Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-06-23
! TlHEEs . u ! 4 OF FATE
= .ysNEHIAN FgegND OF THE DAYS
OF THE DoeEs.


cntcd With the Vision of Her own
Loselincss nnd the Statue In Tho
chuTch of San Giorsis niaggiore.
Here is a legend witch / heard. in
venice. offer 1t to all among you
VINO are fond Of solitude and silence.
l otfer 1t to you as 1 would offer a
no}yer which has blossomcd amid SOM
Der shadows on a sleeping lagoon:
Ghita Gherardini was the niece Of the
uoge. Poets whose namcs we have for
gotten, but who were renowned Mt that
time, had composed innumcrablc songs
In her honor. They praised in them the
trqsscs OF the young girl, black rs night,
IN which 8pearlS Sglcamctl like milk,
white stars. They also sang about the
radiance. Of ler dark Violet eyes and
about tile two roses Which formed her
lips In truth, Ghita Ghcrartilni was
very beautiful. She had. however, lis
tened too, earnestly to the passionate
words of the singers, and III immense
prldctook possession Of her young soul.
One night she heard beneath her win
dow the yenrning sob of Lutte. Stand
Ing M II motionlcss gonIola. II lovesick
the music, and the water and the dark
ness added something to the sweetness
OF. ths strains, ana to the passion in the
voice Of thc singer The young page
was clarifying her us the most radiant
among all women. sl
Ghita heard him, and a delightful
tremor ran through her Without wait
Ing to light the torches, which Ind gone
OUT, she took her mirror and ran TO the
window, through Which tic moonlight
shohe into her room. Thercnpon'in this
mysterious light she saw. TINT she was
strangely beautiful; thnt her beauty
was indceu Utmost supernatural. Tho
moonlight revealed her pulc and trans
parent, like the princess OF IL poc,n.
Intoxicated with her charms she lot
inc seductive mirror slip from her
hand, and II sigh of admiration and of
ecstasy escaped her as she cried:
i am beautiful! am beautiful"
Thenccforth Ghita Ghcrarlini spent
all her time marveling Mt her own beau
~. She did not desire to fall In love.
for she fnnCied TINT there was no man
living who wins worthy of her. Those
songl wllich'had no words Of praise for
her eyes and her hair sue treated with
contempt. and to The mysteries OF reli-
gion she never gave Il thought.
She went TO high mass solely for tho
purpose of being seen by the people
and OF being iuttercd by them MS they
whispered to one another about her.
lie restless eyes were never turned
toward the altar
She thought Of nothing save her own
triumphant beauty and OF the Jewels
which set 1t OFF IN sumptuous fashion.
One day Ghitn GhernrtIni slipped
little mirror beside the first pngc of
her mass book, which had been deli
cntely illuminated by pious artist.
And while her attitude Of devotion cdi-
hed the multitude she studied her face
enshrlncd I'm the book of prayer.
The doge's niece Ind forgotten that
the Creator alone is worthy OF wor-
ship and not any of his creatures. She
mad also forgotten that pride is an
aDominablc sin-.ayc, perhaps the most
perilons of all sins since 1t was the
cause of the rebellion of the archnn-
gels and the downfall of I.ucifcr.
One day Ghita Gbernrlini WINS In
tently studying her face in the little
mirror between tho holy leaves of her
mass hook and suddenly she uttered n
loud cry of terror. Through the large
building 1t rang. drowning the solemn
voice or the priest. the responses OF tho
congregation and the sonorous mur-
mnr 81 the organ And strnlehtway
che dogc's niece fell to'thc ground In
O faint She had seen reflected in the
guilty mirror, the sacrllegious mirror.
not her OWN countennnce, but that of
DeaFh!w quiliaHptr
There is today in the Church of Snn
Giorgia Nfhgglore, where this miracle
was nc,onplisl,ed,, tho statue of wo.
mnn. who Is seated and looking Mt her
ftelf IN a mirror. Very beautiful is
etils woman, rs beautiful as Ghita
eahcrarflinl was formerly. The story
sces TINT this statue Is the work of n
eamofts sculptor, but the people be.
EeveS-nnd their legends contain
good deal Of truth-that it was once
Nhita Gherardini herself and that her
eodyiwas turned into stone by the ter
GAblc vision. Z b
To all those who love the silence OF
'sead cities 1 offer this legend. 1 found
" at Venice rs one occasionally finds a !
flower which has blossomed amid SOM
ter shadows OH a sletping lngoon.-
Helene de- Zuylen dc Nyevclt in Euro
Gsan Edition New York Herald. Il
l. XA.tEtk, Tho Onion.
g Ina value Of the cnoli in the dietnry
esa fseAn madef..: subject of pl,nh