Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-07

down. Most often. however. we float around
ourselves over the sh lining dark water out to-
ward the public garden, from whence Venice
CLEANS like a crescent OF light. throwing long,
trembling f:inges of light in the water The de-
light of gondOla is that you do not see the NO =
tive power, the gondolier stands behind the
beautiful, graceful bark seems to move OF its
own gracious will and to be bearing you away in
a dream into some lovely vision land, you know
not what. and care not where. One evening,
however, we got different effect. 1t was be-
fore the glow of sunset had faded; the Thin edge
of a new moon ana the pale glory OF Venice were
III the west as we sailed through q little
water way past the hite lovlineSs OF Santa Maria
della Salute ont among the dark moOred bulls of
the Gindecc:. ana the rigging OF many ships
t6rious little canal, and all at once we were
alone-shut off from ship or boat and from all
the gay Zig ITS ~ the city, for we were out IN the
open lagoon. We turned to look back toward
the west and saw the graceful figure OF our gon-
dolier with his long oar outlined black as ink
against the pale pink sky; all around was
STRETCH ILLUMINED SEA;
not sound but the soft splash of that one black
oar. We watched the Goudolier, swinging ana
swaying on the high curving stern. fascinated.
Where was he guiding us. this strange oiacE
shade? What lay beyond the rose flushed sea?
Whittier pointed Venus long, Quivering re-
heciTon?
or Ecourse we promenade around in St.
Marks square when the band plays of an
evening, and enjoy seeing the NeueLisls
latiOn are paupers; but these are lucky paupers
that live in Venicel If the Venetian paupsr has
no house ana out little to eat, he has music and
lights and gaiety. When the full electric light
is turned on in these shops of Venetian glass
around the piazza. and they CLEAN like polished
rainbOws; when the lights blaze from the cafes,
the music plays and the crowd streams round
and round, don't believe there is a paupeE who
would exchange his pauperism in Venice for q
frst-class situation anywhere else.
like the piazza best, however, in the day
time, when St. Mark gows like q jewel at one
end, and the pigeons are promenading ill focks
on the pavement Dear things. they know the
TOURIST IS THEIR BEsT FRIEND!
They come prattling up to your very feet, COCK
ing their heads on one side and looking up in
terrogatively to see il you have a three-cornered
brown paper packet in your hand. II you have
q. the flagstaff, you stoop down and open the
paper; here they come flying, gray, white and
brown wings: to light at yeur feet: on yoIr
pigeons who have taken refuge here whsn let
loose from the churches on PalLI Sunday, but IT
is said too thai Doge Dandolo had them
brought to the church and provided for them, in
accordance with an oath he had made when
carrier dove brought him an important message
were state institution, supported by the pub
lie, but now they are pauper pigeons. dependent
upon charity, and doubt not, the fattest pau
pers in the world. Their nests up amongst
the golden winged angels, and the fIigree
stone work of the church. and 1 expect
that some Of the gilt which belonged on the
worn of on their lively pink toes. The pigeons
seem necessary accompaniment to st. Marks,
and, now think OF il, st. Marx itself seems
like dove, great, proodinE
DOVE OF PEACE.
II has the soft, dove color and the brilliant,
illusi7e coloring Of doves neck. Then again.
1t has seemed to me like pile of clouds. rolled
mp into domes, with sunset colors on them.
St Marx puts all ideas of other architecture and
OF other churches ont of my head. II Is alone,
il is individual. it is unique and perfect idea.
What is more. st. Mark is religious. There is
no doubt it was built as the outco me OF deep,
devotional spirit, for il seems sanctihed through
and through, and it is impossible to enter 1t
without reverence. TO me it expresses all that
is highest and best in the Roman religion; 1t is
q mother church, sumptuousy magnificent,
but with 4 richness that is real, and
not tawdry, such as should adorn a heav-
emily bride The richness, too, does not
consist OF superficial ornamentation, but is in
the very materials of which the edifce is built.
II is not stern and lofty, but brooding and ten
der. "a thing for giants to wonder at, and
fairies copy IL they can,p says Ruskin. One
never tired OF it, for one is continually discov-
ering new effects. Its five domes, indeed the
whole roof. and the portions of the walls above
the galleriSs are lined with glass mosaics on a
gold ground, and this cleaning gold. which
is really gold leaf put into the glass, seems to
gather all the little light there is in the church,
and
THROWS IT BACK AGAIN,
down upon the soft, dark colors ofmarble walls