The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-08-07


scum and swarming with water bugs. OF
course you ''step high" on alighting from
your gondola. The gondoler stands with
one foot on the step and the other in to
steady the gondola, presents his arm, stiff
fened to the last degree, for you to support
yourself by If needed, and presto change!
tnere you are. In some places old men with
hooks hold the gondola steady, and then
curse you If fee is not forthcoming. We
nave become so used to being called ENG
lish beasts" and other choice epithets that
we rather enjoy it. If we gave fees to all
who want them we could easily spend three
or four dollars day that way. Well, this
is not describing Venice. Monday Mrs.
watson and l chartered gondola; such big,
clumsy looking affairs they are. Some are
propelled by one gondolier, who stands in
the bow and pushes with a paddle; others
have two. These are generally private but
same size as others. Our gondolier was
very gaily dressed in white with blue trim
mlngs and of course we chose good look
ing one. The deXterous way which he.
managed that craft was wonderful, never
once collidng with anything or even touch
ing gondolas which passed within five inches
of us. We passed first an old palace where
Desdemona is supposed to have lived, then
after little came to the celebrated Rialto
bridge. or course we got out and walked
over. 1t is stone, arched and lined with
Jewish shops, and in front of an old desert
ed church near by is the old Jewish ex-
change, used in Shylock's time. Oh, how
all this would delight your Sbakesperan
soul. Wished you were with MS to spout
little as we saw these things, and said as
much to Mrs w. Next visited Venetian
glass factory. where was very much inter-
eSted watching them make lovely vases.
urns and large articles. Also saw the
Bridge OF Sighs, very small, covered arch
way between the Doges or Ducal palace and
the prison. About twelve o'clock went to
st. Marks Square or the piazza di San
Marco which is the centre of business and
amusement, and is grand specimen OF
Venetian architecture. 1t is bounded on
the north by the Procuratie Vecchie with
the great clock tower at its eastern end, on
south by Procuratie Nuore, east by the
cathedral S. Marks and Oh the west by
modern structures which unite these into
one great palace. The shops on these Pro-
curatie glitter with all sorts of jewery,
| Venetian glass, ETC., and are very tempting.
| we fed the pigeons, as that is one of the
things to do. 1t was lovely 10 have them
flock all around you, light on your arms and
hands and eat the corn which you buy
there for about two cents package. At
noon the canon doomed and then what q
whirring as they flew up, startled by the
noise, and SO many were they that for a
minute the sun seemed obscured. They
soon come back, however. and continue to
amuse themselves and Others
S. Marks cathedral is very beautiful and
different from the others | have seen. A
great dome rises in the center, then there
are four smaller ones. In front (eXterior)
are elegant mosaics and the interior is deco
rated with splendid marbles, bronze gliding
and mosaics. Some black marble doors are
wonderful, covered with carvings of small
figures. Cannot take time in this to attempt
a description.
The first evening we took gondola ride
for about two hours. 1t was moonlight and
the canals swarming with black gondolas,
each with their head light-looked like some
fairy scene lit by fire flies. AS we glided
along we passed every now and then a bril-
liantly lighted gondola filed with musicians.
Indeed we heard strains of music nearly all
the time, for so many of these Venetians.
make their living by giving concerts IN front
of hotels or any other advantageous place.
Under the Rialto two gondOlas were station
ed. From these issued strains of lovely
music from the Italian operas. The illum-
nations, red, blue and green were very
pretty. We stopped quite while to see
and hear
Went all through the Doges Palace with
a guide and found it very interesting. Saw
the celebrated lions mouth where accusa-
tions were slipped in. Went through the
various chambers, library, dungeons and
the Bridge of Sighs." Here in the palace
i saw the largest oil painting in the world
Tintoretti's Paradise" Also visited lace
factory and saw them making lace. Went
| tn .rln, al,A.l NIAv,
make glass beads and spin glass for some
time. All very enjoyable.
, Another evening we took q steamboat
from the Piazetta and went to the island
Lido, short distance. The Piazzetta is a
. smaller square than st. Marks, just south of
the latter. On the east side is Doges palace
and OH the west, Library and Mint. Right
here facing the south or sea side are two
elegant granite columns. On one is the
statue of st. Theodore and the other has the
| winged lion of ST. Marks, but this was being
repaired so we couldn't see it. You cannot
imagine how beautiful these figures look
from the boat. At Lido we took ride on
r the tram car, then sat on the beach and
, watched the surf and moonlight on the
i water for some time Enjoyed this so much,
and the ride home was beautiful; a brilliant
moon added such romance to the charming
, scene. We saw the four bronze horses, 80
famous in history, and several other things
which L will have to leave to tell you OF
; when return. Altogether, in spite of dirt
and smells, 1 was charmed with Venice. II
is so fascinating and unreal-seems so like
dream. Everything is so quiet in the
water streets. except the strange cries of the
gondoliers on turning corners, that you
really feel that it is all vision which may
pass away at any minute.
=
In spite of its beauty, however. nothinp
, could tempt me to live there, or any other
place this side of the Atlantic. Give me
America-long may she wave-and aren't
! glad I'm free born American?
owosso Shorthand School