The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1894-03-21
BRIDGE OF signs AT VENICE.
Tho Famous Arcaway around Which To-
nance Th:c,.iy Clusters.

The Famous Archway around Which To-
nance Thie,iy Cinsters.
In the heart Of Venice, between the
magnificent palace of the doges and the
grim walls of the old prison, fow tho
dark waters Of the Rio del Palazso and
across tho canal stretches the Bridge of
Sighs-conuccting link between the
splendors of n palace and the terrors of
the dungeon, the torture chamber and
the heading block. Gao of the most no.
ticeable points about this Lridge is the
fact that it r. CLOSED in. thus proving
all stories of suicides committed from
it to be fabulous.
This fact robs the Bridge of Signs OF
n OF its most romantic associatio rs
of its pretty legends of grief laden NOR
tails heaving their last sigh upon its
parapet and ending their Borrowing
lives in the black waters beneath it.
From without the bridge. with its arch
like form, its ornamental stonework, its
grotesquely carved heads and its small
square windows filled in with iron trac-
cry, presents II rather fine appearance,
but the interior is strictly devoid of or
namcnt and has not the slightest PEE
tensions to beauty.
During our visit to Venice of course
We included the dogos' palace and the
dungeons IN u programme. After
wandering for some time through the
vast halls and beautiful saloons of the
old Venetian palace we passed over the
Bridge of s,ghs OF u way to the
gloomy cells. Tho bridge seemed to be
little more than Il narrow passage e.
tween two thick walls of stone, and I'M
less you stepped up onto the slightly
raised stonewoIk which runs along be-
meath the tiny windows on either side
and caught Il glimpse of the ana with
out you might easily take it for an ordi-
larry passage within the palace. AT the
far end of the bridge our progress WIS
barred by n grim looking oalken door
nail studded. age blackened and of i'm
mense thickness guarding the entrance
to the dungeonT. Our guides came TO a
halt. There was a Jingling Ct keys, II
lighting of torches; then the great door
swung slowly back. and we passed into
the darkness beyond. When next we
passed the ancient door and crossed the
Bridge OF Signs. it was with the memory
of those terrible cells, those fearful dun
geons wll,re tho halloss prisoners en-
dured the NEST orrible tortures that
tyranny could devise or brutality in
flict.
| remember strolling, on the last
evening Of our holiday i'll Venice along
the Piazza San Marco and making my
way to the Ponte della Paglia to take a
farewell look at the Bridge of Signs. 1t
was Il summer evening, hot and sultry,
while the fast gathering clouds, dense
and inky, betokened an approaching
storm. | had Just reached the Ponte
della Paglia and was gazing at the
Bridge of Signs when Il tremendous
peal of thunder rent the heavens, SEEM
ing to shake the city to its very founda-
tons with its violence.
Suddenly llinding flash of lightning
1t up the palace, l1idse and dungeons
with its lu2id flare. For an Instant the
hlidge stoed ont with dazzling distinct
ress. while the lightning played ON its
t1aceried windows; then all seemed
duik. And this was tho last | saw Of
the Bridge of Siyhs. -Newcastlc Chron-
iole.