The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-09

They are picked men, and among their
number may be found the most skillful
and speedy Of all the race Of gondoliers in
their native city. Some Of them have
performed similar duty in other European
cities, and have managed to pick up q lit
tie English, French and German.
The uniform Of the gondolier is brilliant
and strong. No opportunity to display
color in its composition was neglected. lt
Is said to be the dress Of the romantic
period in the history of Italy-four centur-
les ago-and looks IL. The trousers are of
the knickerbocker order, tied at the knees
with cord of silk and tassel of gold, and
striped perpendicularly with red and
white. The jacket, rather tight-ftting, is
Of red material, and q br DAD belt showing
all the colors of the rainbow appears to be
the boatman's particular PRIDE On his
breast Is large medallion and at his side
q flowing sash. His sleeves are of the
puffed pattern which the women will in.
spect with interest, and his cap is sort of
fez with very long and jaunty feather
rising from 1t.
As yet there is considerable uncertainty
as to the prices which the gay gondoliers
are to charge. They appear to have o
sliding scale, which slips along in almost
any direction to accommodate the purse of
the passenger. The plan most in favor
with the manager is to rent boat at
about % an hour, permitting six or eight
passengers to step aboard. With heavy
load two gondoliers are sent along, but for
smaller parties one suffices, and then the
charge per hour may be considerably re-
duced. The manager will no doubt hnd It
to his interest to send some Of his boats
out to take passengers on the same basis
% that adopted for the electric launches
and for the steam launches, which / had
nearly forgotten to mention, as well-a
quarter for short trip or half dollar for
the round voyage.
The wheel chairs the thing for getting
about the grounds and buildings with.
There are 500 In use now, and there will be
1850 In all month hence. when the big
crowds are expected. They are pretty nice
chairs, Of rattan bodies, rubber tires and
ball bearings and they run almost as
smoothly as bicycle. It is said the work
Of wheeling even q heavy man about for o
day is not hard, and that the wheel-man
as well as the wheeled man enjoys the ex-
ercise. The motive power has brains as
well as muscle; for the men who propel
these chairs are college students from
Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Amherst, Chi
cago university, Michigan university and
nearly all the other colleges of the coun.
try. The young men thus secured a chance
TO see the exposition without expense, and
their pride suffers no fall whatever, the
work being useful and honorable. They
get 81 day, n place to sleep, and admis-
sion to the grounds. Their tips will
amount to good deal, for they are hand
some and intelligent young fellows who
know how to be agreeable to well-to-do
men, their wives and daughters. Look
out for crop of romances growing out Of
the employment of 2,400 college boys as
motive power before the exposition closes
in October.
The pvices charged for the chairs will
drive all romantic notions out OF the heads
Of the papas and husbands who have to
foot the bills. Look; Chair with attenf.
ant, 70 cents for an hour, 40 cents for hai
an hour. Chair without attendant, 40
cents an hour. Double chair for two per-
sons with attendants, 81 per hour; without
attendants, GO cents an hour. II you want
to 60 into the chair business wholesale you
may have a chair with attendant all day
for 90, without for $3.50. Even at these
prices the chairs appear to be popular.
ROBERT GRAVES.