The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-12
FlDELLO, DOGE'S PAGE.
Boys and Girls story of Old
Venice.
copyrighted, 1896, by T. c. Harbaugh

1855, to be preciSe-When one or tine
many gates of the ducal palace OPP
ened and a boy came out and halted ON
the grand staircase which overlooked
the Grand canal.
Venice at the time was in the height
of her glory, and in consequence of a
late victory won over a, foreign foe by
her soldiers, the vast city was filled
with rejoicings.
The boy on the staircase told by his
rich dress that he was connected with
the doge's household as, indeed, he was,
being page in attendance on the doge
himself. In figure he was slender but
graceful; his rich chestnut locks hung
to his shapely shoulders and lay on his
velvet collar as lightly as flakes of
snow.
He Wore about his waist a rich red
sash, the ends of which were fringed
with gold braid, and i'm the belt itself
was TO be seen a little dagger more for
play than use, with its ivory hilt tipped
with a pearl from the ducal treasury.
The boy seemed to be absorbed in the
gay scenes which met his gaze as he
took in the gondolas that swept the
bosom of the Grand canal. He leaned
against the marble sides of the stair
case and watched the many boats that
swept along, singing out now and then
one whose owner he knew by sight.
The staircase led down to the water,
and after while the little page moved
lower, where he could watch the craft
from better vantage ground.
On the very last step which was cast
in shadow the boy page befeld the fig
ure of a crouching boy.
The little fellow was poorly clad, his
garments betokening his poverty, and
F1dello, the doge's page, knew at once
that he belonged to the great body of
fisher folk that swarmed in nearly
every quarter of the city.
"Who art thou, Ioy?" asked the
page, STOPPING and looking into the
thin face of the outcast 'I am FL
dello, page to the Doge Marine, and
thou
II am Andrello, the child of the fish
er Paullo. I was thrown from a gon-
dola on which 7 was stealing a. ride
while ago, and did not know it was
wrong to rest on the staircase of the
Ducal palace"
THE INVITATION.
mot wrong in my eyes. boy, but in
those of the authorities it is sacrilege
But stay you shall rest elsewhere. I
would like to hear of the city beyond
the walls of the palace in which I am
Gagged like a bird. Come. Let US go
back. [ have a. room, as pretty a little
place as your eyes have ever seen, and
then, will show you the golden lion
and
TT is too much-too muchl" broke in
Andrello. I'VE poor people dare not
look at the beauties of San Marco with
out expecting TO feel the hand of the
law
''Nonsense." cried Fidelllo, laughing.
II will show you what is beyond the
walls Of the ducal palace, for the doge
is absent tonight-he has gone to the
council"
Fidello dragged the half resisting boy
up the wide staircase and opened the
door by which he had come out upon
the steDs of the polished marble.
First he took Ardrello to his own lit
tie apartment, which was in fact, a
miniature palace.
You never get tired of this, do your
cried Ardrello
Sometimes [ would sooner mend
nets than live here" answered Fidello.
When you are ready to mend them
l will teach you, and then I will come
here and live among all this splendor. "
1t was late when the two boys came
back to F'idelio's apartments
He went to the ducal kitchen and
brought back some viands on which
Andreilo Toasted, watched all the time
by F'idello, and when the guest was
through, he looked wistfully at the
silken cough of the little page as if he
would like to try it for night.
interpreting the glance, Fidello pro-
posed that he should rest in the room
till morning, saying that he need not
go back to the nets till then, and An
drello, throwing his jacket across the
room, took possession of the bed, much
to the pages amusement.
THE STOLEN DAGGER.
Tired as the fisher boy was he soon
fell asleep, and after watching him
awhile, Fidello went to his last duties
for the night. He would have to at
tend the doge on his return from the
council, and while he waited in his
chair in the grand hall he fell asleep
The doge came back with disturbed
countenance, and seeing Fidello Sleep
ing in his chair, he looked at him a
moment and then stole the pearl-hilted
dagger. which he carried off without
arouSing its owner.
F'alieri Marine was an old man at
this time.
Past 20, his hair was white. but his
form was stately as a doge's should
be, and he had added to the glories of
Venice, even in his old age.
But there was about him that night
look of uneasiness. For some time
rumors of a conspiracy against the
republic had fioated about, and the
finger of suspicion had been directed
against the ducal palace itself.
Ffdello slept on, and when he awoke
he wondered why the doge had not re-
turned, for he was not aware that the
hand of his master had despoiled him
Of the dagger.
1t was past time for the ruler of Ven
ice to come back, and, fearing that he
had neglected his duty while asleep,
Fidello sDrang I'D and ran down the
marble corridors.
He listened al the door of the doge's
chamber and heard the full. sonorous
breathing of a sleeping man.
Filled with fear, he turned back and
sought his own room. He would enter
and throw himself gently down beside
Andrello; but the moment he opened
the door he stopped and stared at the
bed.
The couch was empty; but the fisher
boys jacket lay where he had cast it
while its owner was not to be seen.
Where can he be?" cried F'idello.
Surely 1 left him asleep in my cham
Der, and he does not know the intrci-
cieS of the ducal palace. What if the
sud- uS 9iOulu A4iu MN among the
shadows of the corridors? They would
make short work of Andrello, and the
nets would never see him again.
He fled from the room, and pausing a
moment to think which way the fisher
boy might have gone, he ran off and
opened a door which was always kept
unlocked, as It led TO the underground
apartments of the palace and then tc
/ the river.
IN THE LION ROOM.
Vainly did Fidello search the winding
! ways of the dark palace of the doge's