The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-02-28
THE GONDOLIER.

Zefrino was not the largest gondolier
in Venice, nor the handsomest; neither
was he ever guilty of winning prize
in the sandolo races, but he was not a
bit surprised when the very blond 81
gnorina from America picked him out
from the crowd of gondoliers who were
humping their boats against each other,
calling one another pigs and such like
fanciful names under their breaths, and
shouting to the young lady who stood,
half amazed, half disgusted, on the ho-
tel steps.
Zeirino was neat as pin, young and
good looking. He neither scowled at his
fellows nor pushed his boat far into the
crowd. Rather did he stand proudly on
the high stern with the air of man of
gentle blood whom fate had reduced to
a meager, but not dishonorable, trade.
Yet that was not the reason of his calm
ness and the quiet certainty that she
would select him to be her gondolier
during her stay in Venice.
This calm certainty was begotten of a
dream into which he had not ventured
far in respect to its Interpretation, but
the little he had seen was marvellous.
The dream had been long, but certain
things stood out in his memory. At first
he thought that he. the most temperate
of men, was drinking very sweet liquid
from a cup Of gold, and became intoxi-
Gated thereby; that meant some great
person would love and enrich him. Then
a face appcarod-a very beautiful face,
with blond hair about it-smiling in a
most engaging way; that meant joy and
happiness. Next he was walking along
a dusty road with the owner of that face
"a young wonlan-and he had sword
in his hand; that was sign OF success.
Therefore, Zeirino was not at all sur
prised when his white lady came trip
ping down tbs steps quite unattended
and entered the gondola as oeolly as she
might cab. In the first place foreigners
have way of doing just what they
please, taking no account whatever Of
the social rules of the Venetian upper
class; second, Zefrino had heard Vene-
tian ladies discuss American girls hun
dred times. He learned that they had a
fragile beauty which disappeared early /;
were very bold and impadent, stared at
men as you might at dog, but could
defend themselves; finally, they and
their race were barbarians, and that was
all about it.
Zefirino was fine sight as with nerv-
ous strokes, unheeding the sarcasms
showered about him in the Venetian dia-
lect by his two less fortunate comrades,
be swept the gondola away from the ho-
tel steps, and, putting his best work on
the forcola, where the sweep swung
lightly but firmly, shot up the Grand
canal. He knew that this was the first
time the fair stranger had ever enjoyed
the exquisite quiet and steady onward
rush of Venetian boat, for he was only
too we'll aware that she had come late
the night before on one of the steam
launches from the station.
Not word had the rose leaf blond ut
tered SO far. She seemed to be stupefied
by the beauty of Venice-or bored be-
yond making motion-and when the
dark arch of the Rialto was passed and
the lovely palaces on the upper stretch
brought no sign from her mute face,
Zefirino was little angry. He stopped
rowing, leaned forward, and inquired.
"Command?"
No: that did not work, either. The
head in a perfect bonnet bent gracious
ly, and one gloyed hand was raised with
as much ease as Queen MaFgherita her,
self might have displayed. Zefirine
seized his oars and set to wondering how
he could make her say even word.
Perhaps she knew as little Italian as he
did English. What was bis surprise,
then, to hear her call out to stop as they
neared broad boat full of vegetables
and fruit which was being slowly poled
along, and in very slowly spoken but
not impossible Italian negotiate for
some oranges and pomegrapates. 1t was
ont of all order SO to do. Bread and wa
ter for week would have been the por-
tion of signorina of one of the real old
families who dared to do sHch a thing,
And then the sweet lips uttered "Zefiri-
no." and the little hand held out of the
felse window O couple of oranges to the
gondolier
He ran forward few steps and kneit
on one knee to receive them, muttering
to himself blessings by all the saints,
but was too agitated to say much. Such
a glance as she gave him-such mis-
chievous, bewildering glancel As if she
saw right through his body and knew
that his heart was humping. The rest
of the giro, through canals great and
small. back to the hotel was as much Q
dream as that ON which his hopes were
built. He hardly came to himself until
he was lying on his back on the quay,
trying to think it all over.
The signorina, bless her little gra-
cious head, with the prettiest bad ac-
cent in the world, had ordered Zeirino
to wait her pleasure that evening just
before moonrise. so that she might be
taken ON to the lagoon opposite the
Piazza, near San Giorgio, and see the