Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-12-17
IN THE CAMPANILE.

cussing its relations with Venice and
the mission OF Shakespeare character,
Portia going from Padua her home
to Venice the home of her lover.
Being only twenty-five miles distant
the writer remarked that there should
be possibility OF tracing the winding
road between and catching glimpse
OF the towers of Fadua from the OBJ
seryatory OF the Campanile or bell.
tower OF Ven ce. which is about 200
feet high.
An alteration in the countenancs of
the writer friend attracted attention.
He was gentleman from England
Just beyond the prime OF life OF ordi-
nary stature. strong build. muscular
texture. kindly countenauce and hair
white as the driven snow. He fell to
musing. but presently spoke. and told
story which is here given as he
told it:
Yes q said he. "Ihave experienced
the emotions of the sublime while
standing in that great observatory.
But once. q number of Yeas ago |
met with an experience up there
which haunts all my recollections OF
the place with o shadow Of an abso-
lutte horror / mad been lettering
about the city for number OF days in
the early summer when there arrived
at nay hotel u gentleman from my
own country. He was in every way
u we'll bred man. almost giant il
stature handsome in his face grace
full IN his movements powerful in his
build. His manners were elegant
his dress faultless and 5 converse.
ton polished. yet flexible. with a
slight swing Of humor.
I'VE strolled out together through
those winding streets where you ha 9
Just been wandering Soon after noon
OF a bright and cloudless day il was sug-
gested that we take view from the
Campanile. A few minutes later we
were ascending the winding footway
which. instead OF a stairway leads to
the top. The lofty heights nearly
500 feet and the scenes which spread
out beneath excited my friend. We
looked out over the roofs of the
famous city. over the dreamy isles
over the cleaning Adriatic. over the
fair stretching plains of Italy. away
to the Alps their tremendous proper
tious barricading the view in that di.
rection and their snowy peaks glisten.
ing in the sunlight and softeuing the
intense blue of the sky.
My friend was greatly agitated.
He expressed his delight in fnc1
phrase which became more aaa NOR.
intense. The vast mountain ranges
affected him. and he dilated on thei
sublImity. His eyes swept rapid.
over the sparkling waters. and ship
with all sails set standing o it clea
and grand, gave him new object o
talk. His voice resonant at first
became thick and harsh. His eye
fell on the lagoon. and instantly h
paused. Then IL was directed to tn
gondoliers plying their craft at tn
entrance OF the grand canal II
quickly resumed his talk and
noticed now that it became more an
more rambling and incoherent. H
gazed down on the Doge'5 palace. an
then swept around with glance owe
the city to the left.
"A flock of pigeons famous 70
their associations with the plaza {
St. Mark. whirred through the al
and swept downward lighting on tn
roofs of the adjacent palaces. NJ
companion had been mixing criticisI
and praise ana interfering the mos
foreign ideas into his rapid talk. whic
grew more and more grotesque. an
caused me to glance furtively at him
His cheeks burned and his eye
glistened. but the whirr and swoop {
the pigeons completely unbalauce
him. and he rushed TO the opposit
corner OF the observatory. crying
There they goI I knew would fin
them. Ha! ha! hat
Had been in a more critical moo
] would sooner have noticed tn
strangeneSs OF his actions and speech
But my suspicious came slowly. W
instantly his wild rush and METAL
cry and laugh forced the convictio
upon me that he was mad.
He stood tremblingly leaning OF
over the railing and looking dowr
hurting out exclamation after j. e.
clamation OF exultation. Then like
fash he recoiIed and parted what b
took TO he blow CHANGING with il
tent gaze into the air now this way
now that way crying out:7 ''Ayaun
/ II not go with thee Get thee ava
from me- Begone; this is not tn
time. All the while he was spring
ing backward and sideward and ware
ing off some unseen object which al
peared to him to be moving in the a
toward him.
i tel! thee ! will not CO.
his twisting movements he had q
opposite me. and when he had d,
l.vered this last cry his gaze. for I'll
first time since his craze came upo
him. rested on me Instantly thel
was a change. The unseen obie,
was forgotten. His eyes riveted Their
selves upon me. And what eyes the
were = bloodshot blazing bulgir
from the brows which were corr
gated in heavy lines. For a bri
moment he fixed his piercing gazc {
ma bia hand slightly IOtvarad a :