The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1904-06-30
An Interesting Letter.
VENICE. JUNE 9TH, 100

calm and moonlit deep
/ The song and oar of Adria 5 gondeLer,
BY distance mellowed o 'er the waters
sweet
[ have heard the song and oar
Of Adria s gondelier, it is passing
sweet and lures you into dreamy
rest. [ have seen moonlight on
the Grand Canal and it is a pic
ture you can never forget [
have seen the glory of an italian
sunset and it is a glory unspeak-
able To-day I stood upon the
bridge of the Rialto and I saw
the sun go down behind the blue
waves of the Adriatic, and it
went down in a riot of gorgeous
colors. Gold and purple and
Iamaranthe and pink are mingled
in exquisite harmony with the
everlasting blue of an italian
sky. Long after the sun had
passed into the bosom Of the sea,
| its reflected fire fingered lovingly
giving to every church spire and
dome a baptism OF varied colors.
[ watched until the daylight died
in the shadow Of the coming
night and the heavens glowed
with the mellow light of myriad
stars. Then the soft twilight of
summer fell like a benediction
over all, and hushed was every
sound save the waves at your
feet and the plaintiye love song
Of the gondolier who glided by
you as silently as a shadow. In
all truth this is a beautiful city
aud beautifully wears her crown
as the Pearl Of the Adriatic.
Since my last letter to you I
have Travelled all over the south
ern part Of France and Italy, all
through the famed Riviera
Nice, MentOne aud Monte Carlo:
the latter place is really the won
der of the world famed for
being the most sumptuOus
gambling Casino on earth. and
gloriously is it entitled to all it's
fame, for a more beautiful place
cannot be found; its white mar
be palaces, its FURNISHED domes.
its fountains gushing waters
which sing as they fall. its groves
Of orange and lemon trees rich in
the golden harvest, flowers Of
every color, making the summer
air heavy with delightful per
fume. but above them all hangs
the shadow of death and the pail /
of human weakness and human
sin. l shall never forget my one
night at the gambling casino. /
At this great resort [ saw every /
phase of our poor nature. [ saw
greed and hope. [ saw failure I
and dismay. l heard the mock I
ing laugh fall from ashen lips.
[ saw the young girl with
trembling fingers place her
money on the board and watch
with fear the ivory ball rolling to
her loss or gain. [ saw the young
boy take his first fling in the
game. He won and laughed as
he heard the siren voice, little
Of the discord of angry
water which he will hear in that
black gulf just beyond. [ saw
the almost nerveless finger of
age grasp the last coin and
with the last rally of a despairing
soul place it on a card. He lost,
and left the game in agony and
hopeless gloom. From out the
gilded palace he walked beneath
the shadow of the groves "a pis-
tol shot rang down the curtain
on the final act and gain and loss
was alike to him then suicide /
filing a bloody grave on an alien
Hill. More than 100 people have
suicided at Monte Carlo this
year. A graveyard is set apart |
for the bodies of the unclaimed /
dead-and still the game goes on.
From Monte Carlo I iourneyed |
along the shores of the Meditera-
mean and through the Alps to
Pisa. No more beautiful scenery
can be found on earth. One mo-
mont tho blup waves alpoOst wa h /