most
thoroughly advertised Exposition ever
known.
The Centennial privileges will be worth
looking after. They will be gobbled up
mighty quick.
There are five thousand more names
on file of people asking for copy of the
Centennial March than there We're copies
printed.
There have been eighty thousand OF
those beautiful, illuminated Centen-
,l hn,, ,,,;-,t s, ot n
Cincinnatian who has not cast an admir-
ing eye upon that superb bit of handi-
work as he passed by some show window.
Inc "klndergarten" will be the place
where fond mothers will linger lovingly.
The plats in Horticultural Hall will be
laid out in the fiat, or English garden
style.
Horticultural Hall will be one of the
most brilliant and attractive departments
OF the Centennial.
The cascade will be sumner this
time. Something new. Allison's own
idea. Keep it dark.
Wall space, when adjacent to your
floor space, ten cents per square foot
Otaer wall space fifteen cents per square
foot.
Payment to the extent of 25 per cent.
OF the amount payable must accompany
the application, and the balance for
warded on receipt of notice of allotment.
Remember, the buildings of the big
show are right in the heart Of the city.
No expense for hack hire, or even street
cars, will be entailed by visit from
your stopping Iosce.