The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-03-20
MADONNA DELLA SALUTE.
A Description of the Splendid Novem-
Der FIESTA at Venice

Der fiesta at Venice.
Every lover of Venice is familiar with
| the. magnificent church at the end of
the Grand Canal, built in honor of La
| Madonna della Salute Che Madonna of
Health). That edifice is thu central
scene of wonderful celebration in the
| latter part of November. The annual
fiesta of Madonna della Salute is one of
the most picturesque of all the annual
religious concentrations in which the
Italians throughout the land delight.
| But it's origin was connected with a
fearful visitation. The grand church
was raised on the cessation of the
plague that decimated Venice in $780,
| 81. The pestilence carried off $4,000 peo-
pie in the city (more than one-third of
| its present population) and 100000 in
the islands of the lagoons. The deliv-
ance being aseribed to the Virgin, the
anniversary has been observed ever
since.
The season is generally enchanting.
True, the Italian skies are apt just now
to be fitful, changing their expression
like the large and lustrous eyes of the
women and girls who look sometimes
so pensively across the equally capri
cious Adriatic. At one moment the cam
opy may be of the celestial azurra,
which perfectly mimics the glory of
summer; in an hours time a furious
hailstorm may be sweeping across the
great plain towards Browning's Asolo,
the little lowered city on the mountain
slope thirty-five miles away; and pre-
sently from another point, towards tt
tian's glorious Galore, a glow of fiery
brightness may be transferring the
armament The people for many a
league know that Venice is sure to be
a queen of beauty still, no matter if
winter is performing it's preludes, and
they prepare to troop in from the re-
gions round the forests of st. Marco,
where larches still grow like those from
which the old war galleons were built
from beautiful Belluno on the edge Of
the Austrian Tyrol from pretty Vicen-
"a and quaint Padua; from old Cone
gliano and the ancient villages embow-
erred in the chestnut groves by the ro-
mantic margin of the brawling Corde-
yole.
Thus it is indeed a bizarre Jthrong
which the fiesta draws into the narrow
streets Of the mistress of the Adriatic.
Over the Rialto Bridge and along the
tortuous lanes on islet after islet that
lead to many more insignificant
ponte, crossing from one island to an
other between rows of princely old
case in which lordly knights of the re-
public and proud danes once splendid
lily dwelt, the laughing and chattering
troops make for the area around the
great sanctuary. On the evening be-
fore the fiesta hundreds of strolling
hawkers and peddlers arrive from the
country. AS many as can find space
set up their stalls and booths around
the church. During the night they sleer
in the open air, for the breath of the
lagoon is mild, and these wanderers are
hardy. Every one of these hucksters
will recognize many of the crowd who
will come along during the ensuing day
for with their merchandise they have
visited time and again every hamlet
every farm of a contadino or manente
in the northeast of the peninsula. The
Italian knows less of social caste thar
any other people of Europe, excepting
: the Norwegians, and here is one reason
why these national feasts are so de-
lightful. All classes mingloa freely
and individuals of the most different
positions treat each other with equa
respect on each side and with charming
: familiarity.
: But Venice becomes a babel on the
anniversary of madonna della Salute
The southern peoples never require sc
much sleep as the denizens of the
: northern lands. They begin their WORK
and their pleasures and their worship
at hours in the morning which seem tt
: an English, German, or American Wis
itor Unfortunately early and only fit FOL
monastic penance. But the vivaciou'
Venetians, with their lark-like propen
sity for stirring even before the full
, dawn are simply typical of the Italians
generally, / have known servants il
5 that sunny land who took care of Eng
fish or American families. A fantesct
(maid of all work. having undertaken
entire charge of the foreign family
: would cook their meals, clean their a
: partments, black their boots, bind thei
. skirts, darn their hose, and purchas
r their provisions. Yet she apparent,
Y never did anything but lean out of tn
window of the loggia and gossip witt