The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-06-30
A GAY ooNDoLlER.
one of the Worlds Fair Bostmen Takes .
Quiet swim.

One of the Worlds Fair Boatmen Takes .
Quiet swim.
Divinely picturesque and eminently
attuncd TO their artistic environme mt,
perfccting the beauty of the cameo set
ting Of tho magnificent palaces lining
the shimmering lagoons, the gondoliers
are feature eminent among the novel
alluring spectacles at the great expo
sition.
Chicago's erratic knight of the bar
ometcr and the festive forecast having
graciously meted out an acceptable ar
ticle of weather from his treasure house
during the last few days. the gay gen.
tlemen from Venice have been given an
opportunity to shine resplcndcnt in all
their fnery of raimcnt and bask in the
smiles of fair maidens reclining on
the cushions of the gondolas. who see
in each handsome wielder of the long
oars possible duke or count
The weather being as near an ap
proach to the Venetian article as the
gondoliers have yet experienced, they
were in particularly bright and hap.
py mood. Before the crowd arrived to
distract their minds with the seductive
jingling of hard and shining coins they
rcclined in the sunshine near the piers
where their fairy-like craft are moored,
rolled cigarettes, listened dreamily to
the music floating over the lagoon from
the bandstands and discussed the com
parativc merits of gondoling and run.
ming peanut stands.
From all that could be gathered from
scraps of the conversation, the scnti.
mcnt was unanimous in favor OF the
former
Standing on one Of the bridges and
watching the boats glide SO smoothly
along, with the parti-colored hangings
trailing in the clear waters and the gay
gondoliers softly singing in time to the
rhythmic sweep of the oars one would
think that the romantic-looking oars
man lived in a Venetian palace with
its thresholds touching the water and
its latticed easements half-concealing
divers and various dark-eyed Italian
beauties, TO whom. in accordance with
the tradition and romance, the Condo
liers, when off watch. would offer their
hearts and hands in rounded verse to
the accompaniment of lutte, a guitar or
at least harmonica.
But they don't.
Down on the west bank of the south
pond stands "a lowly frame cottage,
rough and unpainted. The most ro-
mantle observer would never for mo-
ment connect it with the trailing oars
or softly splashing water 1t is more
redolcnt of the soil. more suggestive OF
the festive lumber shower or the equal
ly transformations sewer-digger And
here the gondoliers live, move and have
their being.
Shortly after the gilt head of Diana
had begun TO glisten in the sunlight
this morning a gondolier stepped out OF
the cottage and walked to the edge of
the lagoon. lie wore not the gay livery
which illumcs the gondolas later on.
merely an undress uniform and pen
sive air of melancholy. As he gazed at
the water il was evident that he was
filled with wild longing to undresseven
more yet and try plunge in the
lagoon. At length his determination
became fixed, he hastily disrobed ard
moment later took a flying leap into
the water, instantly and irrevocably
fracturing regulation no 14s67" for
the guidance Of visitors and employees
Any one wishing to use water in any
form on the fair grounds must use that
furnished by concessionairc from
Wisconsin or incur the dire penalty OF
walking behind Columbian guard for
some distance and possible incarcera.
ton in the cold-storage building or the
Chinese theater.
Hardly had the splash made by the
audacious gondolIer died away when
there was run on the bank and a
guard was on hand.
Come out of that. now, yez murther.
in dago. or Ill run yez in" was his
salutation.
The gondolicr grinncd and quietly
replied: Isl. Calcimine Re Illustra
elochio este boulcvarda," or words to
that effect.
Then the gondolicr calmly pursued
his sinuous course down the lagoon ig.
noring the guard. who almost dcvel.
oped Mysteries on shore. A few moments
later on an alarm whistle sounded near
by. the guard rushed to respond aNd
the gay gondolier quietly swan to the
bank. gathered up his clothes and stole
into the little cottage with smile
which spoke volumes. -Chicago Record