The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-07-20
a GAY GONDOLlER.

lnc OF the Worlds Fair BOatmen Takes
Quiet Swim.
Divinely picturesque and eminently
ttuuad to their artistic environment
Ierrecting the beauty Of the cameo set
ing of the magnificent palaces lining
.he shimmering lagoOns, the gondoliers
re a feature eminent among the novel
.lluring spectacles at the great expo
tion
Chicago's erratic knight Of the bar
pmeter and the festive forecast having
graciously meted out an acceptable ar
licle of weather from his treasure house
during the last few days, the gay gen
llemen from Venice have been given an
opportunity to shine resplendent in all
their fnery of raiment 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
rondoliers have yet experienced, they
we're in particularly bright and hap
pv mood. Before the crowd arrived To-
distract their minds with the seductive
] y
reclined in the sunshine near the pier-
where their fairy-lize craft are moored,
rolled cigarettes, listened dreamily to
the music floating over the lagoon from
the bandstands and discussed the com
parative merits of gondOling and run
ming peanut stands.
From dll that could be gathered from
/ scraps of the conversation, the senti-
ment 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 hangngs
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-loolIing oars
man lived in a Venetian palace, with
/ its thresholds touching the water and
it's latticed easements half-concealinR
/ divers and various dark-eyed Italian
beauties. to whom. in accordance with
the tradition and romance, the Condo
Tiers, when off watch, would offer their
hearts and hands in rounded verse to
the accompaniment of lutte, guitar OF
at least a harmoniea.
But they don't.
Down on the west bank of the south
pond stands lowly frame cottage
rough and unpaiDted. The most ro
mantle observer would never for a mo-
ment connect it with the trailing oars
or softly splashing water. 1t is more
redolent of the soil, more suggestive OF
the festive lumber shower or the equal
ly unostentatious sewer-digger. AnC
here the gondoliers live, move and have
their being.
Shortly after the gilt head of Diani
had begun to glisten in the sunlight
this morning gondolier stepped out o
the cottage and walked to the edge OF
the lagoon. He wore not the gay livery
which illumes the gondolas later on
merely an undress uniform and a pen
sive air of melancholy. As he gazed a
the water it was evident that he wa,
filled with ildlonging to undress ever
more yet and try a plunge in thu
lagoon. At length his determination
became fixed, he hastily di,robed and ,
moment later took a flying leap int
the water, instantly and irrevoeably
fracturing regulation "No. l4sGr 70
the guidance of visitors and employees
Any one wishing to use water in any
form on the fair grounds must use tina
furnished by a concessionaire from
Wisconsin or incur the dire penalty o
walking behind Columbian guard foI
some distance and possible incareera
tion in the cold-storage building or tn,
Chinese theater.
Hardly had the splash made by IN,
audacious gondoher died away wheI
there was a run on the bank and
/ guard WAS on hand.
Come out of that, now, yez murther
! in dago, or I'll run yez in, was hi
salutation.
The gondolier grinned and quietl'
replied: Isl Calcimine Re lllustr'
elochio este boulevarda. or words Il
that effect.