News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-05-14
SCENES IN VENICE.
TCorrespondenee Of News and Citizen. /

WV Ao0ASO ~ 49, -SeN-J ,
we alighted from the train at Venice.
The pronunciation of the name of
our pension, echoed along the line of
the porters, brought, as if by magic,
a little man to our rescue. When he
spoke to us in German, we felt at once
relieved, and when a moment later
we found ourselves seated comfort
ably in a gondola, we were we'll able
to give ourselves up to the full enjoy
ment of our first gondola ride.
The quiet of a city whose thorough
fares are canals, and where horses
hoofs are never heard is at once rest
full and impressive. We felt at once
at home in a gondola, and leaned
back upon the black cushions with a
sigh of relief and delight. The move
ment of a gondola is unlike that oil
any other conveyance; there is Just
enough motion to be pleasing; the
gondoliers move with a graceful sway
ing movement, apparently without
effort, uttering now and then music
al cry, as we are about to turn a
corner; we glide by palace after pal
ace, discolored by time and weather,
but possessing elements of grandeur
still In the graceful architecture and
rich carvings; we seem to be living
in another world.
Finally we land on the stone steps
of our pension where we stand in
imminent danger of falling into the
green waters of the canal. until the
door is opened and we are admitted
to our temporary home.
From the first, Venice is to US an
enchanting city, we feel as if we
should never tire of gliding over the
waters OF the canals, or strolling
through the narrow streets.
Our first visit is of course to st.
Marks Square, the center of life in
Venice. There can hardly be pub
lie square ia the world more fascinat-
ing than this one; we stand before
the church of st. Marks, spellbound !;
it rises before us like a fairy creation,
a dream moulded into form. We are
not prepared for the Oriental style of
the church, both inform and coloring.
1t is surmounted by many Byzantine
domes of different sizes, pointed
turrets, each with a statue in the
niche, adorn the front and sides of
the roof; in the arches, each of which
is surmounted with a statue and en-
riched with carving, are beautiful
mosaics with a gold background I;
mQsaics are again to be seen over
each portal, and gliding is every
where, thus making the church not
only beautiful in form, but in color.
Over the central door stands four
bronze borses, which are remarkable
not only for the workmanship, but
for their history. They once crowned
the triumphal arch of Nero, and later
that of Traian. Constantine sent
them to Constantinople, from whence
they were brought to Venice. But
their travels were not ended, and
they were carried by Napoleon to
Paris, but were fortunately restored
at last to the position on st. Marks,
where they now stand, the only
horses in the city.
The interior of the church is also
brilliant and beautiful, the walls and
ceiling being entirely covered with
mosaics, of which there are 45, 100
square feet in the church. From a
gallery half way up the church the
mosaics may be seen to better ad-
vantage, and the shading of the
robes of the saints is found to be
exquisite.
After viewing the building ones
attention is attracted to the scenes
from human life which are being en-
acted there; an old priest in a blue
robe sits on a bench quietly sleeping,
while his collection box rests beside
him; a troop of little girls, accompa-
MED by a woman, go through the
customary bowling before the altar
and the making of the sign Of the
cross, and then skip out in the most
light-hearted manner as if glad that
their duty was done; a soldier in a
long black cape, three. cornered hat
and buckled shoes moves by; "a group
of people dressed in mourning knee
for moment before a bronze figure
of the Virgin; an artist is painting
a picture of the gorgeous interior
while a group OF Italian children
stand watching her; an old woman
coming toward one of the affairs il
apparent devotion, begs in a whining
voice; all day these varied figures
pass in and out of the old church.
Outside, in the square, life seems tt
be a perpetual holiday; the band il
playing; the pigeons, which Away
frequent the square, fly about, Otter
resting on the head and arms 0
someone who feeds them crowds 0
gaily dressed people walk to and fro
or lunch at the little tables outsid
the cafes. Every Italian seems in
stinctively to love color and as they
usually combine colors in a harmo
NOUS way, the effect is very pleasing
Pretty children are seen everywhere
the oval faces which the artist love
to paint, surrounded with dainty
clustering rings of black hair. Higl
into the air towers the campainle O.
bell tower, near at hand is the CRANE
palace of the Doges, back of which il
the Bridge of Signs, a peculiar covered
archway enriched with carving
which forms an attractive pictur
scene against the blue background
of the sky, with the green water