Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-06-13
THE WHITE GONDOLA.
A Story of Old Venice.
CHAPTER I.

Just before Ascension Day, in the
latter part of the seventeenth CEN
tury, when all Venice was looking
joyfully forward to the annual festi-
val, Carlo Matranza, a powerful men,
Der of the Council, impatiently strobe
to and fro in a room of his palace,
which fronted on the Campo San Ste
fano.
He was a proud, erect, handsome,
gray-haired man of sixty; his large,
piercing black eyes flashed an angry
look at his daughter as he said:
els it not enough that I should be
thwarted in the affairs of the Council,
without being troubled with your
lovers and your girlish whims?"
But, 1 am in no haste for hus-
band, father"
''But there is a husband in haste
for you Sig. Palombo comes here to-
day. And
'Ah, Sig. Palombo!" the girl gasped,
under her breath, a shade Of aversion
clouding her beautiful features.
"And the noble young Briton, Lord
icy January to growing June at the
mention of the fiaxen-haired English
man. He has your heart"
NAY, father; my heart is free.
l will accept no man without your
wiser council"
bah! the crimson messenger from
your heart CLOVIS in your cheek and
bellies your tongue. But Sig. Palom-
DO was your first sutton; to him, in all
Justice, I owe your hand"
His daughters face turned pale
again. as she sank on couch resign
edly. Sig. Matranza observed her
closely for some moments, and then
exclaimed:
'By my faith, Annita, I believe you
love this tawny Briton past curing!
And yet he is not half the man
Palombo is"
''He is a man of noble birth, more
pleasing in stature, and-younger.
"And a coward, no doubt. Those
wheaton faced men are rarely stout OF
heart"
"Nay, father; that I will stake my
she defended him.
CHOSE English mobiles, have
heard make british husbands; they
are sots and profigates-that, too,
without the taste or delicacy of our
nation"
There are good and worthy men
among them"
"Ha, ha! Therefore, Lord Wilfred
must be one" he said, ironically.
$50 my heart tells me-"
"Ah. now we have it! Your heart
swings to him as a daffodil to the sun.
Well. well, my child, if I can pacify
Signor Palombo, you shall have your
way
"Ah, good father, think: Signor
Palombo has twice my years; Lord
Wilfred is but
Five and twenty-a mere youth.
He may love dozen as we'll as you
ere he reach Palombo's years"
$50 he love me first, I care moi"
''Are you sure he loves you, child?'
His eyes have spoken with a
heavenly truth more convincing than
words"
Hum! Well, well, Annita, trust in
your father. Hark! Whose gondola
rests below" the signor asked, as he
heard the cry of gondolier in the
campo below.
Annita fastened to the easement to
see. "It is Signor Palombo, father"
Then leave nue., child; we have
Council business to discuss"
The girl affectionately kissed her
father and left the chamber.
II.
Signor Palombo as he entered, was
seen to be a short, plump, swarthy
man of forty, with a dignified strut
that struggled to make up for his
want Of stature. He had small dark,
crafty eyes, with thick, black eye
brows, and a beard which was as
coarse and graceful as that of a wild
goat. After exchanging the usual
compliments of the day, the per-
-fumed little egotist asked:
What think you Of our defeat in
the Council?"
''It was so near a victory, Signor
Palombo, we must try again"
Beaten by two votes-only two"
els it not pity? Here is our happy
festival coming, the one day of the
year when all should be joyous and
gay. And yet, by an ancient despot's
decree, our gondolas must still remain
as dark and gloomy as a felon's
yshrOud."