Catoctin clarion., 1900-09-06

| Chllde Harold, thus:
| I stood in Venice on the Bridge OF Signs,
palace and prison on each hand
saw from out the waves her structures rise
As from the stroke of some enchanted wand.
A thousand years their cloudy wings expand
Around me, and a dying glory smiles
Der the far times when many subject and
Looked TO the winged islands, marble piles,
Where Venice Sat in state, throned on her
hundred isles.
| In the afternoon we boarded n steamer and
went to bathing resort on The Adriatic
where we enjoyed several hours delightful
bathing as the breakers were fine. IN the
evening we enjoyed ride in gondola and
as we moved along up the Grand Canal with
its compact line of buildings on each side,
mostly five stories high, including many large
and elegant public buildings and venerable
palaces, the appearance was that of city
temporarily flooded. The moon cast her soft
radiance over the Grand Canal and numer-
Gus colored lights were reflected in the dark
water, nature and art combining to render
| the scene beautiful The houses which in
the garish light of day looked rather delap-
dated were softcncd into palaces in which we
could picture romantic scenes enacted. but
which, in point of fact, were for the most
part dark and silent. Saturday morning we
visited the 80 called Pantheon of Venice
where we saw the monument Of Titan, also
his grave and the tomb of Canova the great
sculptor, as we'll as many others of Doges
and generals. There is said 10 be at least
ona hnndrod m thnlio nhnrch 90 in tho baart
Of Venice. The interior of all that we visited
were well supplied with paintings and stat
uary, and some of their affairs were rich in
rare stones and sparkling gems. The pigeons
not only the freedom of the city but are fed
every afternoon at 2 o'clock in St. Marks
Square at the public expense. They are the
pets of the people and are very tame. Some
of our party threw some corn to the pave
mtnt and Immediately they were almost sur.
rounded by pigeons; they literally throngcd
over them. partaking of food ont of their
hands. Venice is built upon ia small isl
with the exception of the Grand Canal, being
seldom more than 25 feet in width. The
tide from the sea rises and falls and flows
through these canals, which, we were told,
are $40 in number keeping the water always
pure and healthy. The Grand Canal winds
through the city and resembles the letter s
and is probably 1875 feet wide. Out of the
canals the houses all rise abruptly and their
principal front and entrance always faces the
water, visitors stepping from the boat to the
door sill. The houses of Venice have no
yards, side alleys nor any vacant ground
connected with them. The view from the
artificial heights near the pavilion oyerlooks
the mirror of the lagoons with their many
small islands in the distance, everywhere
lifting their churches and slender towers in
the air. In addition to all this enhancing
variety of land and water views, a gcam of
the open Adratic is caught through the en~
trance of the port. We left Venice at $3.50
Saturday afternoon aud after an uneventful
ride reached Borzen, place high up in the
Tyrol Alps, at $50 p. N, spending rcstful
Sunday there. A description of this place,
as well as an account of our ride to Munich
and our visit to this city, will appear in next
weeks issue,
E. A. MATTHIAS.